CHICAGO — Trade Show Executive (TSE) is now accepting nominations for its 2026 Gold 100 Grand Awards and Women to Watch programs.
The deadline for submissions is July 20, and the finalists in the Grand Awards categories and recipients of the Women to Watch awards will be announced on Aug. 3.
Finalists and the entire class of TSE’s Women to Watch are invited to attend the annual Gold 100 Awards & Summit, which is taking place Sept. 22-24, at the Terranea Resort in Palos Verdes, Calif.
TSE Gold 100 Grand Awards
The TSE Gold 100 Grand Awards are some of the most coveted honors in the trade show industry. These awards are open to shows of all sizes; nominated events do not have to be a part of the Gold 100 rankings to be considered.
Recognizing excellence beyond sheer size, the Grand Awards highlight those shows and leaders that excel in areas like marketing, sustainability, attendee engagement and creating new events and programming.
This year’s categories include:
- Most Extreme Results from Social Media in 2025
- Stickiest Show Floor in 2025
- Show with the Most Commendable Green Initiatives
- Best Use of Technology & Data in 2025
- Slam Dunk Award: Best New Idea of 2025
- The Marketing Genius Award
- Best Strategic Partnership Award
- Best Attendee Acquisition Model
- Best Exhibitor ROI of 2025
- Best New Launch of 2025
- Staying Connected Award
- Against All Odds Award
- Good Impact Award
- Greatest Trade Show of 2025
Learn more about the awards and criteria, and find the nomination form, here.
TSE Women to Watch
The Women to Watch program was founded by TSE in 2018 and serves as a recognition program that highlights up-and-coming talent in the trade show and events industry.
The program, which is sponsored by Connections Housing, identifies and encourages these rising stars that are making a difference to their teams, organizations and the industry, through exclusive networking, industry-wide exposure and access to fellow Women to Watch alumni.
Winners are selected by a panel of TSE editors based on various criteria including recent professional achievements, demonstrable leadership qualities and a proven track record of excellence. Nominees should be considered early in their careers, ideally having between 2-10 years of experience in events, to shine a spotlight on their potential. Nominations for standout mid-level managers are encouraged.
The selected Women to Watch are invited to attend the Gold 100 Awards & Summit, and to arrive one day ahead of the event for a glam session and photo shoot, conducted by Oscar & Associates. The photos from the shoot are featured in an edition of Trade Show Executive Magazine, alongside a group profile of the winners.
If you have questions about TSE’s awards programs, please contact our team at gold100@tradeshowexecutive.com.
