NeoCon 2027 guide

When is NeoCon 2027?

NeoCon 2027 runs from Sunday June 13 to Wednesday June 16, 2027. The Sunday is a short afternoon, from 12pm to 4pm, and the three main show days are Monday to Wednesday.

In 2026 the organiser introduced the Sunday as a Preview Day, open to all registered attendees and media. The organiser has also published future dates: June 11-14, 2028; June 10-13, 2029; and June 9-12, 2030.

Where is NeoCon held in Chicago?

NeoCon is held at The Mart, 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, just north of the Chicago River. The building covers 3.7 million square feet over two city blocks and rises 25 stories, and the show uses several of its floors.

The Merchandise Mart 'L' stop on the CTA Brown and Purple lines opens directly onto the building's 2nd floor. CTA buses 37 and 125 stop on Orleans Street, and Ogilvie Transportation Center and Union Station, the Metra rail stations, are about a 10-minute walk. There is a taxi stand on the South Drive, Divvy bikes on the Orleans side, and the venue says more than 5,000 parking spaces are within four blocks. By car, The Mart is moments from the Ohio Street ramp off I-90/94.

How do you register for NeoCon, and is it free?

Registration for NeoCon 2027 opens in February 2027, and 2027 fees are not published yet as of October 2026. For NeoCon 2026, show registration was free, as were the keynotes and featured presentations; CEU sessions, workshops and tours were paid.

Everyone needs a badge to enter. In 2026, people in the US or Canada who registered before May 1 received their badge by mail in the third week of May, and the organiser asked them to bring it to avoid re-badging fees. Others collected badges at registration on Floors 1 and 2 of The Mart.

1. 01

   Wait for registration to open

   The organiser says NeoCon 2027 registration opens in February 2027. The register page is neocon.com/register.

2. 02

   Register as attendee, press or exhibitor

   In 2026 there were separate attendee, press and exhibitor registrations. Past attendees could look up their details to prefill the form.

3. 03

   Add any paid sessions

   In 2026 programming registration opened on April 1, after show registration. Add your IDCEC or AIA number if you want CEU credit.

4. 04

   Register early if you want your badge mailed

   In 2026 the cut-off for badges by mail was May 1, for registrants in the US and Canada.

5. 05

   Bring your badge

   Badges are required to enter. Bring the mailed badge with you, or collect it on site at registration.

Who can attend NeoCon?

NeoCon is a show for the commercial design industry, and the organiser describes its audience as design professionals and design decision-makers. It lists 55,000+ design decision-makers, specifiers, end users and influencers as its audience.

Attendees work across workplace, healthcare, hospitality, retail, education, public space and government projects. The organiser does not publish a formal trade-only rule, but every attendee must register and wear a badge, and its event rules let it refuse registration to any attendee. Students have their own programme of sessions and portfolio reviews.

What is at NeoCon: showrooms, exhibit hall and directory

NeoCon has both permanent showrooms on several floors of The Mart and a temporary exhibit hall on the 7th floor. Showroom tenants open their year-round spaces for the show, while the organiser calls the 7th Floor Exhibit Hall the launchpad where emerging brands debut.

The organiser says NeoCon 2026 featured more than 400 leading and emerging brands and nearly 1 million square feet of exhibition space. Product categories include acoustics and privacy, flooring, furniture, interior products, lighting, outdoor, technology and textiles. Illuminate at NeoCon, a lighting show within the show, began in 2026.

The exhibitor directory is at neocon.com/exhibitors and floor plans by floor are at neocon.com/exhibitors/floor-plans. As of October 2026 both still show NeoCon 2026. The directory filters by floor, vertical market, purchasing contracts and certifications (such as GSA, Sourcewell or OMNIA Partners), country, and exhibitors holding events, and each listing shows the showroom or booth number. Interior Design's printed NeoCon Directory, given to attendees, also carries floor plans.

Are there CEU sessions at NeoCon?

Yes. NeoCon 2026 offered more than 60 on-site and virtual CEU sessions, each 60 minutes and approved for 1 IDCEC CEU for interior designers and 1 AIA LU for architects. Some carry HSW credit, marked [HSW] in the session description.

Certificates come after a 10-question quiz. For virtual sessions, you must stay on the webinar for at least 50 minutes. In 2026 sessions cost $50 each or $45 each for five or more, and purchased sessions could be watched on demand until December 31. The NeoCon 2027 programme is not published yet; the Call for Programming opens on October 28, 2026.

Where should you stay for NeoCon?

The organiser's only official hotel provider is onPeak, which holds discounted rates at a selection of Chicago hotels for NeoCon 2027, bookable now on neocon.com/attend/hotels-travel. onPeak lists flexible change and cancellation policies, and the organiser warns that other companies offering hotel help are not endorsed.

When choosing an area, transit is what matters most: the CTA Brown and Purple lines stop inside The Mart, and Ogilvie and Union Station are about a 10-minute walk. In 2026 the onPeak hotel block closed on May 24, so book early. onPeak support is mmpitravel@onpeaksupport.com or (800) 643 6074.

Tips for visitors and exhibitors at NeoCon

• Visitors: plan by floor. The show is spread over a tall building, so group showrooms using the directory's floor filter.
• Visitors: the Sunday is a shorter afternoon session before the three main days, useful if you arrive in Chicago early.
• Visitors: register before the badge mailing cut-off to arrive with your badge. In 2026 it was May 1 for the US and Canada.
• Visitors: book CEU sessions early if you need credits, and have your IDCEC or AIA number ready.
• Visitors: Wednesday closes at 3pm, so put must-see showrooms on Monday or Tuesday.
• Exhibitors: every staff member must register to get onto the show floors; your company's Exhibitor Registration Contact manages badges.
• Exhibitors: complete your directory profile with products, images and events. Showroom tenants share one profile with The Mart's year-round directory.
• Exhibitors: submit launches to the NeoCon digital press kit, which the organiser shares with editors before, during and after the show.
• Exhibitors: plan how you will record visitors. In 2026 the organiser ran lead retrieval services from the 7th floor, Orleans side.

How do you get from O'Hare or Midway airport to NeoCon?

By CTA train. From O'Hare, every Blue Line train goes through downtown, 24 hours a day, in about 40 to 45 minutes, for 5 dollars or less. From Midway, the Orange Line reaches the Loop in about 20 to 25 minutes for 2.50 dollars or less.

Downtown, change to the Brown or Purple Line for the Merchandise Mart station, which drops you on the second floor of THE MART. Up to two transfers within two hours are free.

NeoCon does not list a shuttle bus from the airports or from hotels for 2027. The organiser's only endorsed hotel provider is onPeak, which offers NeoCon rates with no booking, change or cancellation fees; several CTA bus routes also stop within four blocks of THE MART.

What is there to eat and do at THE MART during NeoCon?

• Food: Marshall's Landing restaurant, café and lounge, and a food hall inside the building.
• Information: a reception and information desk in the building.
• Outside: a 5,000 square-foot River Park along the Chicago River, next to the building.
• Hotel help: onPeak at mmpitravel@onpeaksupport.com or (800) 643-6074.

How to capture contacts at NeoCon with DaGaMa

DaGaMa's BoothBot lets you photograph a business card or a badge QR code in WhatsApp, Telegram or WeChat. The contact lands in a Google Sheet shared with you, and you can add a voice note to remember the conversation. Your first 24 hours are free from the first scan.