SEMA Show 2026 Guide: Dates, Friday Public Day, Hotels & Getting Around

The SEMA Show takes over the entire Las Vegas Convention Center from Tuesday, November 3 to Friday, November 6, 2026. It is the largest automotive aftermarket trade show in the world: more than 2,400 exhibitors, over 1,000 one-off vehicle builds, and a projected 153,000+ attendees, matching the 2025 edition. Tuesday through Thursday is trade-only, but Friday is different. SEMA sells a limited number of public tickets for Friday, which makes this the one giant Vegas trade show a regular car enthusiast can actually walk. Here is how the week works, what Friday public day is really like, where to stay, and how to move around a convention center campus that swallows 153,000 people. Ticket prices last checked: October 12, 2026.

SEMA Show 2026 at a glance

Who can go, and how Friday public day works

SEMA is a trade show. Tuesday through Thursday, the floor is open only to qualified industry attendees, media, and exhibitors, and registration requires proof that you work in the automotive specialty equipment business. If that is you, register early: badge pickup lines on Tuesday morning are the worst of the week.

Friday, November 6 is the exception. The SEMA Show Friday, Open to the Public ticket puts enthusiasts on the same floor the trade walked all week, with no halls closed to public ticket holders. Prices last checked: October 12, 2026:

• SEMA Show Friday: $130 (show floor, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM)
• SEMA Show Friday + Concert GA: $170 (floor plus SEMA Fest general admission)
• SEMA Show Friday + Concert VIP: $210 (marked sold out at last check)
• SEMA Fest only: $80 GA / $120 VIP (concert only, VIP marked sold out)

Three rules catch people out every year. First, there are no day-of ticket sales: buy in advance or do not come. Second, every ticket holder must collect their own ticket in person with a government photo ID that matches the booking name, at SEMA Show Registration in the South Hall or West Hall, Friday between 7:30 AM and 2:00 PM. Third, the show floor is ages 16 and up, no exceptions, though the SEMA Fest concert admits all ages. Trade attendees should also know Friday closes an hour earlier and the floor mix changes once public ticket holders arrive, so schedule quiet booth meetings Tuesday through Thursday.

SEMA Fest: the Friday night concert

When the floor closes Friday, the party moves outside to the Bronze Lot. SEMA Fest 2026 is headlined by The Offspring, with Jimmy Eat World, 311, and The Alive also on the bill, plus OPTIMA drifting demonstrations, a Globe of Death motorcycle act, and the SEMA Cruise, the parade of show vehicles rolling out of the convention center as the show ends. Gates open at 3:00 PM. One important detail: a SEMA Show trade badge does not include the concert. SEMA Fest is ticketed separately for everyone, trade included.

Where to stay for SEMA

SEMA week is one of the most expensive hotel weeks of the year, and the official housing block sells out early. The overflow strategy is simple: stay attached, stay on the monorail, or stay on the Vegas Loop. Our full breakdown is in the hotels near the Las Vegas Convention Center guide. The short list:

Westgate Las Vegas: the attached default

Westgate sits directly next to the LVCC with its own monorail station, which is why it is the default SEMA hotel for repeat attendees. Roll out of bed, walk to the halls, skip every shuttle queue. Book it the moment your registration is confirmed, because it goes first.

Fontainebleau Las Vegas

The newest luxury resort in the north Strip corridor, roughly a mile from the LVCC and an easy Loop or rideshare hop. Better rooms and restaurants than the convention corridor average, and rates that (relatively) behave once the Westgate block is gone. Check Fontainebleau rates on Expedia. Prices last checked: October 12, 2026.

Resorts World Las Vegas

Three Hilton brands in one property on the north Strip, with a Vegas Loop station that runs to the LVCC campus. A strong pick if you want Strip energy at night without a 30-minute shuttle ride in the morning. Check Resorts World rates on Expedia. Prices last checked: October 12, 2026.

Monorail corridor hotels

The Las Vegas Monorail stops at the Boingo Convention Center station and the Westgate station, then runs down the east side of the Strip. Any hotel on the line turns a traffic nightmare into a 10-minute ride: SAHARA at the north end (check SAHARA rates), Harrah's and The LINQ mid-Strip (check Harrah's rates), and MGM Grand at the south end (check MGM Grand rates). Prices last checked: October 12, 2026.

