What is the SEMA Show? | TireResearch.info

The SEMA Show (Specialty Equipment Market Association Show) is one of the largest automotive trade events in the world, held annually in Las Vegas in early November. It is a highly anticipated event for automotive professionals where manufacturers, suppliers, and brands showcase their latest products, technologies, and innovations. This includes performance parts, tires, tools, accessories, and custom builds.

Why is SEMA so Popular?

SEMA draws crowds of approximately 150,000 and had over 160,000 attendees in 2024, which in part is made possible by the venue. The Las Vegas Convention Center is considered one of the largest convention centers in the world, spanning about 4.6 million square feet of total space and roughly 2.5 million square feet of exhibit halls. It is also located in a destination city which is a popular tourist town for both domestic and international visitors. According to the SEMA website, this automotive event is like no other and is “the best place to see thousands of the newest automotive performance products from new and iconic exhibitors, discover the latest product and vehicle trends, and develop essential skills by attending any one of the 99+ free education sessions – all of which are led by top industry professionals.” Essentially, it is the place to be if you work in the automotive industry, report on it in the media or plan to perform a related role in the future.

Who Can Attend SEMA?

In order to attend SEMA, you need to be an automotive industry professional or student in a qualifying high school or college. This includes manufacturers, distributors, retailers, custom car builders and designers, or media reps and influencers covering automotive trends. Students or educators must be in academic disciplines or skilled trades such as S.T.E.M., transportation technologies, business, entrepreneurship, and manufacturing technologies, or another discipline that is leading to a career in the automotive aftermarket industry. Upon registering, attendants must provide proof of employment or the educational institution they attend.

What are Some of the Highlights of SEMA?

SEMA features thousands of exhibits and product launches, new vehicles and custom builds on display, networking opportunities and educational sessions for industry insiders. SEMA also features a Battle of the Builders competition for top custom car builds. Some of the products exhibited are performance parts, tires, tools, accessories, and custom builds. Another highlight of the yearly event is SEMA Fest which takes place on the last night and showcases big-name bands such as Queens of the Stone Age and The Black Crowes, as well as live demonstrations by high-performance vehicles, drifting exhibitions, and custom builds.

Those that register for SEMA Fest will also have access to see the rest of the displays inside the convention center with a "SEMA Show Friday - Open to the Public" ticket. Ticket holders will be able to attend both the exhibition hall from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and the SEMA Fest concert on that Friday. This is a unique opportunity for the general public to attend who otherwise wouldn’t qualify to register. For more information on registration, visit: semashow.com/attendee.

Want to read more informative articles about the automotive industry? Check out a previous blog:

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