Trade Shows and Expos: Upcoming Events for Buyers and Suppliers
October 20, 2026 | ATN Trade & Finance
The next ten weeks bring an unusually dense calendar of trade events — from the world's largest energy gathering to the automotive aftermarket's annual Vegas double-header to cloud computing's flagship conference. Here is where buyers and suppliers should be in November and December.
ADIPEC 2026 — Abu Dhabi, November 2–5
The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference is the world's largest energy industry event, drawing 160,000 energy professionals and 2,200 exhibitors to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). Coverage spans oil, gas, renewables, decarbonization, and energy transition technologies. For Canadian and US energy companies, ADIPEC is the primary venue for securing Middle East partnerships and supply contracts — particularly relevant this year given the Hormuz supply disruption context and elevated oil prices. The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service has flagged ADIPEC 2026 as a key trade mission target with a registration deadline of October 30.
SEMA Show and AAPEX — Las Vegas, November 3–6 and 3–5
Las Vegas hosts the automotive industry's biggest annual week with two concurrent events. The SEMA Show (Specialty Equipment Market Association) runs November 3–6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, drawing more than 153,000 industry professionals and 2,300+ exhibiting companies across automotive performance, accessories, and powersports. Running simultaneously at The Venetian Expo, AAPEX (Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo, November 3–5) brings 45,000 attendees and 2,500+ manufacturers and suppliers focused on EV technology, diagnostics, replacement parts, and shop equipment. Both events are trade-only. Companies in automotive supply chains — particularly those working in electrification and diagnostics — should plan attendance as a combined trip.
RE+ — Las Vegas, November 16–19
The RE+ clean energy conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center is the largest solar, storage, and clean energy event in North America, bringing together 37,000 attendees and 1,350+ exhibitors across solar PV, battery storage, wind, hydrogen, EV infrastructure, and grid technology. The event connects project developers, utilities, and installers (buyers) directly with hardware and software suppliers. For companies in the energy transition supply chain — particularly those working in storage, grid flexibility, or EV charging infrastructure — RE+ is the primary sourcing event of the year.
IAAPA Expo — Orlando, November 17–20
The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo runs November 17–20 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, with education sessions beginning November 16. More than 30,000 participants and 1,100+ exhibitors represent the global attractions industry — theme parks, water parks, museums, family entertainment centers, and immersive experience operators. The show floor connects park procurement teams with ride manufacturers, technology providers, and F&B suppliers.
GNYDM — New York, November 27–December 1
The Greater New York Dental Meeting at the Javits Center is one of the largest dental trade events in the US, running November 27–December 1 with more than 30,000 attendees and hundreds of exhibitors offering dental equipment, imaging systems, implants, and digital dentistry solutions. It is a primary procurement event for dental practices, DSOs (dental service organizations), and hospital-based dental departments.
RSNA — Chicago, November 29–December 3
The Radiological Society of North America annual meeting at McCormick Place draws 24,000+ attendees — radiologists, hospital imaging directors, and health system leaders — alongside 700+ exhibitors of medical imaging hardware, healthcare AI platforms, and diagnostics software. For medical technology companies with imaging, AI-assisted diagnostics, or healthcare IT products, RSNA is the single most important buyer-facing event of the year.
AWS re:Invent — Las Vegas, November 30–December 4
AWS re:Invent is the largest cloud computing conference globally, attracting more than 60,000 attendees to Las Vegas across five days. The event features new product announcements from Amazon Web Services alongside hundreds of exhibiting cloud, SaaS, AI, and cybersecurity vendors. For technology buyers evaluating cloud infrastructure, AI tools, or data platforms — and for suppliers seeking enterprise decision-makers — re:Invent is the definitive year-end gathering.
On the Horizon: CES 2027 — Las Vegas, January 6–9
Registration is now open for CES 2027, the Consumer Electronics Show running January 6–9 in Las Vegas. Coverage spans AI, robotics, automotive technology, smart home, digital health, XR and immersive experiences, sustainability, and quantum technologies. CES is the first major international trade event of each year and sets the product and technology agenda for the twelve months that follow — registration for exhibitors and buyers typically closes well before the January dates.
What this means: November's calendar clusters heavily around Las Vegas (SEMA/AAPEX, RE+, AWS re:Invent), making it possible to stack multiple events in a single trip. For businesses with supply chain, energy, or technology exposure, the combination of RE+ and re:Invent in the same city in the same month offers unusual efficiency. The December events in New York and Chicago (GNYDM, RSNA) anchor the healthcare sector's year-end purchasing cycle. Companies targeting international partnerships should prioritize ADIPEC this week — the October 30 registration deadline is ten days away.
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