industrial machinery · San Antonio
IWF West 2027Exhibitor guide for San Antonio: booth costs, key dates, deadlines
Running saws, clean aisles: IWF West 2027 booths in San Antonio
- Event dates
- August 25–27, 2027
- Exhibit hall
- August 25–27, 2027
- Venue
- Henry B. González Convention Center, San Antonio
4.9 client rating3,000+ exhibitorsIn business since 201510,000+ booths built
Quick answers
IWF West 2027 in 30 seconds
The short version for IWF West exhibitors. Sources for each IWF West figure are further down the page.
- When is IWF West 2027?
- August 25–27, 2027, at Henry B. González Convention Center, San Antonio.
- When does the IWF West exhibit hall open?
- August 25–27, 2027.
- How big is IWF West?
- 26,555 IWF Atlanta attendees, 1,094 IWF Atlanta exhibitors (2024 edition).
- What does IWF West booth space cost?
- $23.75 per sq ft, 2027 rate, paid to the organizer.
- What does a 10×20 booth cost all-in at IWF West?
- $7,500 – $15,000 for a Purple rental with design, graphics, lighting, install and dismantle. Space and show services are billed by the show.
- For IWF West, what is the next exhibitor deadline?
- Last day to reduce contracted space without liquidated damages: January 15, 2027.
Official IWF West 2027 links: IWF West 2027 floor planIWF West 2027 booth space
Everything about IWF West 2027 in one place
IWF West 2027 fact sheet
| Official name | IWF West 2027, the International Woodworking Fair's new trade show and conference in San Antonio |
|---|---|
| Event dates | August 25–27, 2027 |
| Exhibit hall dates | August 25–27, 2027 source |
| Venue | Henry B. González Convention Center 900 E Market St, San Antonio, TX 78205 |
| Organizer | IWF West, LLC (International Woodworking Fair), sponsored by the Wood Industry Association |
| Size (2024) | 26,555 IWF Atlanta attendees · 1,094 IWF Atlanta exhibitors source |
| Who attends | Cabinet, furniture, millwork and wood products manufacturers from Texas, the Southwest and IWF's national buyer base |
| Booth space | $23.75 per sq ft, 2027 rate source |
| Next deadline | Last day to reduce contracted space without liquidated damages: January 15, 2027 source |
| Nearest airport | San Antonio International Airport (SAT) |
| Hotels | More than 4,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of the convention center, per IWF; the official housing provider is not confirmed yet |
| Official website | iwfwest.com |
Official IWF West resources
IWF West 2027 calendar
IWF West 2027 dates and deadlines
In order: the dates the IWF West organizer has published, each linked to the page that states it. The next date is highlighted.
- Last day to reduce contracted space without liquidated damagesContracted exhibitors source
- Second payment (50% of space cost) dueContracted exhibitors source
- Attendee registration opensAttendees source
- Final payment (25% of space cost) dueContracted exhibitors source
- IWF West 2027 opens at the Henry B. González Convention CenterAttendees and exhibitors source
- Last day of IWF West 2027Attendees and exhibitors source
01 Purple at IWF West 2027
Running saws, clean aisles: IWF West 2027 booths in San Antonio
We build IWF West booths around a working CNC router, edgebander or saw, with dust collection, guarding and finished graphics inside the debut show's height rules. At the Henry B. González center your own staff may build, while GES installs every hanging sign.
- Aug 25–27 · San Antonio
- 300 exhibitors projected
- First IWF West, 2027
What makes IWF West different, and how we build for it
IWF West carries the International Woodworking Fair beyond its long-running Atlanta franchise: an annual companion scheduled between the Atlanta shows, produced by the Atlanta-based IWF team and sponsored by the Wood Industry Association. IWF projects a deliberately smaller floor for the 2027 debut, 70,000 square feet and 300 manufacturers, with business-building education from wood products technology and design experts. The Henry B. González Convention Center puts it steps from the River Walk and the Alamo. In MMR Research Associates' August 2025 concept test, 63 percent of IWF 2024 buyers strongly endorsed the idea, so expect buyers who already know the Atlanta floor.
A machine running their kind of part, a cycle time and price they can weigh against a hire, and a seat to talk financing without leaving the sawdust.
Throughput, changeover and dust extraction data for a line upgrade, plus service coverage in Texas and the Southwest.
