eyewear and optical · New York
LOFT New York 2027Exhibitor guide: booth costs, dates and deadlines
The anti-trade show, curated: LOFT New York 2027 booth displays in New York
- Event dates
- March 4–6, 2027
- Exhibit hall
- Not confirmed yet
- Venue
- Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine, New York
4.9 client rating10,000+ booths builtSince 20153,000+ exhibitors served
Quick answers
LOFT New York 2027 in 30 seconds
The short version for LOFT New York exhibitors. Each figure has its source further down this page.
- When is LOFT New York 2027?
- March 4–6, 2027, at Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine, New York.
- When does the LOFT New York exhibit hall open?
- Not confirmed yet for 2027.
- How much is a 10×20 booth at LOFT New York, all-in?
- $7,500 – $15,000 for a Purple rental with design, graphics, lighting, install and dismantle. Space and show services are billed separately by LOFT New York.
The lookChelsea, New York 2027
Downtown. Independent.
LOFT New York, March 4–6, 2027: independent eyewear houses in two Chelsea spaces on West 28th Street, what LOFT calls the anti-trade show trade event, running since 2000. Frames with a point of view.
Everything about LOFT New York 2027 in one place
LOFT New York 2027 fact sheet
| Official name | LOFT Eyewear Show New York 2027 (Edition 27, Spring) |
|---|---|
| Event dates | March 4–6, 2027 |
| Exhibit hall dates | Not confirmed yet |
| Venue | Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine 535-551 W 28th St and 508 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001 |
| Organizer | Loft Eyewear Events Corp. |
| Who attends | Optical boutique owners, opticians and optometrists buying independent frame collections |
| Nearest airport | LaGuardia (LGA), JFK and Newark (EWR) airports |
| Hotels | No official housing block published; hotels in Chelsea and Hudson Yards |
| Official website | lofteyewearshow.com |
Official LOFT New York resources
01 Purple at LOFT New York 2027
The anti-trade show, curated: LOFT New York 2027 booth displays in New York
LOFT is a curated gathering of independent eyewear houses in two Chelsea event spaces, not a booth hall, so displays are small and made by each brand. We build the frame trays, lit tables, wall panels and travel cases that make a collection read on West 28th Street.
- Mar 4–6 · W 28th St, Chelsea
- Since 2000, Edition 27
- Independent eyewear only
What makes LOFT New York different, and how we build for it
LOFT bills itself as the anti-trade show trade event.Running since 2000, it gathers fiercely independent design houses in architecturally distinct spaces rather than a convention hall, and for 2027 the New York edition expands across two Chelsea buildings on West 28th Street: Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine. The buyers are boutique owners looking for a point of difference from the big consolidated frame companies, so the room rewards a collection with a clear design voice. LOFT adds CE classes, its well-known party, catering and baristas, and returns to the historic Santa Monica Post Office for a fall edition in October 2027.
They come to LOFT to find collections the chains do not carry; they want to handle every frame, hear the designer's story and place a small, considered opening order.
They weigh fit, materials and price points against what already sells in their store, and use LOFT's CE classes to make the trip count.
Often staffing their own table, they need a display that sets up in minutes, protects samples overnight and lets them talk rather than rearrange trays.
Your team in New York
From our two shops to the LOFT New York floor
Our Fishkill, NY production shop and our Las Vegas hub build the booth, we ship it to the Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine, and our own project manager runs the LOFT New York install on the floor with vetted local labor. Every LOFT New York build runs a predictable 30 to 45 days and gets a pre-show QA, with secure storage after.
Your team arrives at LOFT New York to a lit, stocked booth. You just show up.
Inside LOFT New York 2027
Rules that shape your LOFT New York booth
LOFT describes itself as a curated experience, not a convention, for eclectic and fiercely independent design houses. We plan a display that presents the collection, not a booth footprint.
The 2027 New York event is split between Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine on West 28th Street. We plan deliveries for whichever building LOFT assigns and pack for city loading and freight elevators.
LOFT provides the CE classes, its party, catering and baristas at the 2027 New York event. We leave food and drink off your display and keep the table for frames, line sheets and the order form.
