The Freeman Company (TFC) announced its launch as a new parent company to category-leading live experience brands—3D Exhibits, Alford Media, BaAM, Color Gamut, Freeman AV Production, Freeman Events & Exhibit Services, mdg, Sparks, and Studio Blue.
Convention centers and market operators across the United States reported early-year activity and new investments, from packed January event calendars and post-incident reopenings to digital wayfinding upgrades, sustainability-minded exhibit reuse, and fresh 2026 conference and market announcements.
Welcome back to “A Look Back at ECN Tradeshow History.” This month, the archive opens on a snapshot of how the industry moves through change. From a leadership hire aimed at strengthening advocacy in Washington to renewed show floor growth and early signs of attendance rebounding, these clips track what mattered in the moment.
The 48th edition of the SHOT Show, the world’s largest trade event for the firearm, shooting sports and outdoor industries, was held Jan. 20-23 at The Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. Owned and produced by NSSF—The Firearm Industry Trade Association—the trade-only event once again underscored its position as a cornerstone gathering for one of America’s most economically significant manufacturing sectors.
EXHIBITORLIVE 2026 drops anchor in Tampa Bay from March 29 through April 2, offering five days of education, innovation, and in-person connection for tradeshow and event marketing professionals. Now in its 37th year, the conference returns with more than 100 educational sessions, an exhibition hall filled with industry suppliers, and a fresh setting along Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Storylink Creative, an experiential brand-storytelling agency specializing in exhibits, events, and digital experiences, has been honored with two platinum Viddy Awards for excellence in video production and motion graphics. The awards recognize Storylink’s “Assets to Animation” video and a multiscreen motion-graphics experience created for the Nurri exhibit at NACS 2025, one of the convenience and fuel retail industry’s largest global conferences.
The Experiential Design Authority (TEDA) will present the 2026 CES BOSS Awards (Best of Show Stand Awards) on February 18 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. PST at Balkan Bar and Grill in Las Vegas. The in-person event recognizes standout experiential exhibits from the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the designers and exhibit houses behind them.
ColorCraft, a leading custom trade show exhibit design and fabrication company, has launched a newly redesigned website aimed at more effectively reflecting the company’s evolving capabilities, portfolio, and approach to experiential structures and environments.
The Exhibitor Advocate and EVOLIO Marketing have released their second annual research report titled “The Evolving Landscape of Event Marketing: From the Perspective of Exhibit and Event Marketers.” The report provides critical data on the shifting outlook and sentiment of exhibitors, offering vital insights as show organizers and the broader exhibitions industry work to create experiences that drive success for all stakeholders.
Messe Frankfurt Inc., the Illuminating Engineering Society, and the International Association of Lighting Designers announced plans in November 2025 to launch Light + Intelligent Building North America, a new tradeshow and conference focused on lighting, controls, and integrated building technologies.
Jane Gentry, a regular contributor to Exhibit City News (ECN), will present a session focused on artificial intelligence and return on investment at ExhibitorLive in March.
Exhibitus today announced the launch of EXstudios, a dedicated experiential strategy and creative ideation studio that formalizes and expands the experiential work the company has been delivering to clients. EXstudios represents a focused evolution of Exhibitus’ existing capabilities, designed to place greater emphasis on front-end strategy, creative development, and experiential storytelling across a wider range of face-to-face marketing channels.
