Ready to install

Preparations for the InstallerSHOW are gathering pace, with the launch of the InstallerFESTIVAL next month and a brand new awards ceremony celebrating achievement in the sector.

The InstallerFESTIVAL– which takes place at the ExCeL London on the 19 November – takes a more relaxed approach to bringing the industry together with live entertainment, activities and networking opportunities throughout the day. Scheduled at the halfway point between this year’s InstallerSHOW and the 2026 edition, the festival will present highlights from the 2025 show, as well as an exclusive preview of what’s in store next June.

“The InstallerFESTIVAL is another important launch for us,” says Joe Sharpe, head of content at the InstallerSHOW. “We’re looking forward to meeting up face-to-face with our installer community at the end of the year. We’ll be bringing some of the hottest topics, networking opportunities, and of course, a party.”

The festival will also launch the industry’s first-ever Judi Awards, named after and presented by show mascot Dame Judi Wrench. Designed to celebrate and reward the incredible talent of content creators in the building trades, the awards will recognise creators who inspire, educate, and entertain through their work across all social media platforms – all while connecting with the Installer community.

Dame Judi Wrench is the mascot for the InstallerSHOW and the new Judi Awards

“The Judis are a celebration of the creativity, knowledge, and community spirit that content creators bring to the trades,” says the InstallerSHOW’s content writer Lucy Dixon. “Whether you’re making people laugh, teaching something new, or hyping up InstallerFESTIVAL, we want to recognise your contribution and give you the stage you deserve.”

With the deadline for submissions looming on 31 October, entrants have just three weeks to enter into one of three categories;

  • Creative Content – From laugh-out-loud videos to jaw-dropping edits, this category celebrates originality and flair.
  • Educational Content – Honouring content that teaches, informs, and empowers the community with practical know-how.
  • Promoting InstallerFESTIVAL – Rewarding creators who help spread the word about InstallerFESTIVAL and encourage their followers to get involved and come along.

Each winner will receive three nights’ complimentary accommodation on-site at the NEC for next year’s InstallerSHOW as well as a host of other prizes. And with 40,000 visitors expected to attend the 2026 edition of the show, delegates are advised to plan in their travel and accommodation early ahead of what promises to be the biggest event on the industry calendar.

Taking place on 23-25 June, the InstallerSHOW 2026 is the UK’s biggest event for installers and specifiers across the heat, water, energy and built environment sectors. Following exponential growth over the past few years, floorspace has already nearly sold out eight months ahead of doors opening.

“The InstallerSHOW is ten times the size it was in 2019 and has grown from a regional event with 100 exhibitors to one of the largest and fastest-growing trade shows in the UK,” says sales director David Ventris-Field. “For 2026 it will attract 40,000 visitors as well as 900 exhibitors and 200 speakers.   It will continue to grow over the next four years, with ambitions to double in size from where it currently is within that time frame.”

If you are booking your space at the InstallerSHOW, talk to us about how we can design and install an exhibition stand that elevates your brand above the bolstered line-up of 900 exhibitors. Meanwhile you can register for the InstallerFESTIVAL here, and find out more about the Judi Awards here.