I'm looking forward to PAVE/X 2027 more than any other show next year. As it heads to Savannah, Georgia, January 25-27, 2027, the fourth annual trade show is going to be jam packed with live demonstrations and fresh educational sessions for every level of industry professional.
The Savannah Convention Center will hold the trade show floor and more than 60 hours of education across tracks in paving, striping, sweeping, sealcoating, technology, safety and business management. But the center of gravity is moving outdoors. The 2027 demonstration arena is the largest the show has built so far, and it is where two of the three days finish.
Tuesday afternoon runs outdoor demos. Wednesday afternoon turns competitive with the Roller Rodeo, the Striping Competition and the Sweeper Drag Races. Seating, a beer garden and food trucks ring the arena. Contractors who want to get in a seat sign a waiver, wear the safety gear and complete a safety course first.
The demonstration arena removes the barriers of a traditional trade show, allowing exhibitors to run equipment, engage directly with customers, and showcase products in action—not just on display. Surrounded by food trucks, cold drinks, and thousands of engaged contractors, PAVE/X creates an atmosphere where attendees stay longer, interact more deeply, and make more informed buying decisions
— Amy Schwandt, Chief Revenue Officer, IRONMARKETS
The rest of the week is built to keep people together between demos. Sunday, January 24 opens with the Business Bootcamp and an off-site kick-off party. Monday pairs a full morning of education with the trade show floor, then closes with a networking reception and the Pavement Awards ceremony, both staged on the floor itself. Tuesday and Wednesday each carve out an hour for roundtables — paving, striping, preservation and business management on Tuesday; sweeping, sealcoating, technology and compaction on Wednesday — before the outdoor programming takes over. Wednesday night ends with the after party.
The year-over-year growth explains the confidence I have in what next year will bring. The inaugural show drew close to 1,700 to San Antonio in 2024. Chattanooga pushed past 2,500 the following January. New Orleans kept the climb going this February. Savannah is the fourth stop in four years, and the outdoor footprint has expanded at every one.
If you're a contractor who's been on the fence about attending, this is the bottom line: the education still carries the show, but the buying decisions increasingly happen outside. If you are evaluating a roller, a striper or a sweeper for next season, 2027 is the year to watch it work before you sign anything. PAVE/X will have both the live demo areas, and the education will see a major upgrade.
Exhibitors and attendees can already move. The 2027 exhibitor list and floor plan are live, the hotel block is open, and the call for speakers is accepting submissions from anyone with a best practice or a technology worth putting in front of a room.
Registration details will follow. Mark the dates: January 25-27, 2027, Savannah Convention Center. As Schwandt put it, let’s make next year UNFOURGETTABLE.
