Neocon, the largest commercial interiors show in all of North America. Or as I like to call it, the Big Mama of the interior industry. For those who aren’t too familiar with the Big Mama, let me take a minute to get you up to speed. In short, Neocon is a three-day event that attracts upwards of 50,000 design professionals and 700 leading companies. The whole thing is comprised of an exhibition, seminars, forums, special events and keynote presentations. It’s been taking place at the Merchandise Mart since 1969. Here’s the complete breakdown:
Exhibitions
I know I barely told you anything of substance right there, so here’s the deal. The expo portion is going to take up five different floors. Three of them will be showrooms, and the other two will be for their seminars. Each floor will feature different exhibitors, and you can view the differences here to decide which you’ll want to check out. There’s also a complete list of exhibitors if you’d like to see where your favorite one will be residing.
Seminars
The various seminars will take place on the 7th and 8th floors. Floor 7 is made up of furniture, fabrics, and clothing while the 8th is comprised of technology, manufacturer partnerships, interior building products, and interior finishes & materials. You can see the layout here.
Special Events
You can see the complete list of special events here. Be warned, there are a lot of them, and they don’t all take place at the Mart.
What Does it Cost?
Register online before June 12th and it’s free to attend both the expo and keynote presentations. If you wait until you walk in the door to register, you’ll have to pay $25 for the expo portion. Seminars are $55 before June 12th and $65 after. Fees vary for the forums and special events.
How Do I Sign Up?
You’ll want to sign up beforehand at https://reg.neocon.com/
Show Hours
Monday, June 15 | 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Tuesday, June 16 | 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Wednesday, June 17 | 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Seminar Hours
Monday, June 15 | 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Tuesday, June 16 | 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Wednesday, June 17 | 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Keynote Times
Monday, June 15 | 8 AM
Tuesday, June 16 | 8 AM
Wednesday, June 17 | 11 AM
Where is the Show?
The Merchandise Mart, Chicago
222 Merchandise Mart Plaza
Chicago, IL 60654 USA
Parking
The official garages surrounding the Merchandise Mart are sure to be incredibly crowded over all three days of the event. To be sure you get a spot at one of them, you can reserve your spot online ahead of time here and here.