Each year, thousands of lawn and landscape professionals attend national and regional lawn care trade shows to evaluate equipment, compare software platforms, benchmark their operations, and plan major purchasing decisions for the year ahead.
If you’re serious about growing your lawn care or landscaping business in 2026, the right lawn care trade shows can shortcut your learning curve by years.
The best events help you:
But with dozens of lawn care trade shows happening every year, where should you invest your time and budget?
This guide is built specifically for small to mid-market lawn care and landscaping business owners evaluating where to invest time and travel budget in 2026.
Lawn care trade shows are industry events where landscaping and lawn service professionals gather to see new equipment, compare vendors, attend training sessions, earn CEUs, and network with other business owners. Most include exhibit halls, live demos, and educational workshops.
| Event | Best For | Size | Region | Time of Year |
| Equip Exposition | Equipment + demos | 20,000+ | National | October |
| Lawn & Landscape Technology Conference | Tech + automation | 1,000+ | National | July |
| ELEVATE (NALP) | Leadership + workforce | 3,000+ | National | November |
| MANTS | Nursery + plant material | 12,000+ | Mid-Atlantic | January |
| Nursery/Landscape Expo | Irrigation + TX market | 5,000+ | Southwest | August |
| iLandscape | Midwest operators | 6,000+ | Midwest | February |
| Green & Growin’ | CEUs + Southeast networking | 5,000+ | Southeast | January |
| Farwest Show | Western growers | 4,000+ | West | August |
| Service Edge Conference | Service business growth systems | Focused | National | February |
If you only attend one major national show, Equip Exposition typically offers the broadest exposure. If you want regional networking, look at your local association event.
Not every industry event makes the cut. We selected these lawn care trade shows based on:
These events have demonstrated consistent industry participation and are frequently referenced by lawn care operators planning equipment purchases, team training, and technology upgrades.
If you attend just one lawn care trade show in 2026, make it Equip Exposition.
With:
This is where the green industry gathers. Major equipment manufacturers often debut new models and technology at this event.
You can test commercial-grade mowers, battery-powered equipment, robotics, and emerging automation tools in real conditions—not just booth displays.
Why owners attend:
Pro Tip! Registration opens in spring. Book hotels immediately. Downtown Louisville fills up fast.
Technology is rapidly transforming lawn care operations, particularly in routing, job costing, CRM automation, and workforce management. In particular, multi-crew operators focused on protecting margins are prioritizing route optimization, real-time job costing, and automated customer communication.
The Lawn & Landscape Technology Conference focuses on:
Best for: Owners, ops managers, and marketing leaders evaluating new systems.
If you’re reworking your tech stack in 2026, this lawn care trade show deserves serious consideration.
Hosted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), ELEVATE focuses on leadership, workforce development, and scaling strategies.
You’ll find:
This is less about equipment and more about building a stronger organization.
Often called the “Masterpiece of Trade Shows,” MANTS draws nearly 1,000 exhibitors and over 12,000 attendees.
Best for:
If you operate in the Mid-Atlantic region, this is one of the highest-value regional lawn care trade shows available.
The Nursery/Landscape Expo has a strong focus on:
If you operate in Texas or the Southwest, this is one of the most practical regional shows for contractors.
Managed by the Landscape Illinois Professionals Association (LIPA), iLandscape is one of the Midwest’s largest green industry gatherings, drawing 6,000+ professionals.
Ideal for:
Hosted by the North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association (NCNLA), Green & Growin’ highlights:
If continuing education matters to your team, this is one of the strongest Southeastern lawn care trade shows.
Known as the largest green industry event in the West, The Farwest Show attracts more than 4,000 professionals and 350 exhibitors each year.
Great for:
Add registration reminders to your calendar in early spring.
Designed specifically for service business owners and their teams, Service Edge Conference (SEC) focuses on practical, step-by-step growth systems.
You’ll walk away with:
If you want implementable strategies—not just inspiration—this conference delivers hands-on value.
Not every event fits every business. Ask yourself:
Just remember: define your goal, set a budget, compare national vs. regional events, and plan vendor meetings in advance.
Attending isn’t enough. Here’s how owners get real value:
Before the show:
During the show:
After the show:
The businesses that grow fastest treat lawn care trade shows as strategic investments—not vacations. If you’re evaluating tools before your next trade show, explore our lawn care business resources hub for guides on pricing, marketing, and operational efficiency. For example, many operators attend Equip with a mower purchase in mind, compare three brands in one afternoon, and lock in preseason pricing that offsets the cost of travel entirely.
Instant invoicing
Better scheduling
Manage your clients and employees all in one system
For most growing operators, yes—if you approach them intentionally.
A single equipment discount, vendor partnership, or operational insight can easily offset travel costs.
The key is clarity: know what problem you’re trying to solve before you book the flight.
The right lawn care trade shows can:
Use this list to plan your 2026 event calendar strategically. If you're planning broader growth initiatives this year, you may also want to review our guide to scaling your lawn care business.
We’ll continue updating this guide as registration details are released.
Equip Exposition is widely considered the largest lawn care trade show in North America, drawing over 20,000 attendees and 1,000+ exhibitors annually.
Yes—if you attend with a clear goal such as equipment purchasing, vendor sourcing, or operational improvements.
Choose based on your primary goal: equipment buying, technology upgrades, leadership training, or regional networking.
Many regional association events and education-focused conferences offer continuing education credits.
This guide is updated annually based on confirmed event announcements and conversations across the lawn and landscape industry. Service Autopilot works with lawn care businesses nationwide, giving our team ongoing visibility into which events operators prioritize for equipment purchasing, networking, and operational improvement. Follow Service Autopilot to see which lawn care trade shows our team will attend in 2026 and to get live event coverage, product insights, and operator interviews from the show floor.
Related: Top Landscaping Conferences to Attend in 2026
Originally published Nov 17, 2021 7:00 AM, updated Feb 17, 2026 3:27 PM CT
Tags: Business Operation, Featured Post
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