PALOS VERDES, Calif. — Approximately 200 events industry leaders convened at Terranea Resort from Sept. 22-24, 2026, for the Trade Show Executive (TSE) Gold 100 Awards & Summit.
The event recognized the 100 largest trade shows in the U.S. from last year, and offered elite education and connection-building opportunities.
“This year’s Gold 100 Awards & Summit was one for the history books,” Rick Simon, Chairman of TSE Media Group and CEO of United Service Companies, said. “Even in a turbulent, unpredictable landscape, the Gold 100 Class of 2025 demonstrates that shows can meet the moment and continue to thrive and provide value, proving that there’s nothing like face-to-face events. It was a pleasure to celebrate their success in Palos Verdes, while looking at cutting-edge organizing strategies at the Gold 100 Summit, and making new connections and reconnecting with old friends throughout the week. Thank you to our sponsors and attendees for helping make this event a success, and see you next year!”
Connecting in the Pacific Breeze
On Sept. 21, TSE’s Simon hosted a dinner for early arrivals on the resort’s Ocean Lawn. As the sun set over the Pacific, attendees conversed over exceptional food and drinks, and looked forward to an impactful, exciting week.
On Sept. 22, some participants hit the greens for the annual Gold 100 Golf Shamble Tournament, at The Links at Terranea.
After a day of friendly competition, awards were handed out — these included Longest Drive Men & Women, Closest to the Pin Men & Women, Best Team Score Award and Most Honest Team Score Award.
Other attendees participated in a Tai Chi & Tea by the Sea activity, which was sponsored by Heritage.
They started the day with a guided Tai Chi session overlooking the ocean, and took a scenic walk along Terranea’s bluff-side trails, which featured meditation pauses and moments for quiet reflection, and views of the Point Vicente Lighthouse. The activity finished with a ceremonial tea experience.
That evening, Map Your Show sponsored an exclusive Wine Tasting Experience, where Don Kline, its CEO, welcomed attendees with a toast.
“As in years past, the wine tasting was a great success,” Kline told TSE. “The setting was beautiful but more importantly it really set the mood for a wonderful event. It’s the perfect way to meet new people and catch up with the ones you already know.”
Then, the Gold 100 Awards & Summit officially kicked off with a Welcome Reception sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority in the resort’s Meadows space.
“Las Vegas was proud to host the opening reception for the TSE Gold 100, a celebration of the best and brightest in the trade show industry,” Vanessa Claspill, Chief Sales Officer, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said. “It was an honor to recognize the innovation, leadership and hard work of this year’s nominees and winners, many of whom are our customers. We value those relationships and were delighted to support an event that celebrates their achievements.”
Attendees experienced cocktails, company and award-winning food with breathtaking sunset views of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island, and the excitement for the next day’s Education Summit and Awards Gala was palpable.
“Bringing this year’s Gold 100 Awards & Summit to the breathtaking Terranea Resort was truly special,” Sara Gebhardt, Event Planner at TSE, said. “From the incredible ocean views to the elevated details and experiences throughout the program, it was an honor to create such a memorable experience celebrating our industry and the people who make it so special. After months of planning and collaboration with our team and partners, it’s so rewarding to see everything come to life. I’m incredibly thankful for the support of our sponsors and the Terranea team, and I hope everyone enjoyed the experience as much as I loved bringing it all together.”
Setting the Gold Standard
On Sept. 23, attendees gathered for the Gold 100 Education Summit. New for this year, Rozie Synopsis provided live takeaways from each session that attendees could access on their personal devices or view on screens by the stage.
“The TSE team works on the event’s content to ensure that it is worthy of each person’s time, and the content and quality of the presentation are perfect,” TSE’s Simon said. “People called Dr. Peter Rupert’s presentation the best by an economist they had heard. Thank you to Ken McAvoy and all of the presenters for participating.”
Stay tuned for an exclusive recap of the summit, with takeaways powered by Rozie Synopsis. To get that article delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to TSE’s e-newsletter on LinkedIn or through your email.
And the Award Goes To…
On the evening of Sept. 23, TSE revealed the Gold 100 rankings at the Cocktail Reception and honorees took photos on the red carpet and toasted their success.
Then, it was time for the main event: The Gold 100 Awards Gala presented the year’s Grand Awards and recognized this year’s TSE Women to Watch.
To find the full list of winners, click here.
“Each year, we recognize the shows that topped the rankings of the Gold 100 in a variety of metric-based categories,” Maddy Ryley, TSE’s Managing Editor, said. “It’s exciting to see which shows set the pace for size and growth in 2025, especially since post-pandemic growth rates have begun leveling out. Alongside our quantitative awards, our Grand Awards program also highlights the shows that are best-in-class across marketing, operations, strategy, sustainability, and overall delivering value for their communities and audiences. The competition across those categories was steep this year, and all the finalists and winners represent the innovative strategies that are successfully redefining the value of trade shows and in-person events.”
After the awards were handed out, LVE’s Afterglow kept the celebration going long into the night.
The next TSE event is the Fastest 50 Awards & Summit, which is heading to Houston, “Space City,” May 17-21, 2027.
The 2027 Gold 100 Awards & Summit is set for Oct. 13-15 at The Ritz-Carlton, Bacara in Santa Barbara, Calif.
