Described as the place “where the utility industry goes to grow,” The Utility Expo is America’s largest and fastest-growing utility construction show and conference. Held every two years in Louisville, Kentucky, this year’s Expo is expected to welcome the most visitors it’s ever seen in its 61-year history.
“2023 was our largest show with record attendance, and we intend to break that record again for 2025,” says Utility Expo Show Director Brianne Somers. This year, organizers expect more than 21,000 attendees at the event, which features 1.5 million square feet of products and services.
Fast approaching, The Utility Expo runs from October 7th to 9th and promises to feature both returning and first-time booths and exhibitors. So far, over 1,000 exhibitors are planning to come, the most in the Expo’s history. The event will also welcome the return of dynamic and engaging speakers such as Dr. Samuel Ariaratnam, Sunstate Chair of Construction Management and Engineering at Arizona State University. Dr. Ariaratnam has decades of experience in trenchless pipeline engineering research and education, is co-holder of five patents, and has published more than 350 technical papers and reports.
Something for everyone
Since it was founded in 1964, The Utility Expo has served as the place for utility industry pros and construction contractors to come together, make connections, learn and get trained, and see the latest products. The Utility Expo is very much a hands-on experience, where attendees can get onto equipment, compare brands, and test out features.
With attendees coming from sectors such as telecommunications; electric transmission and distribution; drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater; and natural gas distribution and transmission, the Expo represents a massive gathering of utility professionals and construction contractors. Attracting a wide range of attendees, The Utility Expo welcomes everyone, from smaller mom-and-pop shops focusing on a specific sector of the utility industry to multinationals with 30,000 or more employees.
“It’s a wide range, and we like to see them all,” says Somers. “We offer something for all areas of the utility sector, so it really is a place for any level of company to come and get what they need for any solution they need—not just equipment. We also have a lot of smaller tools and technology, so The Utility Expo is a one-stop shop for all.”
Demos, training, and more
One of the many reasons for The Utility Expo’s popularity is its hands-on demonstrations. Outside, there is a large dirt area simply known as Lot K, where machinery and equipment demos take place. “At very few other shows are you actually able to get onto the equipment and do test drives and hands-on demonstrations,” says Somers. “That is unique to this show, and partially why we’ve stayed in Louisville for so long, because we have this awesome outdoor dirt area where attendees come in and really get their hands dirty, just like they would on a regular job site.”
Many of the utility industry’s leading companies have a presence at the Expo, such as Bobcat, Caterpillar, John Deere, Hyundai, Ring Power, and United Rental, to name a few. For attendees, the presence of these and other industry giants showing off their latest equipment remains one of the Expo’s biggest draws. “You have a chance to not just see this equipment in action but try it yourself to see how it will work for you,” states the Expo’s official website, which features everything you need to know, including an exhibitor directory, information on sessions and workshops, registration and pricing, hotel and travel info, and more.
Utility Expo attendees often say they are at the show not only to discover and purchase new equipment, but also to learn. Educational opportunities and sessions abound, from Safety Tech Trek and Pipeline Maintenance and Rehabilitation to Toolbox/Tailgate Talks, a Luncheon Symposium on Advancing Safety in the Electric Utility Industry, and the ADVANCE Woman Leadership Program for Utilities. Some sessions, like Equipment Hydraulics and Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD): Fundamentals of the Technology and Applications, are 90-minute walking field classrooms.
“Safety, especially, is a big component of our education programs as well as our partnerships, where we focus on things like damage prevention and safety for linemen,” says Somers. This year will see the introduction of a lunch symposium, a new format for the Expo. “Of course, we love to bring our attendees outside and get them doing some hands-on learning, not just sitting in a classroom.”
Evolution of an expo
Starting in Elburn, Illinois and originally known as The Elburn Show, the event was later renamed the International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE) and moved to Louisville in 1987. Re-christened The Utility Expo, the first biennial trade show with the new name was held in 2021. Today, it is certified as America’s second-largest trade show, behind only Las Vegas’s Consumer Electronics Show.
“The most exciting new thing at our show this year are some of the partnerships we’ve captured,” shares Somers. “We are doing some really fun education events that will be taking place outside in the Lot K area, the digging grounds. This includes the HDD Rodeo Showcase. Organized by Benjamin Media, the HDD Rodeo is supported by key main event sponsors, American Mfg HDD Products, Ditch Witch West, Kondex, Underground Magnetics, and Vermeer Corporation. A high-energy event, it will pit top horizontal directional drilling (HDD) crews against each other in a live competition that highlights the precision, speed, and ingenuity required for modern underground utility installation.”
With safety always at the forefront of the utility sector, the Expo has allied with Common Ground Alliance (CGA) for National Safe Digging Month. This will see a fun, interactive education program called Damage Prevention LIVE! Expo organizers are also co-locating with the ADVANCE Woman Leadership Program for Utilities. “It is a workshop version of what they typically offer during their normal sessions,” Somers explains. “We are really excited to see that come to the show this year and cater to women in the industry.”
Experience the atmosphere
Drawing American and international attendees alike, The Utility Expo is not an event to be rushed, but one to be savored. With hundreds of exhibits, speakers, demonstrations, educational events, and more, taking in everything the Expo offers takes at least two days.
Along with the Expo itself, those in attendance will experience the best Louisville has to offer. Along with great nightlife, music venues, historic architecture, the Louisville Mega Cavern, and countless museums, Louisville is nicknamed “Bourbon City” for its many distilleries.
“Louisville has really excellent hospitality options, delicious food and barbecue, and some of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to,” states Somers. “We also host our own concert downtown. It’s a great area for hospitality; that’s what they are known for. And if you enjoy bourbon, that’s going to hit the mark for you.”
Planning for the future
Even as Utility Expo Show Director Somers and her team welcome this October’s show, they are busy planning the next instalment in 2027. “We never stop working on the show,” she says. “Our biggest focus always is to continue to make sure we are representing all areas of the utility industry at each show. So, with every single show, we look at what’s changing in the industry and what needs to be present at the show, and that lays the groundwork for what we set as priorities for each show cycle. In 2027, we will do various things like we did for 2025, where we focus on things like safety and damage prevention.”
Collaborating with partners who are experts in specific areas of the industry, the Expo keeps up with the latest developments and innovations and ensures that specific products and education programs are present. “That’s our outlook on how we plan for each show cycle,” says Somers. “And of course, we want to get more attendees to the Expo to experience all the awesome things the show has to offer.”