Programs worth planning for
Continuing education classes return at the 2027 New York event, bringing opticians and optometrists into the spaces alongside boutique buyers.
The fall edition at the historic Santa Monica Post Office in October 2027, with CE classes by Spexy, catering and coffee.
LOFT is the long-running curated show for independent eyewear in New York; choose it over EYECON when your collection is a small independent design house selling to boutiques, and add EYECON for luxury and fashion-licensed buyers the same weekend. Compare LOFT New York with the other eyewear and optical shows we build for →
eyewear and optical at LOFT New York
The industry behind LOFT New York, in pictures
02 Booths & pricing for LOFT New York 2027
Popular booth sizes at LOFT New York
LOFT is curated and set in event spaces, not sold by the square foot from a floor plan, and the organizer publishes no booth sizes or rates. Brands bring their own small displays. We build what fits that format: frame trays, a lit table or counter, slim wall panels and road cases, never a booth structure.
Product demos, two-person teams
Shown: a Purple inline booth for MedaCure
See 10×20 rental booths →
Multiple product lines, a small meeting nook
Above: Tipmed, a Purple inline booth
See 10×30 rental booths →
Hanging sign, open floor plan, lounge
Above: ergoPouch, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×20 rental booths →
Demo stations plus private meetings
Shown: ACI Workwear, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×30 rental booths →In Purple's LOFT New York price
- Design and a 3D rendering, revised until it is right
- The structure, printed graphics, counters and storage your LOFT New York plan specifies
- Lighting and power distribution inside your LOFT New York booth
- Installation and dismantle at the Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine, with our project manager on the floor
- Tracking of every show-service order and deadline
What LOFT New York and its contractor bill
- Booth space, paid to Loft Eyewear Events Corp.
- Material handling (drayage) at the Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine, where the space rate does not include it
- Electrical service, internet and rigging at the Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine
- Booth cleaning, and union labor where the Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine requires it
We estimate each of these on your LOFT New York proposal, so the total is on paper before you sign.
All-in 2026 rental ranges: design, structure, graphics, installation and dismantle are included, and custom LOFT New York builds are quoted per project. For an exact LOFT New York figure, try the booth cost calculator; the 2026 booth cost guide has the ranges.
Tell us your LOFT New York booth size and what the space has to do. You hear back within one business day, and a rendering with a fixed LOFT New York proposal usually follows within a week. No charge.
03 Built by Purple
Booths we designed, built and installed: a few to compare for LOFT New York
Case study · French Avenue
French Avenue at a fragrance and beauty trade show
A premium fragrance environment built around discovery, with a flow designed for real conversations and product sampling.
French Avenue's environment was built around discovery and one-to-one conversation; at LOFT an independent frame house wins the same way, with a small display that invites a boutique owner to pick up and ask.
Read the French Avenue case study All case studies →“If you’re looking for a trade show booth expert who shows up and gets the job done right, Purple Exhibits is the real deal.”
Magdalena Kulisz, Service Manager, Miss Immigrant USA · more reviews from Purple clients
Trusted by exhibitors including
04 Designing for independent eyewear design houses and frame collections at LOFT New York
Four things we get right for LOFT New York exhibitors
1Let the frames carry the brand
LOFT buyers are there for design voice, and the rooms on West 28th Street are raw industrial spaces. We keep the display quiet, one material and one color from your brand, so the frames, not the furniture, are what a boutique owner remembers.
2Two buildings, one walking route
For 2027 LOFT runs in both Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine, across the street from each other. Buyers walk between them, so a small sign or a matching visual cue at your table helps them find you again after a coffee or a CE class.
3Built for one person
Many LOFT exhibitors are the designer plus one rep. We design a display that one person can unpack, light and set in under an hour, with trays that lift out whole and a case that locks samples away at close.
4Same kit, three shows in March
LOFT New York (March 4–6) and EYECON (March 5–7) share one New York week, and four days after EYECON closes the Vision Expo hall opens in Las Vegas. We build the tray system to work at all three, so the investment carries across the whole optical week.
