Upcoming Self-Storage Industry Events in the U.S.

Attending conferences, expos and trade shows remains a key way for owners, operators, vendors and investors to network, learn new trends, explore technology and form partnerships. Below are some of the upcoming major events you might want to mark on your calendar.

1. Self Storage Association (SSA) Spring Conference & Trade Show

Date: March 18 – 20, 2026
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, Texas.
Why attend: The national flagship event of the SSA, gathering owners, operators, vendors, service-providers and investors. Strong educational programme + trade show floor.

2. SSA Fall Conference & Trade Show

Date: September 8 – 11, 2026
Location: Aria Resort & Casino (Las Vegas, NV)
Highlights: Large scale national gathering, good for strategic networking, previewing new technologies, meeting vendors and benchmarking against peers.

3. Big Ideas in Storage Annual Conference & Trade Show (Texas)

Date: October 29 – 31, 2025
Location: JW Marriott Austin, Austin, TX
Why attend: A regional heavyweight event (Texas market is large and growing) with over 1,000 self-storage professionals, 100+ vendors, strong educational tracks + networking. Great for operators targeting Southern/U.S. growth.

4. North Carolina Self Storage Association Conference & Trade Show

Date: November 3 – 4, 2025
Location: Embassy Suites Raleigh-Durham/Research Triangle, Cary, NC
Why attend: Regional focus on the Southeast market. Good for learning about state-specific regulatory issues, regional demand dynamics and networking within that geography.

5. Other Notables

The industry calendar is quite full: e.g., state-level summits, regional conferences, vendor/trade-shows.
Example: The Northeast Storage EXPO: May 13-14, 2026 at Foxwoods (Grand Pequot Tower, Rainmaker Expo Center) for the Northeast region.

Tips for Maximising Event Attendance

Plan early: Many events sell out vendor booths and registrations early — booking travel + accommodation early often yields better rates.
Define your goal: Are you going to source new technology? Explore acquisitions? Meet vendors for your facility? Choose sessions/tracks accordingly.
Bring questions: For example—how are top operators using automation/AI in self-storage? What are best practices for marketing in a tighter vacancy environment?
Network sideways: The value often comes from peer conversations. Use breaks/round-tables to gather real-world insights.
Follow up: Post-event follow-up (with new contacts, vendors, topics of interest) is key to turning attendance into actual value.