COLUMN The Tradeshow Times
What is a Tradeshow?
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84 Jan/Feb/Mar 2026 Exhibit City News
A sample of brand names present includes: AT&T, Delta, EMC, Aston-Martin, Lincoln, Dunkin, Heineken, AARP, Brooks Brothers, GEICO, and Renewal by Andeson. Brand Versus Generic Kleenex, Band-Aid, AstroTurf, and Thermos were once brand specific names that are now often used to name any type of tissue, adhesive bandage, artificial grass, or a vacuum insulated container. Aspirin was once a Bayer brand name; now the word is universal. Some more modern generic names that were once specific brands include Jacuzzi, Post-it, Plexiglass, Sharpie, Taser and Velcro. Defining an Industry Definitions can change over time. I am suggesting that the term “tradeshow” has evolved from a “brand name” for shows relating solely to the “trade” to a “generic name” meaning any type of show with people, products, and exhibits. It may be B2B, B2C, some combination of both, or even part of a festival or a sporting event. “Tradeshows are unique three-dimensional environments where people mingle, share ideas, display products, and create memories.” That’s my definition. What’s yours? Bob McGlincy is the author of Expositions & World’s Fairs: In the Beginning, the co-author of The Invisible Industry: The Evolution of Trade Shows, and a columnist for Exhibit City News/ He is an industry veteran with decades of tradeshow and leadership experience.
Photo by Katherine Isbell, courtesy Head Of The Charles
f 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? » The Oxford Languages Dictionary defines it as: “an exhibition at which businesses in a particular industry “neighborhoods.” If not its own promote their products and services.” event, can a tradeshow be part of a » Google AI says: “A trade show is an event separate festival or sporting event? By Bob McGlincy where businesses in a specific industry SXSW has been held in Austin display and demonstrate their products Texas since 1987. This week-long and services to a targeted audience.” event is a music festival, film festival, and » Merriam Webster states a tradeshow is “a large tech event all rolled into one. It attracts exposition to produce awareness and sales of about 150,000 people and had an ecoespecially new products within an industry.” nomic impact of $377 million in 2024. The crowds attracted businesses includDifferent Types of Shows ing Rivian, Direct TV, Delta, Samsung, Tradeshows encompass all types AT&T, KFC, Pizza Hut as well as many of businesses and services, including other star-ups and established brands. healthcare, manufacturing and techThe Boston Marathon is the world’s nology (to name only a few). They can oldest annual marathon, attracting 30,000 attract fewer than a thousand people to entrants and 500,000 spectators along its more than a 100,000. They may host a 26-mile course. Runners pick up their bibs few dozen exhibitors to a few thousand at the convention center, where an Expo exhibitors, and everything in between. offers official merchandise and exhibits. One thing is certain: Whatever its size or The expo attracts the 30,000 runners, 150 scope, a tradeshow requires buyers and exhibitors (including Adidas, Nike, and sellers—aka, attendees and exhibitors. Reebok), and as many as 100,000 attendObviously, Business to Business (B2B) ees. The Expo is “widely recognized as the shows count as tradeshows. But what running industry’s premiere event for new about Business to Consumer (B2C) products and services.” shows? Shows like auto shows, RV shows, The Head of Charles is the world’s air shows, or arts and crafts shows? Does largest regatta (boat racing), and another an event need to be held at a convention annual Boston event. It typically attracts center to be considered a tradeshow? 11,000 athletes and 300,000 spectators. What about non-traditional events? The riverbank houses tents, pavilions, crowds, official sponsors, and three exhiTradeshows and Festivals bition areas: the Riverbender, the Weld Electrify Expo is an auto show, tech Exhibition Venue, and the Attager Rowshow, and festival. The San Francisco ing & Fitness Expo. Exhibit spaces range Game Developers Conference is being from 10-by-10 to 20-by-20 to 23-by-43. renamed in 2026 to the “GD Festival of Businesses exhibiting are as diverse Gaming.” It will be designed more for netas apparel, footwear, software, energy working and have a festival feel to it, with drinks, handbags, food and beverage, the exhibit hall being broken up into five and of course rowing product vendors.