What Is a Tradeshow?
February 6, 2026
If you are reading this column, chances are you’ve been involved with more than a few tradeshows. Whether that involvement’s direct, or indirect, how do you define a tradeshow?
If you are reading this column, chances are you’ve been involved with more than a few tradeshows. Whether that involvement’s direct, or indirect, how do you define a tradeshow?
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.
Ottawa Tourism is expanding its Business Events team with the appointment of Angela Jefferies and Orest Gawdyda, both as Managers, Business Events. Their respective efforts will deepen Ottawa’s reach in priority markets, strengthen partner relationships, and accelerate growth in the city’s meetings and convention economy.
Destinations International (DI) today announced the contract extension of President & CEO Don Welsh through December 31, 2027. Welsh and the Executive Committee of the DI Board of Directors mutually agreed to extend the previous agreement, which had been set to conclude at the end of 2026.
CenterPoint is excited to announce that Jason Weddle has joined CenterPoint Marketing as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective February 2, 2026. In this role, Jason will oversee day-to-day operations, drive revenue growth and profitability, and work closely with the executive team to execute the company’s long-term vision.
For exhibitors planning 2026 shows, the math no longer adds up. The booth program that cost $100,000 before the pandemic can now run nearly twice as much, and every part of the tradeshow budget, from drayage to rigging, feels heavier on the balance sheet.
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.
In the quiet moments before a trade show floor awakens, before the lights hum on and before the carpet gathers its first footprint, a newly built exhibit waits in perfect stillness. Every detail is intentional. Graphics are crisp, finishes precise, and the space feels ready for curiosity, excitement, recognition, and connection.
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.
International briefs this month span strong January buyer traffic in Hong Kong, new show launches and venue activations in India and Australia, and a packed 2026 calendar across Europe and the United Arab Emirates, with organizers emphasizing attendance targets, exhibitor growth, and expanded programming.
Installation and dismantle labor will be the focus of expanded coverage from Exhibit City News (ECN) in 2026, with a multi-part editorial series examining the people, practices, and pressures behind exhibit installation and teardown work.
My caffeine habit takes about $6 out of my pocket most mornings, bumped up to $8 when my student interns are working in the office. Gas for the commute to meet them face-to-face is another $12 or so, round-trip. There is the extra time spent catching up on client work, planning the next project phase, and doing assessments.
