The largest roofing and exteriors event in North America is back in Las Vegas for the first of back-to-back years, Jan. 20-22, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The 2026 International Roofing Expo (IRE) will showcase the latest products and innovations both residential and commercial roofing contractors will want to see and experience as the new year gets underway.

Thousands of roofers and other industry professionals are expected to attend what has become the ideal place for roofing contractors, executives, builders, vendors and industry professionals to build their respective businesses through education.

“We’re super-excited this year because the roofing industry is such a community, it’s like a family and we’re trying to create that feeling within the show,” said IRE Show Manager Brandi McElhaney. “We don’t want this to be another expo that you go to. We want you to feel welcome, warm, and ready for a lot of fun with your experience this year.”

Warm sounds good, especially with the IRE occurring a little earlier than usual in the middle of January, and the heart of winter, when more than half the country is dealing with frigid temperatures. Despite the earlier dates, momentum for this year’s show started building as soon as the New Year started, and there’s a lot of anticipation for a big crowd returning to Las Vegas. The last time the IRE was in the Entertainment Capital of the World, more than 14,500 roofing professionals representing at least 55 countries packed a show floor to feel and experience new products from more than 600 vendors. 

Attendees can expect much of same in terms of attendance and engagement, officials said. The 2026 IRE show floor will be packed with more than 650 exhibitors that reflect a rapidly-evolving industry that’s at a crossroads of technology, sustainability, and business development.

Leaving Las Vegas… with an Education

Continuing education remains a major draw to the IRE, and roofers won’t be disappointed with more than 60 expert-led sessions planned over the three days.

The learning begins right away, as the event kicks off with a general session focused on RC’s 2026 State of the Roofing Industry Report and the research behind it. Breaking with the annual custom of hosting a keynote speaker, show organizers opted for industry leaders Trent Cotney, of Adams & Reese, and NRCA CEO McKay Daniels to help provide insight and context to a volatile marketplace. 

Among the most popular education sessions at IRE each year, show organizers said it was important to present the information more broadly, given all the transitions underway across the industry.

“We saw the need in the industry to put that information on a bigger stage and get that out to everyone,” McElhaney said. “We have so many changes going on, so many questions, so it will be exciting to provide answers.”

In addition, there are seven different areas designated for free roofer education this year, including four dedicated to hands-on clinics.

To accommodate the growing Latino contractor community, there’s an expanded Latino education track with dozens of sessions focused on the Latino roofers, and there will be Spanish-speaking guides and customer-service support agents onsite to assist. The Wordly AI translation program will be available again for contractors who want to translate the sessions available on the show floor and in the conference program.

Roughly 100 of companies exhibiting at the show will have bilingual staff onsite, and the list can be found on the IRE website.  

Video: IRE 2026 Last-Minute Preview

Extreme Exteriors 

Each day of the show, the Exteriors Education Stage will feature some of the industry’s most experienced and innovative speakers discussing a wide range of topics from homeowner survey data and technology to metal, coatings and marketing.

A few years removed from the debut of what was called the exteriors pavilion, this area of the show floor has become a critical hub for roofing contractors looking to diversify their business beyond just the roof. Attendees to the sessions here get the technical and business-development roadmap for how to integrate siding, windows, doors and more into their service offerings.

“What we’ve discovered is that about 35% percent of our audience is interested in exterior products,” said IRE Marketing Manager Danielle Griffin. “So there’s a need to meet at our show, whether it’s windows, siding, doors or solar, and it will be available on the show floor.”

Roofing contractors can benefit from more hands-on building clinics, demonstrations, networking and other educational opportunities in this part the show floor. Features include: 

• A walled, enclosed area with classroom-style seating for educational sessions led by industry experts. 
• Fully-built demonstration spaces where products and production skills can be put to the test. 
• Larger dedicated exhibit space for manufacturers and service providers for roofers and exterior specialists. 

New to the show floor this year will be a First Look area for companies that are new to the roofing industry and are displaying products and services at IRE for the first time.

The roofing industry just capped a quarter-century and while 2026 brings some additional economic uncertainty, the message is clear as roofing professionals converge on the Las Vegas Convention Center: the roofers that embrace technology, invest in their people, and adapt to changing demographics will be the ones building momentum for the next decade, and possibly the next 25 years.

REGISTER NOW!

You don’t have to wait until you arrive at the Henry Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio to start your IRE 2026 experience. Start the fun now by registering online at theroofingexpo.com.

The largest roofing show in North America casts a wide net — industry veterans and rookies — to learn about the products, trends and people influencing roofing markets today. Registration is available online 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Contractors will find the education and insight they need and the networking opportunities that may help build their business.

All educational sessions require registration. Space in sessions is limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

Complete your registration by logging into your customized registration dashboard and contacting an IRE registration customer service agent at 866-860-1970 or online at theroofingexpo.com.