Last Updated on August 11, 2026 by Craig Allen Keefner
Kiosk Tradeshows
Introduction
Here is our list of peer-reviewed and personally reviewed kiosk trade shows and events companies exhibit and attend. Trade shows are judged by quality of attendees but also how much they market and network. FSTEC for example never promoted itself prior to event and had terrible mobile networking. Waste of time in our view. NRF sets the standard as does HIMSS. The effectiveness of “The Show Itself” is part of the complete equation. Not all or nothing. The KMA currently has a booth at NRF, HIMSS, NRA and IAAPA.
Quick Kiosk and Digital Signage Tradeshow Recommendations (based on our experience and others)
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Where We Will Be
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Shows and Events that are worthwhile
- NRF (also in Singapore and Paris)
- IAAPA
- NRA
- HIMSS
- FTE, InfoComm, ISE (Barcelona), MURTEC, CSUN
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Show and Events to AVOID
- FSTEC – used to be good but poorly run which is unusual for NRN but then it is Hotel event. Foot traffic terrible.
- Groceryshop / Shoptalk — expensive and poorly promoted. Relatively small event. In 2025, with the exception of 10×20 by Toshiba, none of the other big players took a booth. Examples like NCR, Fujitsu, Zebra and Innovative Technology.
- SSIS – another hotel event in December. Very mixed bag (vending e.g.), tries to appeal to multiple markets but vending is always there. No repeat sponsors, no kiosks. It’s like a pizza with eight small slices of different stuff and none of them have sausage and extra cheese.
- CES and NAB – consumer stuff though some interesting digital signage but usually gadgets
- HITEC? The jury still out on this one. They are like SSIS — they like going it alone in blackhole mode.
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General Tips
- Normally you get a booth right? Nowadays that is NOT always the case. You can participate to a very large degree without having a booth. Good trade shows enable the widest possible audience.
- For reference — participation in KMA tradeshows: Around $1800 for demo in booth, $499 for virtual
- Hotel events rarely work out. DSE has switched to hotel get together and that seems nice.
- Fresh attendance is always better than a recirculated audience.
- Not a big fan of GES. Always problems – slow to resolve. Freeman is much better
- Check out the show and mobile. 65% of your audience prospects will be mobile-based.
- We have a wide spectrum of companies in the association so different shows for payment people or digital signage or EV or Airports or kiosks or Hotels
2026 Kiosk Trade shows
| Month | Trade show / conference | Primary relevance to self-service |
|---|---|---|
| January | CES – Las Vegas — highlights consumer as rule | AI, edge computing, displays, robotics, computer vision, biometrics |
| NRF Retail’s Big Show – NYC | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Retail kiosks, POS, checkout, payments, AI | |
| ATIA – Orlando | Accessibility and assistive technology | |
| February | ISE – Barcelona | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Digital signage, displays, interactive, AV, kiosks |
| EuroCIS – Düsseldorf (when held) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ European retail technology, checkout, kiosks, POS | |
| March | HIMSS | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Patient check-in, healthcare kiosks, identity, AI |
| CSUN Assistive Technology Conference | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Accessibility, ADA/WCAG, assistive interfaces | |
| Amusement Expo – Las Vegas | Payments, unattended systems, amusement/self-service | |
| Passenger Terminal Expo | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Airport check-in, bag drop, biometrics, CUSS | |
| April | NAMA Show | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Vending, micro markets, smart stores, unattended retail |
| CinemaCon – Las Vegas | Ticketing, concessions ordering, digital signage | |
| May | National Restaurant Association Show – Chicago | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Restaurant kiosks, POS, ordering, payments, AI |
| Sweets & Snacks Expo | Automated retail / convenience crossover | |
| June | InfoComm – Las Vegas | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Displays, signage, interactive technology, AV |
| NRF APAC – Singapore | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Retail/self-service in Asia-Pacific | |
| July | RSPA RetailNOW | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ POS, payments, restaurant/retail kiosks, channel |
| Disability:IN | Accessibility and corporate disability inclusion | |
| August | Usually quieter | Good month for regional POS, retail and hospitality events |
| September | NRF Retail’s Big Show Europe – Paris | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Retail technology, POS, checkout and self-service. 2026 is Sept. 15–17. |
| Future Travel Experience Global – Dallas | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Airport/airline self-service, biometrics, bag drop; Sept. 8–10 in 2026. | |
| Groceryshop – Las Vegas | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Grocery checkout, smart stores, AI, retail tech | |
| October | G2E – Las Vegas | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ Gaming kiosks, payments, cash handling, ticketing |
| M-Enabling Summit | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ Accessibility, ICT, ADA/WCAG | |
| Gitex Global – Dubai | AI, smart city, digital government, kiosks | |
| SMAU / European retail-tech events | Varies; useful for European self-service | |
| November | IAAPA Expo – Orlando | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ Ticketing, payment, ordering, amusement kiosks |
| APEX FTE Expo – Singapore | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Airport/airline passenger processing; Nov. 18–19 in 2026. | |
| MAPIC – Cannes | Retail property, retail technology, customer experience | |
| December | Generally quiet though we will do ARKI this year | Few Tier-1 self-service shows |
The core Kiosk Industry calendar
If we were building a Kiosk Industry “Trade Shows & Events” chronology, I wouldn’t give all of these equal weight. I’d make the core list something like:
JAN — CES → NRF NYC
FEB — ISE → EuroCIS
MAR — HIMSS → CSUN → Passenger Terminal Expo → Amusement Expo
APR — NAMA
MAY — NRA Show
JUN — InfoComm → NRF APAC
JUL — RetailNOW
SEP — FTE Global → NRF Europe → Groceryshop
OCT — G2E → M-Enabling → GITEX
NOV — IAAPA → FTE/APEX Singapore
NRF NYC is especially important because the 2026 show ran Jan. 11–13 and remains probably the single biggest general retail-technology event for kiosk/self-checkout coverage. CSUN belongs on the calendar even though it isn’t a kiosk show: the 2026 conference was March 9–13 and is one of the most important accessibility/assistive-technology gatherings.
