The 2026 North American trade show calendar is one of the most packed in recent memory. Industry analysts project more than $16 billion in direct spending across major shows this year, with attendance at several flagship events on track to set new records. Whether you are planning to exhibit, sponsor, or simply attend to stay close to your category, knowing what is on the calendar and when is the first step.
Below is a full breakdown of the 20 major shows worth tracking this year, followed by highlights of what makes several of them particularly notable.
|
Trade Show |
Industry |
Date |
Venue |
City/State |
|
CES 2026 |
Consumer Electronics |
Jan 6–9 |
Las Vegas Convention Center |
Las Vegas, NV |
|
World of Concrete 2026 |
Construction |
Jan 20–23 |
Las Vegas Convention Center |
Las Vegas, NV |
|
American International Toy Fair |
Toys/Games |
Feb 14–17 |
Javits Center |
New York, NY |
|
Natural Products Expo West |
Natural Foods |
March 3–7 |
Anaheim Convention Center |
Anaheim, CA |
|
The Inspired Home Show |
Housewares |
March 7–10 |
McCormick Place |
Chicago, IL |
|
NAB Show |
Broadcasting/Media |
April 12–15 |
Las Vegas Convention Center |
Las Vegas, NV |
|
National Restaurant Association Show |
Food Service |
May 16–19 |
McCormick Place |
Chicago, IL |
|
BIO International Convention |
Biotech |
June 8–11 |
BCEC |
Boston, MA |
|
InfoComm 2026 |
Pro AV |
June 13–19 |
Orange County Convention Center |
Orlando, FL |
|
Outdoor Retailer Summer |
Sports/Outdoors |
June 15–17 |
Salt Palace Convention Center |
Salt Lake City, UT |
|
Fancy Food Show |
Specialty Foods |
June 28–30 |
Javits Center |
New York, NY |
|
Comic-Con International |
Pop Culture |
July 16–19 |
San Diego Convention Center |
San Diego, CA |
|
MAGIC Las Vegas |
Fashion/Apparel |
Aug 17–20 |
Las Vegas Convention Center |
Las Vegas, NV |
|
IMTS 2026 |
Manufacturing Technology |
Sept 14–19 |
McCormick Place |
Chicago, IL |
|
RE+ 2026 |
Energy |
Sept 21–24 |
Anaheim Convention Center |
Anaheim, CA |
|
The Utility Expo |
Utility Equipment |
Sept 22–24 |
Kentucky Exposition Center |
Louisville, KY |
|
World Dairy Expo |
Agriculture |
Sept 29–Oct 3 |
Alliant Energy Center |
Madison, WI |
|
Equip Exposition |
Landscaping |
Oct 21–24 |
Kentucky Exposition Center |
Louisville, KY |
|
SEMA Show |
Automotive |
Nov 3–6 |
Las Vegas Convention Center |
Las Vegas, NV |
|
Greenbuild International |
Sustainable Construction |
Nov 10–12 |
Moscone Center |
San Francisco, CA |
Q1: The Season Opens in Las Vegas and New York
CES 2026 (Jan 6–9, Las Vegas) remains the largest consumer technology gathering in the world. More than 4,500 exhibitors from over 160 countries are expected, spanning AI hardware, mobility, health tech, and connected home. For exhibitors outside the consumer electronics space, CES has quietly become one of the best B2B prospecting events of the year, drawing a disproportionate share of executive-level attendees in the first week of January.
World of Concrete (Jan 20–23, Las Vegas) is the construction industry’s flagship event and the largest international annual trade show dedicated to the concrete and masonry trades. The show draws more than 55,000 registered professionals across its four days, with a live outdoor demonstration area that sets it apart from most indoor-only expos.
American International Toy Fair (Feb 14–17, New York) is the largest toy and play product trade show in the Western Hemisphere. The Javits Center show is a wholesale and licensing-focused event, meaning the audience skews heavily toward buyers, retailers, and product development leads rather than general consumers.
Q1 into Q2: Food, Home, and Media
Natural Products Expo West (March 3–7, Anaheim) is the defining event for the natural, organic, and specialty food and beverage industry. With more than 3,000 exhibiting brands and 65,000 attendees, it draws retailers, distributors, buyers, and investors all in one venue. For brands in the better-for-you food space, this show functions more like a market week than a traditional expo.
The Inspired Home Show (March 7–10, Chicago) is the housewares industry’s primary sourcing and trend event, hosted at McCormick Place. It draws retail buyers from more than 100 countries and serves as the launchpad for major product introductions in kitchen, home, and lifestyle categories.
NAB Show (April 12–15, Las Vegas) covers the full spectrum of media, entertainment, and technology. It draws more than 65,000 attendees and is one of the few events where broadcast professionals, streaming platform operators, and production technology vendors all share the same floor. AI-driven content tools and cloud production infrastructure are expected to dominate the conversation in 2026.
National Restaurant Association Show (May 16–19, Chicago) is the food service industry’s largest annual event, with more than 55,000 attendees and 2,200 exhibiting companies. It covers everything from commercial kitchen equipment to front-of-house technology and attracts operators ranging from independent restaurant owners to national chain executives.
Summer: Science, Tech, and the Outdoors
BIO International Convention (June 8–11, Boston) is the world’s largest biotechnology event. It is less of a traditional trade show and more of a partnering and deal-making conference, with tens of thousands of one-on-one meetings scheduled in advance through the BIO One-on-One Partnering platform. For life sciences companies looking to build commercial relationships, it is one of the highest-density prospecting environments in any industry.
InfoComm 2026 (June 13–19, Orlando) is the audiovisual and integrated experience industry’s primary event, hosted at the Orange County Convention Center. It draws AV professionals, systems integrators, and end users across corporate, government, education, and entertainment verticals.
Outdoor Retailer Summer (June 15–17, Salt Lake City) is the outdoor industry’s leading trade event. It functions as a wholesale buying market and brand launch platform, with particular strength in apparel, footwear, gear, and sustainability-focused innovation.
Fall: Manufacturing, Energy, and Agriculture
The fall cluster is arguably the most strategically dense portion of the 2026 calendar, with major shows across manufacturing, energy, agriculture, and automotive all compressed into a six-week window.
IMTS 2026 (Sept 14–19, Chicago) is the International Manufacturing Technology Show and one of the largest industrial events in the world. Held every two years at McCormick Place, it covers machine tools, robotics, automation, and digital manufacturing. The 2024 edition drew more than 89,000 attendees across 1.3 million square feet of exhibit space.
RE+ 2026 (Sept 21–24, Anaheim) is North America’s largest clean energy event, formerly known as Solar Power International. It covers solar, storage, wind, and the broader energy transition supply chain. Attendance has grown significantly in recent years as investment in clean energy infrastructure has accelerated.
SEMA Show (Nov 3–6, Las Vegas) is the automotive aftermarket’s defining annual event. With more than 2,400 exhibiting companies and 160,000 industry professionals in attendance, it is one of the largest trade shows in the United States by any measure. The show is known for its high-production vehicle builds and experiential displays, which set a standard for booth presence that other industries frequently reference.
This calendar will be updated as show dates are confirmed and registration opens. For exhibitors still finalizing their 2026 event plans, most major shows have early booth selection windows open now.
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