Automotive aftermarket
SEMA Show 2026 Las Vegas
Nov 3-6, 2026 · LVCC (all halls)
Dates verified date source · Official site · Past editions
to Fri, Nov 6, 2026
How full will Vegas be during SEMA Show 2026?
Sold-out: citywide compression. Top restaurants, suites, and headline talent go first; book 6+ months out.
SEMA Show 2026 falls mostly in the week of Nov 2, 2026, which we rate Sold-out: about 198,000 trade-show attendees in town (pro-rated), counting SEMA Show 2026 and 1 other tracked show that overlap its dates.
Overlapping shows
- AAPEX 2026 Nov 3-5, 2026 · Venetian Expo + Caesars Forum · ~45,000
Each Monday-Sunday week gets one score: the pro-rated attendance of every tracked trade show in town that week. The score sets the week label. A show carries the label of the week that holds most of its days (ties go to the busier week), and on a week page every show card carries that week’s label, so a tile and its week never disagree. Method.
When to book entertainment for SEMA Show 2026
Book entertainment: Book now
Based on typical lead times for headline and booth entertainment (status as of Oct 18). In Packed or Sold-out weeks, book at the early end; private rooms and hotel blocks go fast too.
What is SEMA Show?
The SEMA Show is the Specialty Equipment Market Association's annual trade show for the automotive specialty-equipment and aftermarket industry: performance and restyling parts, wheels and tires, tools, and the custom builds that show them off. It fills every hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Who attends: Buyers and decision-makers from parts retailers, distributors, installers and restyling shops, plus manufacturers, builders and media. SEMA counted 70,000 buyers and decision-makers among 160,000+ attendees in 2024. It is a trade-only event, with one public day (SEMA Show Friday) in 2026.
Attendance trend
| Year | City | Attendance | What it counts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Las Vegas | 160,000 | attendees (organizer) source |
| 2025 | Las Vegas | 153,000 | attendees (organizer) source TSNN lists 131,942 for 2025. |
Slightly smaller in 2025 than 2024 by the organizer's count, but still the largest show on our calendar.
When it usually happens
The first week of November, Tuesday to Friday, at the LVCC (Nov 3-6, 2026; Nov 2-5, 2027). AAPEX runs the same week at the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum, which makes it one of the two busiest convention weeks of the year.
Where to stay: nearby hotel clusters
Las Vegas Convention Center: Westgate Las Vegas is next door, and the Renaissance Las Vegas is a short walk. On the north Strip, Resorts World and Wynn/Encore link to the halls by the Vegas Loop (stations at Resorts World, Encore and Westgate). The Las Vegas Monorail stops at the convention center and runs south along the east side of the Strip to the Harrah's/LINQ, Flamingo/Caesars, Horseshoe/Paris and MGM Grand stations.
Entertainment ideas for SEMA Show
- Live pinstriping or airbrush artists finishing a panel on the spot
- A pit-stop tire-change challenge with a leaderboard
- A rockabilly or surf-rock trio for a classic-car build
- A close-up magician working the aisle to pull buyers into the booth
- A garage-style party with a classic-rock or outlaw-country cover band
- A private dinner with a comedian who knows car culture
- A late-night DJ set for builder and creator crowds
Ideas, not endorsements. Match the act to the crowd and check the show's exhibitor rules on sound levels and booth activations.
SEMA Show FAQ
When is SEMA Show 2026?
SEMA Show 2026 runs Nov 3-6, 2026 in Las Vegas.
Where is SEMA Show 2026 held?
At LVCC (all halls), Las Vegas.
How many people attend SEMA Show?
About 153,000 (2025 figure, per the source linked on this page).
How busy will Las Vegas be during SEMA Show 2026?
We rate the week of Nov 2, 2026 as Sold-out: about 198,000 trade-show attendees in town (estimate).
When should I book entertainment for SEMA Show 2026?
Our booking meter currently reads “Book now” for headline and booth entertainment, based on typical lead times.
Is the SEMA Show open to the public?
No. The SEMA Show is a trade-only event. In 2026 the general public can attend on one day only: SEMA Show Friday, November 6.
Advertise here Venues, DMCs and transport partners can sponsor the SEMA Show page (party venues, transport and DMC slots). See placements →
Later editions
- SEMA Show 2027 Nov 2-5, 2027 · LVCC (all halls) · ~153,000
Past editions
| Year | Where | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Las Vegas | 153,000 | attendees (organizer) source |
| 2024 | Las Vegas | 160,000 | attendees (organizer) source |
Organizer or audit figures as published; counting methods differ between sources and years.
Sources and notes
Attendance = 2025 edition (153,000+, organizer). TSNN 2025 figure: 131,942. Same week as AAPEX; one of the two biggest weeks of the year.
- Dates: https://www.semashow.com/
- Attendance: https://www.sema.org/news-media/press-release/sema-show-2025-global-stage-ideas-products-and-passion (2025 figure)
- Official site: https://www.semashow.com/
Spotted a change? Dates and venues are set by the organizer and can move. Always confirm on the official site.
Free download
The 6-Month Vegas Outlook
One email a month, the first Tuesday: every major show coming to Las Vegas in the next 6 months, how full the city will be, and entertainment urgency alerts before talent and private rooms disappear. Sign up and get the printable 2027 Las Vegas Convention Calendar (PDF).
- One-page 2027 overview + 12 monthly pages
- The 10 busiest weeks of 2027
- Entertainment booking-urgency sheet for the biggest shows
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. We never sell your email. Read past issues.