Top Trade Shows in San Francisco That You Must Attend in 2026
San Francisco has long been a global hub for innovation, enterprise, and large-scale gatherings, and its position in the U.S. trade show landscape is resurging. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the Moscone Center yielded over $174 million in direct economic impact for the city, drawing more than 126,000 attendees. To maintain a competitive edge, leading exhibitors opt for turnkey trade show booth rentals in San Francisco, enabling them to dedicate more time to client engagement and presentation quality.
For brands preparing to exhibit in early 2026, San Francisco presents a compelling opportunity to engage buyers in a highly visible and globally connected setting. In a marketplace driven by decision-makers in technology, enterprise services, and innovation, securing the right booth space early is a strategic imperative.
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| 1. GDC Festival of Gaming
3. IFMA Facility Fusion Conference & Expo 4. DigiMarCon Northern California |
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1. GDC Festival of Gaming
When: March 09 – 13, 2026
Where: San Francisco, CA
About The Trade Show:
GDC Festival of Gaming 2026 is the premier global event for the interactive entertainment industry. It brings together game developers, publishers, investors, and technology partners from around the world. The show is expected to welcome over 30000 attendees and hundreds of exhibitors across key sectors such as game design, production, audio, visual arts, and emerging technologies like AR/VR and AI in gaming. It serves as a hub for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and product innovation across the global gaming ecosystem.
Exhibitors on the show floor present playable game demos, cross-platform engines, and innovative tools that enhance gameplay, performance, and user engagement. Booths often feature motion-capture rigs, interactive demo stations, partner lounges, and immersive display zones that draw both media and studio executives.
Creative booth solution for SF? Get in touch with us!
When: March 23 – 26, 2026
Where: San Francisco, CA
About The Trade Show:
RSAC 2026 Conference is North America’s premier event for the cybersecurity industry. It draws over 44000 IT leaders, security professionals, and vendors across threat intelligence, cloud security, Identity & Access Management (IAM), risk management, and compliance. The exhibit hall welcomes more than 650 exhibits, underscoring the scale and influence of this event.
Exhibitors looking to maximize impact at RSAC 2026 often secure trade show booth rental early to claim premium spaces adjacent to keynote stages or networking hubs. Booths typically showcase live demonstration zones for endpoint protection, SOC dashboards, AI-driven threat analytics, and compliance tools.
20×20 Custom Trade Show Booth AT OFC Show 2025, San Francisco, CA
When: April 07 – 09, 2026
Where: San Francisco, CA
About The Trade Show:
Facility Fusion 2026 is an exclusive gathering for facility management professionals, workplace strategists, real-estate leaders, sustainability specialists, and service providers shaping the built environment. The conference is presented by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), the largest global association of facility-management practitioners. Exhibitors gain access to a focused audience of decision-makers tasked with optimizing building operations, launching sustainability initiatives, and deploying smart-facility technologies.
Booth designs often include IoT sensor dashboards, smart-building demo stations, predictive-maintenance kiosks, and workspace-optimization mock-ups. Aligning booth designs with major themes like net-zero operations or hybrid-workplace design positions your brand as a strategic enabler and engages professionals looking for turnkey solutions.
When: June 16 – 17, 2026
Where: San Francisco, CA
About The Trade Show:
DigiMarCon Northern California is a premier digital marketing, media, and advertising conference serving brands, agencies, and marketing technology providers. The event focuses on digital strategy, data-driven marketing, customer experience, and emerging platforms shaping modern marketing performance.
The conference attracts CMOs, marketing directors, digital strategists, and technology decision-makers. With a focused exhibit area and content-led networking environment, DigiMarCon Northern California offers exhibitors valuable opportunities to connect with qualified buyers evaluating marketing tools, platforms, and services.
When: June 25, 2026
Where: San Francisco, CA
About The Trade Show:
The San Francisco Small Business Expo is a one-day business-to-business event designed to support entrepreneurs, startups, and growing small businesses. The show connects business owners with solution providers offering products and services that support growth, operations, and scalability.
The event attracts founders, executives, and decision-makers actively seeking new vendors and partnerships. For exhibitors, the Small Business Expo provides direct access to a motivated audience, making it an effective platform for lead generation, brand exposure, and relationship-building within the small business community.
When: July 28 – 29, 2026
Where: San Francisco, CA
About The Trade Show:
The International Bulk Wine & Spirits Show (IBWSS) is a specialized trade event focused on bulk wine, bulk spirits, private label, and contract bottling solutions. The show connects producers, buyers, importers, and brand owners operating within global beverage supply chains.
IBWSS provides exhibitors direct engagement with qualified buyers seeking sourcing, packaging, and production partnerships. With tastings, educational sessions, and a targeted exhibition format, the event offers strong opportunities for business development and lead generation in the wine and spirits industry.
When: September 15 – 17, 2026
Where: San Francisco, CA
About The Trade Show:
Dreamforce Expo is one of the world’s largest and most influential technology events, hosted by Salesforce. The event brings together enterprise leaders, developers, partners, and innovators focused on CRM, AI, data, cloud platforms, and digital transformation.
With tens of thousands of attendees and global media attention, Dreamforce offers exhibitors exceptional visibility and access to senior decision-makers across industries. The expansive expo floor and high-energy programming create a powerful environment for showcasing solutions, launching products, and building strategic partnerships.
8. SEMICON West
When: October 13 – 15, 2026
Where: San Francisco, CA
About The Trade Show:
SEMICON West is the leading international exhibition and conference for the global semiconductor and microelectronics industry. The event brings together manufacturers, suppliers, engineers, and technology leaders shaping the future of chip design, fabrication, and advanced electronics.
With a highly technical audience and a large-scale exhibit floor, SEMICON West offers exhibitors direct access to decision-makers involved in capital equipment, materials, and process innovation. The show provides a strong platform for product launches, strategic networking, and lead generation within the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem.
Conclusion
Early 2026 brings one of the most dynamic trade show seasons to San Francisco, spotlighting advancements in cybersecurity, photonics, gaming, and facility management. Each event attracts a highly engaged audience of innovators, decision-makers, and global brands ready to explore new partnerships and technologies. For exhibitors, this means stronger competition and the need for impactful booth design, targeted engagement, and flawless execution to stand out on the show floor.
Planning early is the key. Leading exhibitors secure turnkey exhibit rentals that capture your brand’s identity and align with your event goals. Each San Francisco show in 2026 offers measurable opportunities to generate leads, grow relationships, and strengthen your market presence. With the right booth partner and a data-driven event plan, your participation can turn visibility into long-term business growth and impressive ROI.
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