Expect record numbers of attendees at the 2024 NADA Show Feb. 1-4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas.
The must-attend event once again brings dealers together in one of the most popular conference destinations in the U.S. Although the pandemic didn’t short-circuit the Show – it was held virtually in 2021 – in-person attendance adds an element of energy and community to the Show, says Melissa Wolpert, NADA’s senior vice president of meetings, conventions and expositions,
“There’s a new appreciation for the in-person connections that the NADA Show fosters,” Wolpert tells WardsAuto. “And it’s the place to learn what’s new, what’s happening in the industry, where are we going in the future?”
The inaugural NADA meeting, held in 1917 in Chicago, was attended by 138 dealers. Although NADA does not share attendance data, recent shows have brought together thousands of dealers, manufacturers, vendors and other automotive retail stakeholders.
NADA canceled the Show once during World War II but held it – albeit virtually – during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve had good fortune, and even in adversity, we jump in and make sure that we provide value for our exhibitors and our dealers and the auto industry in general,” says Wolpert. “We have become the avenue of connection and communication within our industry.”
Here are just some of the highlights attendees can expect:
- An orientation session. Both new and returning attendees are invited to attend the 10:30 a.m. Thursday (Feb. 1) session in W-314.
- A “reinvented” schedule. Sessions kick off at 9 a.m. each morning “to kind of start your day. Let’s get motivated and excited about the auto industry and celebrate it,” says Wolpert, noting the expo floor opens right from the main stage to give attendees speedier access.
- Main Stage speakers. Business expert John Taffer and 2023 NADA Chairman Geoffrey Pohanka speak on Friday. Saturday’s featured speakers are former race car driver Danica Patrick and 2024 NADA Chairman Gary Gilchrist (plus the Time Dealer of the Year Award). Hall of Fame Quarterback Kurt Warner wraps up the Main Stage speaker session. All these events begin at 9 a.m.
- Celebrations galore. The welcome reception at the Sphere features “Postcard from Earth” with live entertainment that makes attendees feel as if they are traveling the globe and the cosmos. The Sphere is 366 ft. (112 m) tall and 516 ft. (157 m) wide, making it the world’s largest spherical building. NADA and various exhibitors also host a range of other celebrations.
For more information on these and the many other sessions, events and exposition offerings, go to the Show Program.
