This year's SEMA Show is coming in full force with new product categories, trainings, show floor changes, and more. In anticipation for the 2026 show, we sat down with SEMA's Vice President of Events Tom Gattuso, and Trade Show Director Andy Tompkins, to discuss all the exciting additions that are hitting the show floor.  

The show at large

This year marks 59 years of the SEMA Show and the 49th year in Las Vegas. After moving the show to Las Vegas in 1977, they've been the longest-running citywide even since. 

While the show remains pretty consistent from year-to-year overall, Tompkins, Gattuso, and the rest of the brains and brawn behind the show strive to keep things fresh for each show. This year there will be five exhibit halls spanning over 1.1 million square feet of net exhibit space. According to Gattuso, the last SEMA was number one in the country in terms of attendance for tradeshows. 

"We're really all about featuring innovation and allowing our exhibitors and builders to show the best of what they've been doing for the last 12 months," Gattuso says. "I like to look at the show as an incubator of ideas and a connection machine. We've got exhibitors and attendees that come from around the world to share their newest ideas. We're all about making connections between exhibitor to exhibitor, buyer to seller. There's a lot of networking that happens at the event. We like to think of this as really an annual homecoming for the automotive industry." 

New additions

The sheer volume of information available to attendees of the SEMA show can feel overwhelming at times. We've narrowed down a few highlights of the upcoming show we think you'll be interested in. 

New products

Each year SEMA's New Product Showcase awards new products across several different categories. This year there are 15 award categories: 

• Car Care & Protection: Car care, chemical, and other maintenance products. 

• Collision Repair & Refinish: Collision repair, tools, software/management applications, and other refinishing accessories. 

• Emerging Technology: Innovative applications, software, hardware, ADAS, EV and other alternative vehicle propulsion products. 

• Engineered New Product: Products in this category demonstrate innovative engineering development and advanced state-of-the-art technology. 

• Exterior Accessory: Exterior appearance and restyling accessories. 

• Interior Accessory: Interior appearance, styling, and digital/electronic enhancement accessories. 

• Package Design & Display: Product packaging design and retail merchandising displays. 

• Performance – Racing: Racing and performance products, services and other equipment. 

• Performance – Street: Enhanced performance products, parts, services and other equipment for street vehicles. 

• Powersports | SxS | Lifestyle: OEM and Aftermarket manufacturers for motorcycles, SXS and UTV’s, ATV’s, EV bikes, gear & apparel, and business services.

• Street Rod & Custom Car: Accessories for street rods, hot rods, muscle cars, and classic cars. 

• Tire & Related: Tires and tire-related accessories for passenger cars, trucks and other equipment. 

• Tools & Equipment: Shop tools and equipment, specialty parts and related supplies. 

• Truck & Off-Road: Truck and off-road accessories; CUVs, SUVs, overlanding and recreation; suspension, trailer, utility and towing accessories. 

• Wheel & Related: Wheels and related accessories for cars, trucks and racing.

Power sports

This year, Gattuso says SEMA is branching out and focusing on being more deliberate with the power sports presentation. By involving more of the power sports community, they've grown the section by almost 200 percent compared to where it typically has been.  

The 2026 show will feature a biker build-off and Battle of the Builders competition to provide more educational sessions for power sports dealers.  

Collision

SEMA's newest partnership with ICAR and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has allowed the organization to keep current with changes and news within the collision industry.  

"We're working with [ICAR and SCRS] on their programming, and they've got some really great stuff in the works there from an education standpoint," Gattuso says. "We're going to have a live stage on the show floor that we've had in the past, which we called our collision repair stage, and that will be where technicians and people in the industry can go see some of the most updated and latest innovations that are happening in the industry." 

In addition to collision-focused offerings, SEMA will have an ADAS-focused curriculum where vehicle manufacturers and some equipment manufacturers can educate the industry on some of the ADAS advances that are happening currently. This curriculum can blend with the Future Tech Studio, an opportunity to see a glimpse into what people can expect from the industry moving forward. 

SEMA Fest

SEMA Fest combines automotive with music, giving attendees an opportunity to break away from the show floor and enjoy live performances. In years past, SEMA has had bands like Cage the Elephant, Sublime, and Imagine Dragons. This year the lineup includes three bands: The Offspring, Jimmy Eat World, and 311. 

"We try to incorporate elements into the SEMA show so you really can see that regardless of the community you're part of," Tompkins says. "Understand opportunities for the future and where the market may be going. A lot of that is through the automotive culture and lifestyle that the industry really embodies."

Plan, plan, plan

There's plenty to look forward to for the 2026 SEMA Show. The overwhelming size of the show can be daunting for first-time attendees. Tompkins says come with a plan. 

"Spend some time as a first-time exhibitor on the website and really get acquainted with some of the companies that are there and some of the networking events because we've shown by surveys that almost 80 percent of the people who come to our event come with a plan of who they want to see," Tompkins says. "Things like the New Product Showcase and just walking around fill out the rest of the week. Coming with a plan will be hugely important if it's your first show." 

SEMA 2026 is just a couple months out, what are you most exciting to see?