At the ISA International Sign Expo 2026 (April 8-10 in Orlando, FL), you can see demonstrations of the latest products and technologies for designing, fabricating, and installing indoor and outdoor signs and exhibits. On the show floor, you can watch vehicle-wrap masters at work, attend scheduled Spark discussions at ISA’s booth The Hub, or listen to 30-minute expert-led presentations in the Learning Lounge.
But learning isn’t limited to the show floor. Dozens of education sessions, boot camps, and off-site tours can open your eyes to emerging opportunities for business development or professional growth.
For example, at ISA Install’s two speed-dating-like networking events enable national sign company leaders to meet face-to-face with potential partners or small businesses experienced in sign or graphic installations.
Pre-Conference Events: Tuesday April 7
The education begins Tuesday, April 7 (before the expo opens) and seems to offer something for everyone. Here are just a few of the activities on Tuesday:
Daktronics Digital Sign Technician Certification: This full-day workshop will provide expert guidance to sign-company technicians who install, commission, and troubleshoot Daktronics Fuelight 5000 Fuel Price Displays and Galaxy Outdoor LED signs. (9 am to 5 pm)
Workflow Optimization: In this half-day workshop, sign shop leaders can learn to better manage their time by focusing on the right KPIs (key performance indicators). The KPI data can reveal real opportunities to optimize workflows and change the business for the better. (1 pm to 5 pm)
AI Basics for Small Businesses: In this free, 90-minute workshop, sign business owners and managers can learn how to put artificial intelligence (AI) to work in human resources, finance, marketing, and other key business operations The workshop is presented by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and CO- (the Chamber’s digital platform for start-ups and small businesses) in partnership with Google.
Attendees get a beginner-friendly list of AI tools and prompts to try as well as guidance in creating an AI-implementation plan. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. (3:00 to 4:30 pm)
(This session will also be offered on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.)
ISA Install: Signs & Service: This one-on-one networking event connects national sign companies with local companies that have experience installing signs, including interior, exterior, electrical. and non-electrical. (1:00 to 4:30 pm)
ISA Install: Mix and Mingle: This relaxed, casual event enables sign installation professionals to network with existing sign-company contacts and peers to generate leads and identify potential business opportunities. (5:00 to 6:30 pm)
During the Expo: April 8-10
The schedule from April 8 to April 10 is packed with different ways to learn and network. Choose from classroom sessions, panel discussions, and peer-group roundtables or sign up for one of several off-site tours.
Education Sessions: More than 30 classroom sessions on April 8- 10 will cover topics such as:
- the path to profit in selling indoor digital signs
- project management fundamentals and beyond
- project management: risk assessment and mitigation
- site survey processes that save thousands of dollars
- electrical codes
- sublimation soft signage opportunities
- sign pricing philosophy;
- new-employee onboarding
- financial health monitoring
- collaboration between designers, fabricators, and installers
- using outsourcing to grow your business
- selling digital signage
- succession planning strategies
- solving seven persistent challenges in the sign industry with one system
- power designing with Adobe and Flexi Complete
- strategic sales management,
- adhesives vs. welding in modern fabrication
- what local contractors wish national sign companies knew about collaboration
The education sessions start at 8:00 am on Tuesday, April 8 and Wednesday, April 9 and end at 12:00 pm. This means there will be plenty of time to visit the Expo which is open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. The education sessions will run from 9:30 to 10:30 am on Friday, April 10, while the Expo is open from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm on April 10.
Community Roundtables: Facilitated roundtables bring together professionals in similar roles to share experiences, exchange insights, and suggest practical solutions. Roundtables for five groups of professionals will be held Thursday, April 9 from 11:00 to 12:30 pm.
- Sign Shop CEOs
- Designers
- Project Managers
- Sales Representatives
- Small Business Owners
ISA Install: Wide-Format Graphics: This two-hour speed-dating-style networking event connects local print-installation companies with large-format graphics producers that may need help installing murals, fleet graphics, or retail graphics at one or more locations. Local sign shops with installation skills, certifications, and competencies may also want to register for this event. (Wednesday, April 8, 9:00 – 11:00 am.
