More than 200,000 housing and design professionals from across the globe recently descended upon Las Vegas for the 10^th annual Design & Construction Week (DCW), the largest annual gathering of residential construction and design industry professionals.

Held Jan. 31-Feb. 2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), the massive event comprised the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s (NKBA) Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show (IBS) and the three co-dated industry shows: the National Hardware Show (NHS), The International Surfaces Event (TISE) and the Las Vegas Winter Market.

Boasting the highest attendance in its 10-year history, DCW’s total participation comprised 110,000 attendees and nearly 2,000 exhibitors occupying more than one million square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibit space.

These numbers demonstrated an impressive uptick compared to the 2022 edition of DCW, which attracted more than 70,000 attendees and 1,200 exhibitors spanning 725,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor space at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

“What an incredible way to celebrate 10 years of Design & Construction Week with this record attendance,” said Jerry Howard, CEO of NAHB. “Walking the show floor and attending the education sessions and networking events, you could feel the energy and enthusiasm from exhibitors and attendees alike.”

Individually, both KBIS, North America’s largest trade show dedicated to all aspects of kitchen and bath design, and IBS, the world’s largest annual light construction show, boasted record-breaking attendance numbers and bustling show floors.

“It’s truly remarkable what we have accomplished these past 10 years in our industry,” said Bill Darcy, CEO of NKBA. “Trade shows are back and this year in Las Vegas proves just that. You could feel the positive energy flow through the show floor.” 

As one of NKBA’s biggest and most successful shows in its 60-year history, KBIS attracted more than 40,000 attendees and 500 exhibitors to almost 395,000 sq. ft. of expo space. 

“With more programs, activations and learning opportunities than ever before, KBIS 2023 was exceptional,” said Suzie Williford, NKBA executive vice president and chief strategy officer. “There was such positive energy on the show floor by both attendees and exhibitors. Everyone was happy to be together, to attend our events and be a part of the amazing experience — an experience that will drive momentum for our industry throughout the year.” 

According to Jason McGraw, group vice president of Emerald Expositions, which produces KBIS for NKBA, the show experienced unprecedented registration growth, up 35 percent in qualified attendees versus the pre-pandemic, 2020 edition. 

“This year’s strong attendance turnout has encouraged over 300 exhibitors to already contract to exhibit at KBIS 2024, with many increasing their show presence,” McGraw said. “Early sales are up more than 12 percent versus this year’s show, with more than 88 percent of next year’s expanded show floor space secured.”

At IBS, show organizers were also celebrating. The 2023 show ended up generating its largest attendance in more than a decade, with nearly 70,000 attendees and 1,300 building products and technology exhibitors spanning more than 600,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space. 

Attendees and exhibitors alike were enthusiastic about the vibrant activity on the showfloor, as well as the event’s myriad educational sessions. Joel Barkman, president and CEO of Golden Rule Builders, commented that after attending more than 20 editions of the show in the past, this year’s IBS was by far the best.

“The exhibits were certainly impressive, but what my team and I always find most beneficial are the [education] sessions,” Barkman said. “There were so many dynamic topics they covered this year – it was extremely valuable for us as a company.”

He added that he and his team were already looking forward to returning to the show next year. 

“This year’s exceptional turnout is a clear indication of the strength of the industry and its optimism about the future,” said Geoff Cassidy, NAHB senior vice president of exhibitions and meetings. “Attendees took advantage of unique networking opportunities and education sessions that delivered insight and practical guidance to grow their businesses.” 

Additionally, DCW’s three other co-dated shows drew in solid participation numbers. Also held at the LVCC, NHS drew in 17,000 attendees, while TISE, held at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, attracted 25,000, and Las Vegas Market, which took place at the Las Vegas Design Center, welcomed 50,000 attendees. 

“We expected a successful show based on the preliminary numbers, but we were blown away by the final attendance numbers for KBIS and Design & Construction Week – it was just incredible,” Darcy said. “Our goal when we created DCW with our partner, NAHB, was to become the biggest trade show in North America…and for now, we are.” 

DCW will return to the LVCC Feb. 27-29, 2024.

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