By Heather Munnell, VDA Senior Director, Client Experience & Strategy
This year, I attended EXHIBITORLIVE 2026 as a first-timer, stepping in when my production team wasn’t able to make it. Even as an industry veteran, it’s not often that I get to experience a show like this purely from an attendee perspective, especially coming from the sales side. It gave me a completely different lens. Instead of being focused on client meetings or project execution, I was able to really observe how the industry shows up—how partnerships form, how engagement happens in real time, and how ideas come to life across the show floor.
One of the most valuable parts of the experience right away was the First-Timer Meet-Up. It was such a simple but impactful way to get acclimated, meet people, and ease into the event. There’s something powerful about starting the week in a smaller, more approachable setting. It immediately gave me a sense of community and made walking onto the show floor feel a lot less overwhelming. Even with years in the industry, I found that incredibly valuable.
That theme of connection carried throughout the event. I found myself meeting a lot of new faces, people I hadn’t crossed paths with before, which was refreshing. I’m typically spending my time at events with clients, so this was an opportunity to connect more broadly across the industry, hear different perspectives, and see how others are approaching challenges and opportunities. It reinforced something I heard echoed from other attendees as well: these events are just as much about who you meet and what conversations you have as they are about what you see.
Walking the show floor, what stood out most to me was how intentionally booths are being designed to pull people in and create shared experiences. There were so many examples of engaging, interactive elements—games, challenges, and playful activations—that naturally brought people together into a space. Whether it was a quick competitive moment, a collaborative activity, or something that simply sparked curiosity, these experiences made it easier for attendees to step in, engage, and start conversations. From a sales perspective, that’s incredibly powerful. It shifts the interaction from transactional to experiential.
Beyond that, the immersive elements were hard to miss. I saw seamless audio integrated into structures, creating an environment where sound enhances the experience without being visually disruptive. Dynamic video walls responded to movement and interaction, drawing people in and keeping them engaged. Large-format seamless graphics created bold, impactful environments that gave brands a strong presence on the floor. And layered throughout it all were multi-sensory activations, combining sight, sound, and touch, to create moments that people don’t just see but actually remember.
The sessions I attended reinforced many of these ideas. A consistent theme was that engagement today isn’t passive—attendees want to interact, explore, and feel connected to what they’re experiencing. The AI-focused sessions were especially relevant for me, offering practical insights into how technology can support smarter interactions, better data collection, and more meaningful follow-up. It’s not just about having the tools, but about using them in a way that enhances the human experience.
What stood out most in this first-time experience, though, was the role of partnerships. From everything I saw and heard, it’s clear that this industry thrives on collaboration. The most successful and memorable experiences are the result of multiple disciplines coming together—design, technology, strategy, and storytelling—all aligned around a shared goal. Seeing that from the outside-in, rather than from within a project, was incredibly valuable. It gave me a deeper appreciation for how we position our work and how we collaborate with partners to deliver for our clients.
For me, attending EXHIBITORLIVE this way wasn’t just about seeing trends, it was about experiencing the industry differently. I was able to step back, take it all in and reconnect with the bigger picture of what we do. I left feeling energized, inspired, and full of ideas—not just about what’s possible on the show floor, but about how we continue to evolve the experiences we create for our clients. Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about showing up, it’s about creating moments that bring people together and leave a lasting impression.