Annually in Las Vegas, SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) holds their premier automotive specialty products trade event at the Hilton Convention Center.  Building on this event, AAPEX (Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo) has their big trade event at the Venetian Sands Convention Hall.

Together, they attract the elite automotive brightest minds and hottest products to their venues. Not only do they display the current hottest products, they also provide educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events and networking opportunities and more.

According to the most recent report in 2011, it drew more than 60,000 domestic and international buyers. The displays are segmented into 12 sections, and a New Product Showcase features nearly 1,500 newly introductions parts, tools and demonstrations.

These shows are open only to members of the automotive trade, and not open to the general public.

On opening day of the SEMA show, attendees discovered parking was a major problem. The show promoters did provide major event hotels with transportation buses to and from the show. But those of us who came in rented cars had no choice but to park a mile away at a cost of $10 a day.

When we finally got to the event at Hilton Convention Center, we saw an endless row of vendors, each of them promoting their unique automotive products to prospective buyers.

These automotive products range from new tires, rims, high-performance engine add-ons, truck accessories, different types of maintenance products and the introduction of 2012 vehicles.

On the outside of the convention center, there was an impressive display of custom-built show cars with flawless paint and body work.

For those that wanted more than shopping, the promoters also provided the opportunity for some lucky people to ride in a high-performance GM or FORD vehicle. The line to this event was seriously long.

The following day we attended the AAPEX show at the Venetian Sands. Like the SEMA Convention Center, there were also rows of vendors anxious to demonstrate their products. At the AAPEX show they promote tools, machinery, automotive products you would normally see in an automotive parts store, and more.

This huge event lasted for 4 days from 9 in the morning until 5 in the evening.

If you are if you are able to get into one of these trade shows, bring good walking shoes, a camera and plan on going for two days per event.

To give you an idea on how big this event is, take the length of Aloha Stadium and double that per floor.

Some of the pictures I took from the 2011 SEMA/AAPEX trade show appear here.

Enjoy !!!

I do this every year.  Maybe I’ll see you there next year!