Brand Licensing Expo

Brand Licensing Expo runs from 25 to 27 May 2027 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, and a show floor Expo Pass costs $35 if you buy it before 31 January 2027. Its 2026 edition, then still called Licensing Expo, had 410 exhibiting companies representing more than 5,000 brands and over 12,500 attendees, Informa reported after the show.

Why licensees and retailers go

If you make or sell consumer products, this is where you meet the owners and agents of the characters, games, sports teams and corporate brands you want on your products, in one hall over three days rather than on separate trips to each studio. The organiser counted more than 1,500 qualified retailers in 2026, including buying teams from Walmart, Target, Primark and Zara, and says the brands on show are the ones expected on shelves over the next 24 to 36 months. The Event Planner lets you request meetings with exhibitors before you arrive, and the basic pass includes 20 requests. Returning exhibitors confirmed for 2027 include Netflix, Sony, Mattel, Nintendo, Hasbro, LEGO, SEGA, Peanuts, NASCAR and Ubisoft, and by November 2026 another 30 companies, Duolingo among them, had signed up to exhibit for the first time.

Opening hours and passes

Day	Show floor
Tuesday 25 May 2027	09:00 to 17:30
Wednesday 26 May 2027	09:00 to 17:30
Thursday 27 May 2027	09:00 to 15:30

The Expo Pass covers the show floor on all three days plus keynotes and seminars, and its price rises from $35 to $75 on 1 February 2027. Retailers selling licensed products direct to consumers can apply for a free Retail Pass, which the organiser checks; suppliers to retailers and marketplace sellers do not qualify, and the free route closes on 21 May. Paid upgrades include Meeting Boost, 50 extra meeting requests for $395 (service providers need it to send any requests), and Licensing Unlocked, online training before the show for $249. The Opening Night Party on 25 May at Tailgate Beach Club costs $75 early or $95 from 1 April and is for over 21s only. The event is trade only and nobody under 18 is admitted to the exhibit halls.

Where things are at Mandalay Bay

The main exhibit hall, with the stands, brand activations and education sessions, is on the casino level of the South Convention Center. Meeting space and studio showcases are on its second floor and in the North Convention Center; showcases are by studio invitation only. Taxis and ride shares use the Shark Reef and Bayside E entrances. In 2026, 28% of visitors came from outside the United States, from 78 countries, and 130 companies exhibited for the first time.

History and editions

Launched in 1980, the show is held every year in Las Vegas and is sponsored by the industry association Licensing International. From 2027 it trades as Brand Licensing Expo, part of the Brand Licensing by Informa group that also runs Brand Licensing Europe in London.

Year	Dates	Venue	Size
2026	19 to 21 May	Mandalay Bay Convention Center	410 exhibitors, more than 5,000 brands, over 12,500 attendees
2027	25 to 27 May	Mandalay Bay Convention Center	400 plus exhibiting brand owners expected

Related shows and the venue

The show is organised by Informa Markets. The Mandalay Bay Convention Center also hosts IMEX America for meeting and incentive buyers each September and Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas, a trade-only beauty show, in July. If you buy toys and games, compare Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg, which reported 2,313 exhibitors in 2026, or The Inspired Home Show in Chicago for housewares. Browse trade shows in Las Vegas, the retail and design sector and shows in the United States, and read understanding attendance and exhibitor figures before you compare shows on size.

Source: brandlicensingexpo.com