For Kiosk Industry specifically, I’d classify NRF, NAMA, NRA, RetailNOW, Passenger Terminal Expo and NRF APAC as Tier 1 because self-service is directly embedded in those markets. InfoComm, HIMSS, ISE, FTE, IAAPA and G2E would be Tier 2/high-value vertical shows.
Historic Trade shows (mostly canceled and/or virtual-only due to pandemic)
Locations and dates are historical and may be different going forward
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- Jan – CES in Vegas
- Jan 13-15 NRF Retail Big Show in New York — See KMA and a dozen other members at the biggest show of the year.
- Feb – ICE Totally Gaming UK (7th-9th) [link]
- Feb – ISE Europe
- Feb 16-20 Euroshop in Dusseldorf
- Feb – ICX Symposium Phoenix
- Feb ATMIA US
- Mar China Vending and Self-Service Fair Guangzho
- Mar 9-11 MURTEC at Paris Hotel in Vegas – Restaurant Kiosks
- Mar 9-13 HIMSS Orlando – Healthcare Kiosks
- Mar 11-15 CSUN Anaheim – Accessible kiosks
- Mar – BAI Connect San Diego
- Mar – Retail Business Tech, Olympia, London, UK
- Mar Biometrics – ConnectID in Washington
- Mar ShopTalk Venetian
- Mar Smart Cities Connect in Kansas City
- Mar 31 – Apri 3, 2011 DSE Vegas
- Apr – ISRI Show in Vegas April 8-11
- Apr 14-16 New Orleans ATA Telemedicine
- Apr – 24-26 NAMA Las Vegas Convention Center – Vending
- Apr – Card Forum
- Apr Card and Payments Middle East
- Apr – ISRI Show in Vegas April 8-11
- Apr Phoenix – Restaurant Leadership Appetize, Elotouch, etc
- Apr Indian Gaming Show Vegas link
- Apr 26 National Association of Theatre Owners – Vegas
- Apr – Waste Expo – Vegas
- Apr NAMA LVCC Micromarkets and Vending
- Apr China Kiosk and Vending Show in Shanghai
- Apr – Telemedicine Chicago
- Apr – Transact18 by ETA Las Vegas
- May 16-19, 2020 – NRA National Restaurant Show McCormick Chicago
- May RBTE London — see Polytouch
- May American Resort Development Association – Annual Convention & Expo 2018
- May – The Car Wash Show – in Nashville
- May – Customer Engagement Summit Mexico
- May – International Parking Institute
- May – 18-21 in Chicago NRA – https://restaurant.org/Events/National-Restaurant-Association-Show URL for National Restaurant Association Show
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- May – Display Week, SFO Moscone
- Retail and Brand World Congress – Barcelona – 5/27
- Jun Nashville – Restaurant Directions Emerging
- Jun 10/11, 2020 – Smart City Expo in Atlanta
- Jun 12-14 – InfoComm
- Jun 18-21 HITEC Hospitality in Minneapolis
- Jul – Pawn Expo in Vegas
- 07 17-20, 2020 Infocomm Las Vegas
- 07 28-31, 2019 Retail Now San Antonio
- 08 – ACA Corrections
- RetailNow Gaylord OpryLand
- Sep 8-10 FSTEC in Dallas – Food Order & Self-Order
- Sep 16 Future Restaurants Austin, TX
- Sep 16-17 VARTECH Atlanta
- Sep – Shanghai Digital Signage Show
- Oct 18 – Kiosk Summit North London
- Oct 26-29 HITEC in San Antonio (rescheduled)
- Oct 2 NACS in Atlanta – Cstore kiosks
- Oct/Nov – Digital Signage Week in New York
- Oct 14 G2E [Gaming] – Betting Kiosk Tradeshow
- Nov IAAPA Amusements – Ticketing Kiosk Tradeshow
- NOV Marijuana Biz Vegas – Vending Kiosks Tradeshow