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Planning your SHOT Show trip? This complete 2026 guide covers the official dates, the Las Vegas venue details, exhibit hall hours, SHOT Week events, badge pickup basics, hotel booking tips, and smart ways to build a smooth, high-ROI schedule. Whether you’re attending for deal-making, product discovery, networking, or education sessions, this page is designed to help you arrive prepared and leave accomplished.
Tip: If you’re building your trip around key meetings, aim to lock your calendar before you arrive. SHOT Week fills up fast and walking time between venues is real.
The 2026 SHOT Show runs Tuesday, January 20 through Friday, January 23, 2026. If you’re coordinating flights, shipping, meeting blocks, or a team schedule, use those dates as your anchor—and then build around pre-show SHOT Week activities.
If you plan procurement cycles, annual travel budgets, or recurring meeting cadences, it helps to know future dates early. The show’s “Future Show Dates” listings are a quick way to plan ahead and avoid conflicts with other industry travel.
View SHOT Show 2026 details | See future dates and Las Vegas info
SHOT Show 2026 takes place across two major venues in Las Vegas: Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum. This two-venue setup is part of what makes the event massive—and also why your plan needs buffers for walking, meetup points, and “one more booth” time.
The Venetian Expo is one of the core SHOT Show locations and is connected to a major resort footprint, which makes it convenient for early meetings, quick meals, and back-to-back appointments.
Caesars Forum is a modern conference venue used for large-scale events and exhibit space. If your schedule includes appointments in both buildings, plan your day in “venue blocks” (morning in one venue, afternoon in another) to reduce back-and-forth walking.
Knowing the exhibit hall hours helps you decide when to schedule meetings and when to keep your time flexible for discovery. A common winning approach is:
Exhibit Hall Hours (overview): Tuesday–Thursday: 8:30 AM–5:30 PM; Friday: 8:30 AM–4:00 PM.
View the official SHOT Show schedule
“SHOT Week” generally refers to the days surrounding the show that include education sessions, special showcases, networking receptions, and offsite experiences. For many attendees, SHOT Week is where some of the best relationship-building happens—because conversations are longer and less rushed than the show floor.
The Supplier Showcase is a popular SHOT Week component that many teams use to scout materials, production partners, and behind-the-scenes solutions. If you’re responsible for sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, or product development, set aside dedicated time for this rather than trying to squeeze it in between show-floor meetings.
Evenings can be just as valuable as the exhibit floor—sometimes more. After-hours events are a practical way to meet new partners, reconnect with existing relationships, and have the kind of conversation that rarely happens between booth appointments.
Explore after-hours events during SHOT Week
If hands-on product time matters to your role, Industry Day at the Range is a key pre-show event that typically takes place the day before the exhibit floor opens. Many attendees use it to evaluate gear, compare options, and create shortlists before they ever step onto the show floor.
Industry Day at the Range – official site | Registration details and updates
Plan badge pickup like you plan your first meetings—because it directly impacts your first day momentum. SHOT Show offers multiple pickup locations, which can save you serious time if you choose the right one for your arrival schedule.
Registration & badge information | Badge pickup locations and planning updates
Las Vegas is built for conventions, but SHOT Week creates a compressed demand window. The simplest way to protect your budget and reduce risk is to book through official hotel partners.
Discounted rates and official inventory are typically available through the event’s official hotel partners. Booking “official” also helps reduce the chance of reservation issues from third-party solicitations that sometimes target large conventions.
View official hotels and booking guidance | Hotel & travel hub
Small preparation choices make a big difference over four long days. Consider packing:
Skip: overloading your calendar, packing a heavy bag, and trying to “see everything” without a priority list. Decide your top outcomes first: deals, sourcing, new products, education, recruiting, partnerships—then build your days around those outcomes.
Write down the 3–5 outcomes that would make this trip a win. Examples: meet 10 qualified partners, shortlist 5 new products, secure 2 distribution conversations, finalize 1 supplier option, or book education sessions for your team.
Anchors are your non-negotiables: priority meetings, key events, education sessions. Once those are placed, protect open blocks for discovery—because SHOT Show’s value is often found in what you didn’t plan.
Try to group meetings in the same venue together. You’ll save energy, reduce stress, and make it easier to take spontaneous meetings when they pop up.
SHOT Show is a business-focused industry event. Check current eligibility rules and requirements before you register.
The official schedule page is the best source for exhibit hours and SHOT Week events. Schedules can change, so review it again as you get close to travel.
Pick up your badge early, start your morning with “must-see” stops, and keep your first afternoon flexible for discovery and follow-up meetings.
Back to SHOT Show home | Official schedule | Official hotels
SHOT Show can deliver a massive return—if you treat it like a strategic project instead of a busy week. Set outcomes, build a realistic route plan, protect focus blocks, and schedule daily follow-up time. The attendees who “win” SHOT Week are usually the ones who plan for walking time, recovery, and consistent outreach after the show ends.
Want a smoother week? Bookmark this guide, share it with your team, and set your day-by-day plan before you land in Las Vegas.
