Trade shows and exhibits are heading into 2026 with a new level of ambition—bolder storytelling, smarter tech, and deeper attendee insight. From kinetic LED architecture and themed entrances that double as sponsorship goldmines, to actually personalized experiences, to sustainability strategies with real teeth, the year ahead promises a show floor that’s more immersive, more intentional, and unmistakably experiential. Here’s what we’re tracking.
Themed Entrances
A single banner over the entrance? So last year! Cue in transportive entrance experiences—and stunning sponsorship ops—that set the stage for the show floor experience. At HLTH USA 2025, PwC brought the show’s unicorn icons to life with a unique take on the Mt. Olympus pantheon. At IAAPA Expo, attendees entered through two themed entrances: a viper’s mouth rollercoaster and a zip-line course through the trees, with the scent of cedar in the air. Groceryshop transformed the entire hallway with colorful columns made of plastic crates and reusable grocery bags suspended from the ceiling.
Kinetic LEDs
The next generation of LEDs are delivering movement and show-stopping engagement on a grand scale, bringing a new dimension and wow value to trade show storytelling. We first saw it at CES 2025, where SK Telecom’s “Innovation Gate” featured large rigged LED screens creating a dynamic archway. LG tapped the same tech to create a moving light sculpture and as semicircular walls at the entrance to the booth, setting a playful tone for the technologically and visually stunning experience ahead.
Personalized Next-Gen Engagement
Finally, not just a buzzword. Brands have figured out how to meet younger audiences where they are and build trade show engagement that fuses hands-on, digital, and experiential to build brand loyalty. One of our favorite examples is the Carlyle Pit Pass Experience at the 2025 SEMA Show, designed for the new generation of technicians. Attendees tapped a QR code to “become pit crew,” unlocking a mix of hands-on demos, VIP sessions, merch giveaways, social media challenges, and exclusive content through a proprietary app. And the brand got an “activated” fan base.
Oversized and Inflatable
We’re seeing this everywhere: Giant everything. Large product replicas and inflatables are stealing attention, hovering above exhibits and serving as footprint anchors. At CES 2025, Shokz headphones and Xreal smart glasses turned heads, while Ring brought a larger-than-life Ring selfie camera (that snapped and printed photos). Meanwhile, BMW’s entire product showcase was centered around the attendees and hosts “shrinking” and exploring dashboard tech up-close, with a giant pair of wayfarers, coffee cup and BMW steering wheel and dashboard that offered stunning visuals for attendees to share (and a truly up close and personal demo). Elsewhere, Mothers’ spray bottles towered over the outdoor lot at SEMA, while Bark’s inflatable octopus just about swallowed the brand’s booth at Superzoo.
ADHD Signs
As attention spans continue to shrink, brands are responding with experiences that require little, or better, no processing. At PACK Expo 2025, Rychiger, for example, put pictograms and pictures of its solutions augmented with simple descriptions to remove the language barrier and communicate meaning in a split second. We’re seeing more signs with quick numbers, arrows and explanatory video screens in front of key equipment parts. Note to self: the less text, the better.
Data That Drives Decisions
What gets measured gets funded is the new mantra of the trade shows and events industry. While simply generating leads and tracking them through the sales funnel is still a challenge for some brands, others are putting the full force of multi-pronged measurement and AI and developing a joint “interlock” strategy between sales and marketing to determine the right KPIs early in the event-planning process. And then solving for that with the right engagement and tech stack. Heat maps and touchpoint engagement tracking are here to stay, but real-time sentiment scoring and AI-powered survey insights are changing the game.
Ancillary Events and Off-Floor Activations
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Delta TechOps it invited more than 600 industry partners attending MRO Americas 2025 in Atlanta to The Roof at Ponce City Market, where guests enjoyed carnival-style games, treats, and conversations in a meticulously branded environment, complete with Frozen Jet Martinis and Full Overhaul Old Fashioneds. At RSAC 2025, CrowdStrike set up a Falcon Lounge with a custom scent bar, vinyl vibes and branded slippers a few steps from the Moscone Convention Center. Beyond meeting rooms, experiential restaurant takeovers, wellness lounges, escape rooms are going deep on experiential, unlocking new sponsorship opportunities and deeper connections.
Sustainability Embraced
At the North American Veterinary Community’s VMX: Veterinary Meeting & Expo, sustainability took center stage with Mars Veterinary Health’s sponsorship of the show’s Sustainability Hub and waste-sorting activations at the Orange County Convention Center. What started with a few recycling bins in 2022 has grown into a multi-year, data-driven sustainability partnership that’s cutting waste, driving attendee action, and raising the bar for green sponsorships.
We are so excited about this trend gaining ground. Shows are partnering with venues, and local providers on sustainability initiatives, brands are fueling the progress—and everyone wins. Sustainability strategies in general are gaining real ground, with carpet recycling programs, Better Stands reusable booths adoption, growing awareness of carbon-neutral menus and reducing food waste and energy consumption. Trade shows, just like the brands they bring together, can make a real difference in creating a more sustainable future.
Photos by Anna Huddleston, Event Marketer
