With holiday stress and winter blues behind us, what better way to celebrate than kickstarting the stress of CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026? As a newbie, I’m both excited and anxious to attend the “largest construction show in North America” for the first time. Am I looking forward to meeting contacts I’ve only talked to via email, checking out the larger-than-life booths, and getting a hands-on look at all the new tech? Of course! Am I also feeling wholly underprepared for something of this scope as an editor? Duh.
So, to help myself and fellow newcomers to the big show, I scoured the web to find some advice from those who have attended this monster a few times before. Let’s dig into the most common things that were said together.
1. Plan Everything Ahead
The biggest tip most repeat show-goers are sharing is to prepare in every way you can – map out the route between your hotel and the convention center, allot enough time for travel, plan which booths stages you want to visit in order of importance, make appointments ahead of time, and so on. Check out the Exhibitor Directory on the CONEXPO-CON/AGG website to better your plan of attack for each day.
A common theme in these articles is also to pack your show bag with all the essentials. Bring a water bottle, any medication, a notebook and pens, business cards and anything else you could imagine needing. And remember, a lot of these exhibitions are outdoors and Vegas weather is unpredictable – don’t forget your umbrella!
2. Pick the Right Badge for Your Needs
This piece of advice comes straight from CONEXPO-CON/AGG. Before the show even starts, you need to register. And to register, you need to know exactly what kind of badge you’ll need for your experience. Ask yourself – what do I want to learn? What do I want to see the most? Do I want or need to attend any workshops or education sessions? Keep your budget in mind while asking these questions, and check out the different types of badges and how much they cost.
3. Meet Anyone and Everyone
Back to those business cards I said to pack… those aren’t just for extra weight in your backpack. As the largest construction trade show, there are literally thousands of opportunities to network and share your name with the people who matter most to you and your business. Talk to exhibitors, other contractors, people working in press (that’s me!) – everyone.
Don’t be afraid to go to an event or booth solo. This is the time to make that introduction or get that information from both industry leaders and those other newbies. You never know where a contact will get you – big or small.
4. Take Advantage of Workshops and Sessions
This is something I’m told you want to do early as these sessions only have a certain number of slots and they fill up quickly. We know the industry is always changing and evolving, so we need to keep ourselves up-to-date and educated. What better way to do that than to attend education sessions hosted by some of the biggest names in construction? Take this opportunity to retain as much as you can to grow your business and yourself.
From panels, to workshops, to keynote speeches, you want to take advantage of it all. However, this goes back to the badge talk we had before. Be sure you have the right badge to attend these sessions. Take a look at the offerings on the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 Education page.
5. The Basics
Now for the obvious. Across all the blogs, AI-generated lists, and FAQs I’ve seen, there’s one thing everyone is saying – have fun! You may be attending for work, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great time personally. I’m told there are contests, games and activities on the show floor, and don’t forget the free branded swag. Enjoy the lights and excitement of Las Vegas (although I do not recommend taking advantage of the nightlife if you want to have a productive next morning).
If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed or unprepared headed into the show, just know you’re not alone. A lot of us are probably feeling the same way. Take the advice of those who have attended before, and I think we’ll all be just fine.
Good luck – and see you in Vegas!
Do you have any advice to offer ahead of CONEXPO-CON/AGG? Let us know!
