Retail Trade Shows 2027: Top US Shows for Retailers & Brands
The top retail trade shows of 2027 start with NRF 2027: Retail's Big Show, January 10–12 at the Javits Center in New York. The calendar continues with Shoptalk Spring (March 22–24), Groceryshop (September 13–15) and the NACS Show (October 5–8). Some are tech and strategy events for retail executives. Others are wholesale markets where brands write orders with store buyers. Use the table to match each show to your goal, then plan booth size and budget around it.
Retail Trade Shows 2027: The Calendar
The US retail trade show calendar is busiest from January through March. Most of the big buying markets and the main retail technology events happen in that stretch, and a second, smaller wave comes in the fall. All dates below are confirmed for 2027 unless noted.
| Show | 2027 dates | City / venue | Audience | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRF 2027: Retail's Big Show | Jan 10–12 | New York, Javits Center | 41,000+ retail professionals from 100+ countries | Retail tech, store operations, payments, supply chain vendors |
| Las Vegas Market (Winter) | Jan 24–28 | Las Vegas, Las Vegas Market campus | Furniture, home décor and gift buyers; 3,500+ brands | Home and gift brands writing orders with store buyers |
| NY NOW Winter Show | Jan 31–Feb 2 (Summer: Aug 8–10) | New York, Javits Center | Wholesale buyers from independent and specialty retail | Gift, home, lifestyle and maker brands |
| The NGA Show | Jan 31–Feb 2 (exhibits Feb 1–2) | Las Vegas, MGM Grand Conference Center | Independent grocery retailers and wholesalers | Grocery products and services for independent grocers |
| MAGIC Las Vegas | Feb 16–18 | Las Vegas (LVCC hosted the 2026 edition) | Department store, boutique and online fashion buyers | Apparel, footwear and accessories brands |
| ASD Market Week | Mar 2–4 and Aug 3–5 | Las Vegas, LVCC North and Central Halls | General merchandise, discount, convenience and gift buyers; 1,800+ vendors | Value-priced consumer goods and impulse items |
| Natural Products Expo West | Mar 2–5 (exhibits Mar 3–5) | Anaheim Convention Center | 66,000+ attendees and 3,200+ exhibitors in 2026 | Natural, organic and better-for-you CPG brands |
| Shoptalk Spring | Mar 22–24 | Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay | 10,000+ retail and brand leaders, about one in three C-suite | Ecommerce, retail tech and marketing vendors selling to executives |
| Groceryshop | Sept 13–15 | Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay | About 4,000 grocery and CPG leaders in 2026 | Grocery tech, retail media and CPG partnerships |
| NACS Show | Oct 5–8 (expo Oct 6–8) | Atlanta, Georgia World Congress Center | Convenience and fuel retailers | Snacks, beverages, foodservice and c-store equipment and tech |
Two Kinds of Retail Trade Show
Before you pick a show, decide which kind you need. Retail industry trade shows fall into two groups, and they work in different ways.
Solutions and strategy shows sell to the retailer as a business. NRF, Shoptalk and Groceryshop fall here. Exhibitors are technology, services and infrastructure companies. Attendees are retail executives and their teams, looking at platforms, store systems and partners. Deals run on long B2B sales cycles, so the booth's job is to start conversations and book meetings.
Wholesale and buying markets sell products to store buyers. Las Vegas Market, NY NOW, MAGIC, ASD Market Week, Expo West and the NACS Show fall here. Exhibitors are brands and manufacturers. Buyers walk the floor to find new lines and often write orders on site. The booth's job is to show the product the way it would look on a store shelf or rack.
Some shows mix both. Expo West and NACS draw retail buyers and also have large technology and equipment sections. Your exhibit should match the format your buyers expect.
The Top Retail Expos of 2027, Show by Show
NRF 2027: Retail's Big Show (January 10–12, New York)
NRF opens the retail year and is the main show for vendors that sell technology and services to retailers. The expo fills the Javits Center with vendors in point of sale, payments, AI, store operations, loss prevention and supply chain. Buyers come to compare platforms, so clear messaging and a working demo do better than a big structure. Our guide to choosing a booth builder for NRF 2027 covers what to ask before you sign.
Shoptalk Spring and Groceryshop (Las Vegas)
Both shows are built around pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings. Shoptalk Spring 2026 recorded more than 50,000 meetings. Groceryshop 2026 recorded over 30,000 pre-matched meetings. The expo floor is still important, but many sponsors put their budget into meeting space and a compact, well-branded booth, not a large island. If you sell to retail or grocery executives, these two shows give you the most senior audience per square foot.