Panels, edgebanding, hardware and finishes laid out to touch and compare, with samples and spec sheets to carry back.
Your team in San Antonio
Two shops behind your IWF West booth
For IWF West, we build in our own shop in Fishkill, NY, and at our Las Vegas hub, ship to the Henry B. González Convention Center, and put our own project manager on the floor with vetted local labor for the install. Expect a 30–45-day build for IWF West, secure storage and a pre-show QA.
Your staff walks onto the IWF West floor and the booth is already lit and stocked. You just show up.
Inside IWF West 2027
IWF West rules that shape your booth
Standard inline space allows display materials up to 8 feet 3 inches, and graphics above the 36-inch side drape that face a neighbor must sit 3 feet off the side wall. We build to that cube and finish every exposed back.
Height limits apply to display materials only: machinery and dust collection may exceed 8 feet 3 inches or 16 feet 6 inches, but no graphics or signage may go on them above the limit. We keep logos on the structure.
Hanging signs and lights are allowed only over island, peninsula and split island space of 600 square feet or more, with the air between 16 feet 6 inches and 20 feet kept clear. We draw the sign and file it with GES.
Operating machines must use dust removal systems, equipment and guarding where applicable, operators of dangerous machines wear eye and ear protection, and no machine part may reach into an aisle. We design the guarding and ductwork in.
Multi-story exhibits are limited to islands of 900 square feet or more, need a Texas professional engineer's stamp and Fire Marshal review, and require smoke detectors and extinguishers. We supply the stamped plans.
IWF West is the IWF Atlanta team's companion woodworking show between Atlanta years; choose it over AWFS Fair when your buyers are Texas and Southwest cabinet, furniture and millwork shops and you want a smaller floor, projected at 300 exhibitors for 2027. Every industrial machinery show we build for, side by side →
industrial machinery at IWF West
The industry behind IWF West, in pictures
02 Booths & pricing for IWF West 2027
Popular booth sizes at IWF West
IWF West sells raw space by the square foot, with inline, perimeter, peninsula, split island and island configurations. Machinery builders need islands for running equipment and dust collection; hardware and software firms fit inline space. We recommend a 20×20 island once a machine runs.
Hardware, tooling or software on a counter and a finished-wall back display kept to IWF West's 8-foot-3 inline height, with sample doors and drawers to open.
Above: ABC Compressors, a Purple inline booth
See 10×20 rental booths →
A benchtop machine or a finishing sample wall in the middle bay, graphics turned inward or held 3 feet off the side walls, and a demo counter.
Shown: SunUs, a Purple inline booth
See 10×30 rental booths →
A running CNC router or edgebander with dust collection, an operating area marked off from visitors and structure up to 16 feet 6 inches.
Pictured: SHC Heavy Industry, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×20 rental booths →
A connected panel line, a hanging sign once the island reaches 600 square feet, and a closed meeting room for financing talks.
Pictured: Senzani, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×30 rental booths →In Purple's IWF West price
- Design and a 3D rendering, revised until it is right
- Structure, printed graphics, counters and storage as specified
- Lighting and in-booth power distribution for IWF West
- Setup and teardown, with our project manager on the IWF West floor
- Every IWF West show-service order and deadline tracked for you
What IWF West and its contractor bill
- Booth space, paid to IWF West
- Material handling (drayage) at the Henry B. González Convention Center, where the space rate does not include it
- Electrical service, internet and rigging at the Henry B. González Convention Center
- Booth cleaning and any union labor the Henry B. González Convention Center requires
Rates to plan with for IWF West:
- Booth space, returning exhibitors $23.75 per sq ft, 2027 rate source
- Booth space, new exhibitors $27.00 per sq ft, 2027 rate, plus $150 processing fee source
- Second level 50% of the base rate per sq ft, islands of 900 sq ft and up source
- Drayage (Purple venue-guide figure) About $95 per cwt, Purple's 2026 planning figure for this building
We estimate every one of these on your proposal, so the total is on paper before you sign.
Ranges shown are all-in 2026 rental prices for design, structure, graphics, installation and dismantle at IWF West; custom builds get their own quote. Run your IWF West numbers in the booth cost calculator and the 2026 booth cost guide.
