Not even a once-in-a-century blizzard could stop the automotive retail industry from making a massive statement.
Despite the infamous 2025 Gulf Coast storm that dumped 10 inches of snow on New Orleans, shut down major highways, and grounded flights across the region, auto dealers proved they are completely unstoppable. Against all odds, a staggering 70% of registrants found a way to the Big Easy. That legendary tenacity paid off in a big way: the NADA Show 2025 has officially landed at #37 on Trade Show Executive’s prestigious Gold 100 list, marking one of its highest rankings in history.
The Gold 100 list ranks the absolute largest and top-performing trade shows across the United States by net square feet of paid exhibit space. Clocking in at a record-breaking 1.1 million square feet at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, NADA Show 2025 featured over 600 exhibitors. To put that size into perspective, the Expo floor was roughly equivalent to 3.7 New Orleans Superdomes. Only 6% of all recognized national trade shows managed to break the elite 1 million-square-foot barrier.
Melissa Wolpert, senior vice president of meetings, conventions and expositions at NADA, says the triumph in the snow highlighted the true spirit of the industry.
“The NADA Show in New Orleans really reinforced the idea that auto retailers are resilient and optimistic people,” Wolpert said. “Despite all the numerous transportation challenges, so many of our registrants made it to the Big Easy by the start of the Show, which is a testament to the tenacity, and frankly, the ingenuity of our attendees. And the appreciation and feedback we got was just amazing.”
Across the board, the Gold 100 Class of 2025 represented massive scale, totaling more than 41 million net square feet, 106,000 exhibitors and 2.8 million attendees nationwide. While the industry at large saw a slight 1.5% dip in attendance—on par with general industry trends reported in TSE’s quarterly reports—the elite class of shows still achieved a 1.5% rise in overall exhibit space and a 0.5% bump in exhibitors.
Now, NADA is looking to trade the snow boots for sunglasses as anticipation builds for the next big event.
“We are so excited to return to Orlando, where we expect a bright and sunny NADA Show 2027,” Wolpert added. “From the Welcome Reception at Universal Epic Universe to the game-changing educational programming to the franchise meetings and sold-out Expo, the 2027 NADA Show is going to be epic.”
As the premier marketplace where dealership challenges meet real-world solutions, the upcoming NADA Show 2027 is already shaping up to be an absolute powerhouse. Taking place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, the Expo floor is officially sold out, ready to host more than 500 companies across 900,000 square feet of contiguous space.
Attendees can look forward to more than 80 educational workshops, the high-energy Dealer Learning Lab right on the Expo floor, and two deep-dive Super Sessions. The Main Stage lineup features a stellar trio of speakers: sales and leadership expert Ryan Estis, Table Group founder Patrick Lencioni, and legendary athlete, entrepreneur, and activist Magic Johnson. And there are plenty of lively pitch competitions and riveting interviews on the Live Stage in the main concourse.
The NADA Show 2027 runs from February 17-20, with the Expo floor officially opening on Thursday, February 18. Head over to nadashow.org to register today.