The wholesale markets: Las Vegas Market, NY NOW, MAGIC and ASD
These are the main buying events for brands that sell through stores. Las Vegas Market and NY NOW serve home, gift and lifestyle categories. MAGIC focuses on fashion. ASD Market Week covers general merchandise for discount, convenience and gift retailers. Timing matters. Many buyers plan the next season's assortment at the winter markets. If you skip January, your next chance to meet them in person may be the summer edition.
Category shows: The NGA Show, Expo West and the NACS Show
If you sell food, beverage or consumer goods, these category shows reach buyers that general retail expos miss. The NGA Show serves independent grocers. Expo West is the main event for natural and organic brands, with 3,200+ exhibitors in 2026. The NACS Show is where convenience retailers find products, foodservice programs and store technology. The 2027 show is in Atlanta.
How to Pick the Right Retail Trade Show
Most brands can't afford every show on the list. Score each candidate on these five points:
- Who is actually walking the floor. Ask for the attendee breakdown by title and retailer type. For example, 10,000 senior leaders at Shoptalk is a very different audience from 66,000+ attendees at Expo West.
- How you sell. If deals close at the show through orders, choose a buying market. If they close over months, choose a solutions show and measure booked meetings.
- Buying-cycle timing. Retail buyers set assortments months ahead. A show that falls after your buyers' decisions are made is mostly brand awareness.
- Format. Meeting-driven shows reward a smaller booth and a strong pre-show outreach plan. Floor-driven markets reward product display and foot traffic.
- Total cost. New York and Las Vegas labor, drayage and hotel costs vary a lot by week. Compare the full cost, not just the space rate.
Find the venue and local builders on our city pages for New York, Las Vegas and Atlanta.
Booth Size and Budget Tips for Retail Expos
Pick the booth size by what the booth has to do, not by what nearby booths look like. The table gives a starting point for each type of show.
| Goal | Typical footprint | What the space needs |
|---|---|---|
| First wholesale market, small line | 10x10 | Shelving or a rack that shows the product as it would sit in a store, an order-taking counter |
| Established brand, multiple SKUs | 10x20 | Merchandised wall, a seating spot for buyer appointments, storage for samples |
| Tech vendor at NRF or Shoptalk | 10x20 to 20x20 | Two or three demo stations, a meeting area, strong overhead or back-wall branding |
| Category leader or platform launch | 20x20 island and up | Separate zones for demos and meetings, a private meeting room, rigged signage |
Our booth size guide compares the layouts in more detail.
Budget rules that hold up
- Plan on about 3x your space cost. Space is only part of the bill. Exhibit, services, freight, labor and travel usually bring the total to roughly three times the space rate.
- Hold back 15–20% for contingency. First-time exhibitors at a new show should use 20%.
- Know what custom costs. Custom exhibits typically run $100–$250 per sq ft. Rentals and modular systems usually cost less per square foot.
- Budget for drayage. Material handling can add $1,500 to $5,000 or more for a typical booth. Heavy fixtures and product samples push it higher.
- Plan for several shows at once. Brands that do NRF and Shoptalk, or MAGIC and a summer market, usually save by using one modular exhibit sized for both.
How Much Time You Have Before the January Shows
As of mid-October 2026, NRF is about 13 weeks away. Las Vegas Market, NY NOW and The NGA Show follow within three weeks of it. That is enough time for a rental or modular booth. It is tight for a new custom build. Work backward from move-in:
- Now: Confirm your space and booth type, then request builder quotes this month.
- 8–10 weeks out: Approve the design and graphics files. Submit island or rigging drawings if the show requires them.
- 4–6 weeks out: Order electrical, internet, furniture and cleaning at discount rates. Book freight to the advance warehouse.
- 2 weeks out: Send your pre-show outreach and confirm buyer and prospect meetings.
Spring shows (MAGIC, ASD, Expo West and Shoptalk) give you a few more weeks, but many of them tie the best floor locations to early commitment.
Rent, Modular or Custom for 2027?
If you are testing one or two retail expos, a trade show booth rental keeps costs low. You also avoid storage and shipping between shows. If you plan three or more shows in New York, Las Vegas and Atlanta, a modular booth can be set up as a 10x10 at one show and a 20x20 at the next. Get 3 free quotes from vetted builders on Exhibitorly and compare rental, modular and custom options side by side before space deadlines for the 2027 shows pass.
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