Send us your booth size for IWF West and what the space needs to do. You hear back within one business day, and a rendering with a fixed IWF West proposal usually follows within a week. No charge.
The IWF West booth is lit and stocked before your team arrives. You just show up.
03 Built by Purple
Built by our team: booths to compare for IWF West
Case study · Fabuwood
Fabuwood at KBIS 2026, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando
An award-winning 13-room cabinetry environment with an illuminated brand portal and timber slat walls. Designed, built and installed by Purple; named one of the best booths on the floor.
Fabuwood's 13-room cabinetry booth at KBIS was built for the same cabinet and millwork buyers IWF West courts, only here the machines that make the doors take the floor.
Read the Fabuwood case study All case studies →“Purple Exhibits made us look good. The booth was one of the nicest displays in our section of the convention center and generated a lot of positive comments from both customers and industry peers. Their attention to detail, professionalism, and willingness to go above and beyond made a huge difference.”
Kimberly Owens, Brand Manager, Owens Products · what other clients say
Trusted by exhibitors including
04 Designing for woodworking machinery, tooling, software, hardware and materials suppliers at IWF West
Four things we get right for IWF West exhibitors
1Machines may rise, graphics may not
IWF West caps display materials at 8 feet 3 inches inline and 16 feet 6 inches elsewhere, but machinery and dust collectors may go higher. No graphics may sit on a machine above the limit, so we put your brand on the structure and let the equipment stand plain.
2Dust collection is part of the booth
Operating machines at IWF West must run with dust removal systems and guarding where applicable, and any aisle-spanning duct must be approved before set-up. We hide collectors behind finished walls, route ducts under platforms and mark the operating area around each machine.
3Hearing and eye protection on hand
Operators demonstrating dangerous machines at IWF West wear eye and ear protection, and show management can ask you to hand hearing protection to visitors and neighbors. We build a dispenser into the counter and schedule loud cuts so crowds never block the aisle.
4File plans two months before freight
IWF West wants preliminary floor plans, with heights, depths and graphic locations, at least two months before your assigned freight arrival date; hanging signs miss the show if late. We send stamped drawings with that submission and order the GES sign installation.
Concept rendering
Every proposal comes with a rendering like this
The 3D view shows layout, graphics, lighting and product positions before we cut a panel, and we revise it until the IWF West booth is right. Pictured: a Purple concept for RPS.
Start my IWF West conceptFloor at a glance
Where you could be at IWF West 2027
IWF West has not published which Henry B. González halls it will use for its 70,000-square-foot debut. These are the spaces the building offers and what each means for a woodworking booth.
Exhibit Halls 1–4 and Bridge Hall
Five connected halls totaling 514,000 square feet under 35-foot ceilings, freed of fixed interior structures by the 2016 renovation, where islands and forklifts are routine.
Our advice With 35 feet overhead, a sign whose bottom edge clears IWF West's 20-foot line still fits above a tall dust collector on the same island.
HemisFair-side loading docks
The center backs onto the River Walk, so deliveries route to the docks on the HemisFair side, away from the riverside pedestrian areas.
Our advice We label machine skids for the HemisFair docks and book forklift time so heavy equipment lands before booth carpentry.
Grand Hyatt San Antonio connection
The 1,003-room Grand Hyatt San Antonio, opened in 2008, connects directly to the convention center.
Our advice Staff who sleep at the connected hotel can reach the booth before doors open, which matters when machines need a morning warm-up.
05 Henry B. González Convention Center · San Antonio
Logistics for IWF West 2027, handled
IWF West lands in a building whose five connected exhibit halls give 35 feet of clear height, plenty for a tall dust collector. Under Texas law your employees may assemble the booth themselves, yet every crate between dock and booth moves through the designated contractor, about $95 per hundredweight in our 2026 plan. GES alone installs hanging signs and lighting trusses for IWF West. Covered booths and second levels go to San Antonio fire officials for plan review, and a second level also carries a Texas engineer's stamp. Trucks use the HemisFair-side docks behind the River Walk. We submit the plans, book freight targets and run the build with our project manager.
