2026 Calendar: Key trade shows, conferences and events in the year ahead

From CES in January to SVG’s flagship summit in December, 2026 is set to be a full year for media, broadcast and production professionals navigating rapid shifts in technology, workflows and business models.

Major industry events continue to serve different — and increasingly specialized — roles: some as bellwethers for consumer and platform strategy, others as working forums for engineers, creatives and operators solving real-world production challenges.

Here is a look at the key events shaping the year ahead, and who stands to benefit most from attending each.

CES 2026

January 6–9
Las Vegas, Nevada

While CES is not a broadcast show in the traditional sense, it remains an important early indicator of where consumer platforms, display technology, AI and device ecosystems are heading. For media organizations, CES increasingly frames conversations around distribution endpoints, viewing behavior and platform partnerships that will ripple through the rest of the year.

Who should attend: Media strategists, product leaders, digital and streaming executives, technologists tracking AI, display and consumer platform trends.

Silicon Valley Video Summit

January 27
Mountain View, California

Produced by SVG, the Silicon Valley Video Summit has carved out a niche focused on enterprise video, cloud tools and technology-driven workflows. With a strong concentration of platform and software perspectives, the event reflects how video production is expanding well beyond traditional broadcast.

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Who should attend: Enterprise media leaders, platform and SaaS executives, corporate studio teams, engineers working in cloud-first environments.

IAB NewFronts 2026

March 23–26
New York City, New York

The IAB NewFronts move earlier on the calendar in 2026, underscoring the growing separation between digital video and traditional television advertising cycles. The event will focus on streaming-first platforms, digital video programming and data-driven ad products, giving buyers an earlier look at how platforms are positioning themselves ahead of the traditional upfront season.

Who should attend: Digital video platforms, streaming executives, ad-tech leaders, media buyers, agency planners and brand marketers focused on non-linear video.

NAB Show 2026

April 18–22
Las Vegas, Nevada

NAB Show remains the industry’s largest and most comprehensive gathering, bringing together broadcast, streaming, production and technology stakeholders from around the world. In 2026, discussions are expected to center on AI in workflows, monetization across platforms, sports production, FAST and cloud-based operations.

Who should attend: Broadcast engineers, production leaders, creative directors, CTOs, product managers, media executives evaluating technology investments and partnerships.

Programming Everywhere: Television’s Next Age

Presented at NAB Show by TV News Check

This focused conference track reflects how the definition of “television” continues to stretch across linear, streaming and social platforms. Programming Everywhere brings together leaders wrestling with audience fragmentation, discovery and revenue models in a multi-platform environment.

Who should attend: Programming executives, content strategists, product leaders, ad sales and monetization teams, digital and social media leads.

2026 Television Upfronts

May
New York City, New York

The traditional television upfronts remain centered in May, with major broadcast and cable networks presenting programming and advertising strategies tied closely to live events and tentpole content. In 2026, the season will overlap with coverage planning for the FIFA World Cup, reinforcing the role of live sports in driving large-scale ad commitments. Fox and NBC have scheduled upfronts for May 11.

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Who should attend: Broadcast network executives, ad sales teams, media buyers, agencies, brand marketers and programmers focused on linear and premium streaming inventory.

InfoComm 2026

June 13–19
Las Vegas, Nevada

InfoComm sits at the intersection of broadcast, enterprise and Pro AV, making it increasingly relevant for organizations building studios outside traditional television facilities. As corporate production, live events and hybrid work continue to grow, InfoComm offers practical insight into systems integration, displays, audio and control environments.

Who should attend: Corporate studio leaders, Pro AV integrators, enterprise production teams, facilities planners, IT and AV engineers.

StreamTV Show

June 16–19
Denver, Colorado

StreamTV Show focuses squarely on the business and technology of streaming television. With an executive-heavy audience, the event emphasizes strategy, partnerships and monetization models rather than hands-on production gear.

Who should attend: Streaming executives, platform operators, content acquisition leaders, ad-tech and monetization teams, product and strategy leaders.

Texas Association of Broadcasters annual TAB Show

August 5–6
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, Texas

The annual TAB Show is the largest state broadcast association convention in the country and a key gathering point for radio and television professionals operating in one of the nation’s most influential media markets. With more than 1,200 registrants each year, the event blends a sizable trade show floor with targeted education and relationship-driven networking.

Who should attend: Local and regional radio and TV station owners, general managers, engineers, sales leaders, operations executives, vendors serving the broadcast market and decision-makers focused on the Texas media landscape.

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IBC 2026

September 11–14
RAI Amsterdam

IBC offers a global counterpoint to NAB, with a strong emphasis on international markets, standards and large-scale production and distribution workflows. It is often where longer-term infrastructure and cloud strategies take shape, particularly for global broadcasters and rightsholders.

Who should attend: International broadcasters, engineers, technologists, operations leaders, vendors with global reach, production and distribution executives.

IAB CreatorFronts

Fall 2026
New York City, New York

A new addition to the industry calendar, the IAB CreatorFronts will spotlight influencer-led and creator-driven video, reflecting the continued rise of the creator economy as a distinct advertising category. The event is expected to focus on brand partnerships, measurement and monetization models unique to creator platforms.

Who should attend: Creator platforms, influencer networks, brand marketers, agencies, talent managers and media buyers investing in creator-led video.

NAB Show New York

October 21–22
New York City, New York

NAB Show New York brings a more creator- and production-focused lens to the East Coast, with strong ties to live production, brand storytelling and social media workflows. The smaller footprint allows for more targeted conversations compared to the Las Vegas show.

Who should attend: Content creators, production teams, creative services leaders, live-event producers, brand and social video teams.

Wall Street Video Summit

October
New York City, New York

This inaugural event reflects the growing role of video inside financial institutions, from investor communications to internal and external live events. It highlights how broadcast-grade production is becoming integral to industries far outside traditional media.

Who should attend: Financial services media teams, enterprise video leaders, broadcast engineers working in corporate environments, technology and operations executives.

SVG Summit

December 14–15
New York City, New York

SVG Summit closes the year with a deep focus on sports production, bringing together broadcasters, leagues, vendors and technologists. The event emphasizes peer-to-peer discussion around workflows, live production challenges and emerging tools used in high-pressure environments.

Who should attend: Sports broadcasters, live production engineers, operations leaders, technology vendors, production executives.

Taken together, these events underscore how fragmented — and specialized — the media and production landscape has become. No single show covers everything. Instead, professionals increasingly choose events based on their role in the ecosystem: strategy, engineering, creative, enterprise or business.

For 2026, the challenge is less about keeping up with technology announcements and more about understanding how these conversations connect — and which rooms matter most for the decisions you need to make next.