If your business is in the kitchen and bath design or residential construction industry, and February 17-19, 2026 isn’t blocked out in your calendar—it needs to be.
Over the course of three days, tens of thousands of experts will descend on Orlando, Florida, as the NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) and the NKBA Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS) co-locate during Design & Construction Week.
Tens of thousands of leading exhibitors and key decision-makers from around the world will be in attendance.
Never attended either show and don’t know what to expect?
Fear not. We’ve got you covered.
Our article explains more about each show and how you can start preparing for them.
What is the NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS)?
The International Builders' Show (IBS) is organized by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and is the world’s largest annual light construction show.
The 2025 installment of this show attracted in excess of 81,000 visitors from more than 100 countries, marking its largest show in 17 years.
Attending IBS 2026 will allow you to:
- Engage with top manufacturers and suppliers
- Attend any of more than 120 education sessions
- Learn about the latest industry trends and innovations
Find out more here.
What is the NKBA Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS)?
The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is an international non-profit organization that serves and represents the firms and individuals involved in all aspects of the kitchen and bath industry.
The NKBA owns the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), North America's largest and most prestigious trade show dedicated to kitchen and bath design.
Over 43,000 registered visitors and 700 exhibitors appeared at KBIS in 2025, including 270 international and 150 debutant companies.
If you attend this event, you will:
- Get the opportunity to meet with and learn from international kitchen and bath design specialists.
- Discover groundbreaking products and cutting-edge technologies
- Find out about the latest trends shaping the future of living spaces.
- Learn from the industry’s most daring and inspirational designers.
Who attends IBS?
This is a professional trade show event and attendees typically include:
- Home builders
- Remodelers
- Architects
- Engineers
- Building material dealers and distributors
More than a quarter (25.4%) of attendees to the 2025 show had the title of Owner, Principal, or Partner, while just shy of 20% had the title of President & CEO.
Almost 30% of businesses that attended achieved turnovers of over $10 million.
You can see a full breakdown of attendees here.
Who attends KBIS?
- Architects
- Designers
- Dealers
- Builders
- Installers
- Specifiers
- Decision-makers
When and where are KBIS and IBS 2026 taking place?
Both shows take place during Design & Construction Week (DCW) at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, from Tuesday, Feb 17 through Thursday, Feb 19, 2026.
What are the trade show floor hours at both shows?
The KBIS floor hours are:
Tuesday, February 25: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 26: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 27: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
KBIS has written lots of helpful answers to frequently asked questions, which you can access here.
The floor hours for IBS haven’t been published at the time of writing, but registration opens on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, so we’ll have further updates soon.
What happened at both shows in 2025?
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) hosted the 81st edition of its International Builders’ Show in 2025, attracting a record crowd for the first time in 17 years, as mentioned above. The figures “surpassed our high expectations for attendance, exhibit space, and educational opportunities,” according to NAHB chief revenue officer Geoff Cassidy.
Some of the highlights included a discussion between New Home Co.’s senior vice president of marketing and design Megan Eltringham and Saturday Night Live producer Lindsay Shookus on the subject of building lasting professional relationships.
There was also a pre-show course (the day before the main show) on business-accelerating strategies and productivity techniques for custom builders and remodelers.
You can read a summary of the show in this article from Trade Show News Network.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JCjuFoYuxc
KBIS highlights included a talks programme featuring legendary industry names and a panel discussion on how to choose the right distribution partner for your brand.
Check out this article from KBB Focus on its six key takeaways from the show, and watch the video below to get firsthand insights from one of the attendees.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa4UjR2bVqY
How to prepare
Put simply, if you’ve not started planning for either show, now is the time.
To maximize your impact on the trade show floor, you should give your exhibit house a minimum of three months’ notice, but ideally longer.
Depending on when you’re reading this article, it may be time to start putting the wheels in motion immediately.
If this is the case, we’re primed and ready to help you tell your story and get in front of the right people.
How we’ll help you stand out
At The Trade Group, we’ve helped businesses like yours bring their products and services to life since 1986.
We know that the stakes are high when you attend a trade show, and you can’t afford to spend big bucks just to blend in with the crowd.
That’s why we don’t just create booths—we create immersive, engaging, storytelling assets that bring your business to life.
Call us today at 800-343-2005 to get the ball rolling.
