Metal forming, fabricating & welding
FABTECH 2026 Las Vegas
Oct 21-23, 2026 · LVCC
Dates verified date source · Official site · Attendance history
to Fri, Oct 23, 2026
Venue guide: LVCC
How full will Vegas be during FABTECH 2026?
Packed: Strip rates typically spike. Book rooms 4-6 months out and lock private rooms early.
FABTECH 2026 falls mostly in the week of Oct 19, 2026, which we rate Packed on trade-show attendance: about 65,450 trade-show attendees in town (pro-rated), counting FABTECH 2026 and 3 other tracked shows that overlap its dates.
Overlapping shows
- Money20/20 USA 2026 Oct 18-21, 2026 · Venetian Expo (The Venetian) · ~11,000
- NBAA-BACE 2026 Oct 20-22, 2026 · LVCC West Hall + Henderson Executive Airport · ~17,000
- HR Technology Conference 2026 Oct 20-22, 2026 · Mandalay Bay Convention Center · ~7,200
Each Monday-Sunday week gets one score: the pro-rated attendance of every tracked trade show in town that week. The score sets the week’s trade label. A trade show carries the trade label of the week that holds most of its days (ties go to the busier week), on every tile and page. A week’s headline label can be lifted by the leisure floor (“Busy (leisure)” or “Peak (leisure)”); trade-show tiles never inherit it. Method.
When to book entertainment for FABTECH 2026
Book entertainment: Book now
Based on typical lead times for headline and booth entertainment (status as of Oct 18). In Packed or Sold-out weeks, book at the early end; private rooms and hotel blocks go fast too.
What is FABTECH?
FABTECH bills itself as North America's largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event. It moves between cities, and returns to Las Vegas in October 2026 for the first time since 2016.
Who attends: Job shops and contract manufacturers (47% of attendees, per the 2026 audience profile), OEMs, and dealers and distributors.
Attendance trend: Attendance swings with the host city: the Chicago editions run largest. Attendance history.
When it usually happens
Fall. The 2026 edition runs Wednesday to Friday, October 21-23, at the LVCC. FABTECH 2027 is in Chicago (Sept 13-16, 2027), so there is no Las Vegas edition on our calendar after 2026 yet.
Where to stay
For hotels connected to or near the venue, plus Loop and Monorail options, see our Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) guide.
Entertainment ideas for FABTECH
- A live welding-art or metal-sculpture demo by a performer
- An emcee-led skills challenge
- A caricature artist
- A sports-bar or game-venue buyout
- A classic-rock or country cover band
- A comedian for a distributor dinner
Ideas, not endorsements. Match the act to the crowd and check the show's exhibitor rules on sound levels and booth activations.
FABTECH FAQ
When is FABTECH 2026?
FABTECH 2026 runs Oct 21-23, 2026 in Las Vegas.
Where is FABTECH 2026 held?
At LVCC, Las Vegas.
How many people attend FABTECH?
About 31,000 (2026 expected, organizer, per the source linked on this page).
How busy will Las Vegas be during FABTECH 2026?
We rate the week of Oct 19, 2026 as Packed: about 65,450 trade-show attendees in town (estimate).
When should I book entertainment for FABTECH 2026?
Our booking meter currently reads “Book now” for headline and booth entertainment, based on typical lead times.
Advertise here Venues, DMCs and transport partners can sponsor the FABTECH page (party venues, transport and DMC slots). See placements →
Attendance history and past editions
| Year | Where | Attendance | What it counts / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Las Vegas | 31,000 | expected (organizer) source |
| 2025 | Chicago | 41,795 | final attendance source |
| 2024 | Orlando | 29,741 | final attendance source |
Organizer or audit figures as published; counting methods differ between sources and years.
Sources and notes
Organizer: 31,000 attendees expected for the first Las Vegas edition since 2016. Final attendance: 41,795 in Chicago (2025) and 29,741 in Orlando (2024), per FABTECH post-show reports. FABTECH 2027 is in Chicago (Sept 13-16, 2027).
- Dates: https://www.fabtechexpo.com/
- Attendance: https://www.fabtechexpo.com/news/fabtech-returns-to-las-vegas-for-first-time-in-a-decade (2026 expected, organizer)
- Official site: https://www.fabtechexpo.com/
Spotted a change? Dates and venues are set by the organizer and can move. Always confirm on the official site.
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