ISA Rocks: Live! at the Pointe Orlando: While unwinding after a full day at the show, you can renew relationships with friends and colleagues from other cities and make new connections. (Thursday, April 9 from 6:30 to 9:00 pm.)
SEGD Boot Camps, Tours, and Roundtables
The Society for Experiential Design (SEGD) is co-locating educational events at Sign Expo. SEGD members are involved in designing branded environments, experiential graphics, wayfinding signage, and public spaces.
Accessible Design Bootcamp: Designers and fabricators of wayfinding and experiential graphics can sharpen their knowledge of code compliance and get insights into the upcoming release of the 2025 ICC A117.1 standards update. (April 7, 1:00 to 5:00 pm)
Business and Leadership Bootcamp: This bootcamp will cover business and leadership skills for wayfinding and experiential graphic professionals. Learn practical approaches to scheduling, communication, budgeting, and managing effective teams. Get real-world insights from industry leaders (Thursday, April 9, 1:00 to 5:00 pm)
Fabrication Shop Tour: On April 8, SEGD will lead a fabrication shop tour at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Headquarters in Orlando. Get an in-depth look into the behind-the-scenes operations of Ripley’s and see how innovative technology is used to build extraordinary art pieces and unique exhibits that will be shipped to Ripley’s sites worldwide. (April 8, 12:30 – 2:30 pm or 3:30 to 5:30 pm)
Wayfinding and Placemaking Tour: The wayfinding manager and digital fabricator at Orlando International Airport will show how their immersive media program and broader wayfinding system work in tandem in the airport’s Terminal C. The large-scale digital experiences in Terminal C celebrate Florida’s nature and culture while providing intuitive reference cues for travelers on the move. (April 8, 12:30-2:30 pm and 3:30-5:30 pm)
Entertainment Experience Tour: Explore the Evermore Orlando Resort adjacent to Walt Disney World. The project’s experiential graphics and fabrication teams will share the collaborative design-build process behind the resort’s signature entry identity, comprehensive wayfinding system, and custom placemaking elements. (April 8, 12:30 – 2:30 pm and 3:30-5:30 pm)
Meet Your Makers Tour: Before the ISA Sign Expo wraps up Friday, SEGD will lead a designer-oriented walk-through of the Sign Expo 2026 show floor. The walk-through will highlight the new materials and innovative technologies that experiential designers and their clients might want to incorporate in their next project. (Friday, April 10, 10 am – 12 pm)
Sign Research Foundation Sessions and Tours
The Sign Research Foundation (SRF) is a non-profit organization that educates city planners, business owners, and architects about the effective design and regulation of signage.
At Sign Expo, SRF will offer six educational sessions, two tours, and three peer-group roundtables.
Education sessions will cover:
- Using AI to Improve Your Sign Code Research
- AI-Powered Efficiency: Real Solutions for Real Sign Shop Problems
- Streamlining Designer and Fabricator Collaboration in Wayfinding Projects
- Successes and Setbacks in Sign Code and Licensing Battles
- Signage Variance Processes
- Signs 101: Whose Job Is It Anyway?
Tours: Get a closer look at how sign technologies are used in real-world applications. The tours are offered from 5:30 to 7:30 on Tuesday, April 7 and Wednesday, April 8.
- Topgolf Orlando Tour. See how signage, architecture, and technology are used to create immersive entertainment environments.
- Lake Nona Tour: During this walking tour of a master-planned community, learn how digital and interactive signage, public art, advanced wayfinding systems, and QR-enabled features can be integrated to shape urban experiences.
Peer Group Roundtables: On Friday, April 10, SRF will moderate roundtable discussions of some of the challenges and opportunities for five types of sign professionals:
- CEOs
- Sign Buyers
- New Business Owners
- Sales Representatives
- Users of AI and Emerging Technologies
To learn more about the sessions, tours, and speakers, visit: About ISA Sign Expo | ISA Sign Expo 2026
(Check the official schedule posted on the Sign Expo website for additions or changes to the program before registering.)