What Purple handles
- Preliminary floor plans and hanging sign drawings for IWF West approval
- Dust collection housing, ducts and machine operating areas
- GES orders for signs, trusses and material handling
- San Antonio Fire Department plan review for covered or two-story booths
- Build and teardown led by our project manager on the floor
- Storage and graphics refresh before the next IWF Atlanta or AWFS
Your IWF West timeline, from move-in back
Last day to reduce contracted IWF West space without liquidated damages: January 15, 2027. After this date, cutting space costs 75 to 100% of the square footage dropped and a seniority point, so we confirm your footprint with you before then.
Design sign-off for IWF West is due by mid-June 2027.
- January 15, 2027Last day to reduce contracted space without IWF West's liquidated damages; we size the footprint with you first.
- January 27, 2027Second payment, 50% of the space cost, due to IWF West.
- April 27, 2027Final 25% of the space cost due; design concept and machine list settled.
- Mid-June 2027Design sign-off; floor plans and hanging sign drawings to IWF West two months before your freight arrival date.
- July 2027Production in our Fishkill, NY shop over 30 to 45 days, then crates to the advance warehouse.
- August 25–27, 2027Show days with our project manager on call, then dismantle, machines crated and freight home or to storage.
Purple's planning timeline for IWF West. We confirm the official move-in, freight target and order deadlines for the Henry B. González Convention Center against your booth when you book; they come from your exhibitor kit and assigned schedule.
Printable IWF West budget & deadline sheetTravel to IWF West 2027
Getting to IWF West 2027: airport and hotels
Fly in
San Antonio International Airport (SAT)
Stay
More than 4,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of the convention center, per IWF; the official housing provider is not confirmed yet
Find the venue
Henry B. González Convention Center
900 E Market St, San Antonio, TX 78205
Travel facts from iwfwest.com.
IWF West by the numbers
IWF West year by year
How IWF West 2027 compares with other industrial machinery shows
The industrial machinery shows closest to IWF West on the calendar, with the latest size each organizer has published. Each show name opens our industrial machinery exhibitor guide for that show.
| Show | Dates | City | Latest published size |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWFS FairAssociation of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS) | July 13–15, 2027 | Las Vegas, NV | 13,461 avg attendance, 2023 and 2025 Fairs |
| iVT Expo USAUKi Media & Events | August 25–26, 2027 | Rosemont, IL | 162 companies listed (2026) |
| IWF WestIWF West | August 25–27, 2027 | San Antonio, TX | 26,555 IWF Atlanta attendees · 1,094 IWF Atlanta exhibitors (2024) |
| FABTECHFABTECH event partners: AWS | September 13–16, 2027 | Chicago, IL | 42,000 attendees · 1,700+ exhibitors (2025) |
| ASM Heat TreatASM International and the ASM Heat Treating Society | October 5–7, 2027 | Columbus, OH | – |
| The Utility ExpoAssociation of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) | October 5–7, 2027 | Louisville, KY | 22,600+ attendees · 1,084 exhibitors (2025) |
| CAMXAmerican Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) and the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) | October 18–21, 2027 | Anaheim, CA | ~6,000 attendees · 500+ exhibitors (2025) |
| Turbomachinery & Pump SymposiaTurbomachinery Laboratory | October 18–21, 2027 | Houston, TX | 4,800+ attendees · 320 exhibitors (2025) |
| Equip ExpositionOutdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) | October 19–22, 2027 | Louisville, KY | Nearly 30,000 attendees (2025) |
| MT Series SOUTHEASTSME | October 19–21, 2027 | Greenville, SC | 5,000 attendees · 300 exhibitors (2025) |
IWF West exhibitor questions
Questions exhibitors ask us before IWF West
How much does a booth at IWF West 2027 cost?
Space is $23.75 per square foot if you exhibited at IWF Atlanta in 2024 or 2026 and $27.00 if you did not, plus a $150 processing fee, so a returning 20×20 is $9,500. A custom 20×20 island with a running machine and dust collection runs $50,000 to $120,000; a 10×20 rental runs $7,500 to $15,000.
What are the payment deadlines for IWF West 2027?
IWF West takes 25% plus the $150 fee within 30 days of the first invoice, 50% by January 27, 2027 and the last 25% by April 27, 2027. Reducing space after January 15, 2027 triggers liquidated damages of 75 to 100% of the space dropped. We want design sign-off by mid-June.
Can we rent a booth for IWF West?