Getting to and around the LVCC

Show shuttles

SEMA runs free shuttle buses between the LVCC and official host hotels throughout show hours. They are the default for most trade attendees, but the lines at the 5 PM floor close are legendary. If your hotel is on the monorail or Loop, you will beat the shuttle crowd every time.

Las Vegas Monorail

The monorail is the SEMA veteran's move. Trains run every 4 to 8 minutes from 7:00 AM (until midnight Monday, 2:00 AM Tuesday to Thursday, 3:00 AM Friday to Sunday). Fares last checked: October 12, 2026: a single ride is $6 ($5.50 as an online eTicket), a 24-hour unlimited pass is $15 ($13.45 eTicket), and a four-day pass is $39 ($37 eTicket). For a four-day show, the multi-day pass is the obvious buy. Use the Boingo Convention Center station for the Central and North Halls and the Westgate station for the West Hall side.

The Vegas Loop

The underground Loop runs free within the LVCC campus, which matters more than it sounds: walking end to end across the halls can take 30 minutes. Loop stations also connect the campus to Westgate, Encore, and Resorts World on fee-based routes. During SEMA, the campus Loop is the fastest way to get from a West Hall meeting to a South Hall booth without melting.

Driving and rideshare

Do not drive to the LVCC during SEMA if you can avoid it. Parking is limited, Paradise Road locks up at opening and closing, and rideshare surge pricing at floor close is brutal. If you must rideshare, walk two blocks away from the main pickup zones before ordering.

What Friday public day is actually like

Expect the full show, not a watered-down version: the same 2,400+ exhibitors and 1,000+ builds the trade saw, with the biggest crowds of the week packed into seven hours. Arrive at registration early (pickup opens 7:30 AM), hit the outdoor lots and the most popular halls first, and save the SEMA Cruise and drifting demos for the afternoon. Wear real walking shoes: a full SEMA day is 8 to 10 miles on concrete. By 4 PM the floor closes, the Cruise rolls, and SEMA Fest gates are already open in the Bronze Lot, so the $170 combined ticket is the best-value way to do the whole day. Prices last checked: October 12, 2026.

Staying the weekend

SEMA ends Friday, which leaves you a full Vegas weekend with rates dropping fast. Two add-ons worth booking before you arrive: a Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam day trip on Viator for Saturday, and a show Saturday night from the Viator Las Vegas shows listing. Our convention attendee guide covers weeknight shows, team dinners, and free-evening plans in detail, and the restaurants near the convention center guide is honest about where to eat (and where not to bother).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the SEMA Show open to the public?

Only on Friday. Tuesday through Thursday is qualified trade only. On Friday, November 6, 2026, the general public can buy a SEMA Show Friday ticket ($130, floor access 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, ages 16+). There are no day-of sales, and tickets must be picked up in person with photo ID. Prices last checked: October 12, 2026.

How many people attend the SEMA Show?

SEMA projects 153,000+ attendees for 2026, matching the 2025 edition, with more than 2,400 exhibitors and over 1,000 custom vehicle builds across every hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Where should I stay for the SEMA Show?

Westgate Las Vegas is attached to the convention center and sells out first. Fontainebleau and Resorts World are the best north Strip alternatives, and any hotel on the Las Vegas Monorail line (SAHARA, Harrah's, The LINQ, Flamingo, MGM Grand) gives you a traffic-free ride to the Boingo Convention Center station. See our hotels near the LVCC guide for the full list.

Does a SEMA badge include SEMA Fest?

No. SEMA Fest, the Friday night concert in the Bronze Lot (The Offspring, Jimmy Eat World, 311, The Alive), is ticketed separately for everyone, including trade badge holders. Concert-only tickets start at $80 GA. Prices last checked: October 12, 2026.

What is the fastest way to get around during SEMA?

The Las Vegas Monorail for Strip hotels, the free Vegas Loop inside the LVCC campus, and the free show shuttles for official hotels. Driving and rideshare are the slowest options at opening and closing times.