Yes. Our IWF West rentals use a modular frame with finished backs, which the show requires on any wall above the drape, plus fabric graphics, lighting, flooring and a counter with a hidden spot for spare blades and tooling. Freight, GES orders, install and return of the rental are on one fixed proposal.
Can our own staff set up our booth at the Henry B. González Convention Center?
In San Antonio, yes: Texas right-to-work rules let people on your payroll put up an IWF West booth, whatever its size, with tools they bring themselves. Moving crates from dock to booth stays with the designated contractor, and only GES may hang signs or lighting trusses. We pair your machine technicians with our project manager for the build.
Can we run woodworking machines at IWF West?
IWF West expects it. Machines run inside your space with dust removal and guarding, operating areas around them, warning signs, and eye and ear protection for operators. Machine doors and moving parts may not reach into aisles, and show management can schedule demonstrations if crowds block traffic.
What does drayage cost at the Henry B. González Convention Center?
You pay it, by weight, at the tariff in the IWF West exhibitor kit. Our 2026 planning figure for this building is about $95 per hundredweight. Woodworking machines are heavy and often arrive on skids, so we price their drayage and rigging separately from the booth crates on your proposal.
Can we have a two-story booth or hanging sign at IWF West?
Hanging signs and lights are allowed only over islands, peninsulas and split islands of 600 square feet or more, and GES installs them. Two-story booths are limited to islands of 900 square feet or more, cost 50% of the base rate for the upper level and need a Texas engineer's stamp.
Can we reuse our IWF West booth at other shows?
An IWF West island travels well to AWFS Fair in Las Vegas, which also runs in 2027, and to the next IWF Atlanta with new graphics. We store the booth, dust housings and machine platforms between shows and rebuild the layout for each floor plan and height rule.
When is IWF West 2027?
Wednesday to Friday, August 25–27, 2027, the first edition of IWF West, timed between the Atlanta shows. Attendee registration opens Monday, April 5, 2027, and exhibitor space is on sale now through the online floor plan. Daily exhibit hall hours for 2027 are not confirmed yet.
Where is IWF West 2027 held?
At the Henry B. González Convention Center, 900 East Market Street in downtown San Antonio, steps from the River Walk and the Alamo. IWF counts more than 4,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of the center and 15,000 downtown.
How many people will attend IWF West?
IWF projects 4,200 registrants, 300 exhibiting manufacturers and 70,000 square feet of exhibits for the 2027 debut; actual attendance is not confirmed yet. For scale, the separate parent show, IWF Atlanta, drew 26,555 registered attendees and 1,094 exhibiting companies in 2024.
Who organizes IWF West?
IWF West, LLC, produced and managed by the Atlanta-based International Woodworking Fair team that runs IWF Atlanta, with the Wood Industry Association as sponsor. WIA members can earn up to 20% off contracted space up to 5,000 square feet.
How do we get a booth at IWF West?
Apply online through the IWF West floor plan, listing several booth choices in order of preference, then pay the 25% deposit and $150 fee within 30 days of the invoice. IWF West assigns 2027 space from those applications, and a priority point system based on seniority and booth size starts with IWF West 2029.
Before you sign for IWF West
Five questions to ask any exhibit builder for IWF West:
- Is every fee on the proposal, including what the show contractor bills?
- Who actually builds it for IWF West: your shop or a subcontractor?
- Will your own project manager be at IWF West for install and dismantle?
- What does the rental include, and what is billed by IWF West?
- Where does the booth go after the show, and what does storage cost?
Common situations
Already own a booth? We refresh the graphics, repair what is worn, ship it to the Henry B. González Convention Center, install it and store it between shows. You keep the structure you paid for and bring it to IWF West.
Exhibiting from outside the US? For IWF West, we act as your team on the ground: freight to the advance warehouse, show-service orders, installation and storage, and one project manager who answers your emails in your time zone.
Short on time? In two to three weeks, a rental with your graphics can be ready for San Antonio. You will know on the first call what is realistic for your IWF West date.
Get a proposal
Tell us about your IWF West booth
What happens next
- Our reply comes within one business day, with questions on your products, goals and footprint.
- You get a concept rendering and a fixed proposal, usually within a week. All fees listed upfront, in full, on paper, before IWF West.
- The build takes 30–45 days; we ship to the advance warehouse and install before the hall opens at the Henry B. González Convention Center.