Concept rendering
Every LOFT New York proposal includes a rendering like this
You see the booth in 3D before we cut a single panel: layout, graphics, lighting and product positions, revised until it is right. Shown: a Purple concept for Acknit Industries Limited.
Start my LOFT New York conceptFloor at a glance
Where you could be at LOFT New York 2027
LOFT New York 2027 runs in two event spaces facing each other on West 28th Street in Chelsea, instead of one exhibit hall.
Chelsea Industrial
At 535-551 W 28th St in the Chelsea and Hudson Yards district, one of the two LOFT spaces for 2027.
Our advice Industrial interiors mean mixed light; bring your own frame lighting rather than relying on the room.
High Line Nine
At 508 W 28th St, across the street, the second LOFT space for the 2027 New York edition.
Our advice Buyers cross between buildings; a consistent brand cue helps them find your table twice.
05 Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine · New York
Logistics for LOFT New York 2027, handled
LOFT New York uses two event spaces on West 28th Street in the Chelsea and Hudson Yards district, Chelsea Industrial at 535-551 and High Line Nine at 508, rather than a convention center, and the organizer handles the space and the hospitality. That means no drayage tariff and no booth hall, but also city-street loading, freight elevators and tight setup windows. We pack displays in rolling cases sized for building elevators, deliver them to the space with our project manager, and can hold everything between LOFT, EYECON and Vision Expo so your samples move once.
What Purple handles
- Frame tray systems fitted to your collection
- High color-rendering LED lighting kits
- Slim wall panels and brand signs for loft spaces
- Lockable road cases that open into a counter
- Delivery to West 28th Street and pickup after close
- Routing the same kit to EYECON and Vision Expo
Your LOFT New York timeline, from move-in back
For LOFT New York, we need design sign-off by December 2026.
- December 2026Design sign-off: tray layout, lighting and case sizes agreed against your sample count.
- January 2027Production in our shop; frame trays fitted to your actual frames and lighting tested on acetate and metal.
- Mid-February 2027Display delivered for a dry run at your office, or held for delivery to West 28th Street.
- March 4–6, 2027LOFT New York in Chelsea; our project manager delivers the cases and helps set the table.
- March 7, 2027Cases collected and routed to EYECON or on to Vision Expo in Las Vegas.
Purple's planning timeline for LOFT New York. Official move-in, freight target and order deadlines for LOFT New York come from your exhibitor kit and assigned schedule; we confirm them against your booth when you book.
Print the LOFT New York budget & deadline sheetTravel to LOFT New York 2027
Getting to LOFT New York 2027: airport and hotels
Fly in
LaGuardia (LGA), JFK and Newark (EWR) airports
Stay
No official housing block published; hotels in Chelsea and Hudson Yards
Find the venue
Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine
535-551 W 28th St and 508 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001
Travel facts from lofteyewearshow.com.
LOFT New York by the numbers
LOFT New York year by year
How LOFT New York 2027 compares with other eyewear and optical shows
The eyewear and optical shows closest to LOFT New York on the calendar, with the latest size each organizer has published. Each show name opens our eyewear and optical exhibitor guide for that show.
| Show | Dates | City | Latest published size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart of America Eye Care CongressHeart of America Eye Care Congress (HOAECC) | February 19–21, 2027 | Kansas City, MO | – |
| SECOSECO International | March 3–7, 2027 | Atlanta, GA | – |
| LOFT New YorkLoft Eyewear Events Corp. | March 4–6, 2027 | New York, NY | – |
| EYECONEYECON Show (founder and creative director Tarrence Lackran) | March 5–7, 2027 | New York, NY | – |
| Vision ExpoRX and The Vision Council (co-owners) | March 10–13, 2027 | Las Vegas, NV | 8,000+ attendees · 350+ exhibitors (2026) |
| N.E.O.S.North East Optical Show | April 17–18, 2027 | Providence, RI | – |
LOFT New York exhibitor questions
Questions exhibitors ask us before LOFT New York
When is LOFT New York 2027?
LOFT New York 2027, the show's 27th edition and its spring event, runs March 4–6, 2027. That places it the week before Vision Expo in Las Vegas (March 10–13), so many buyers and brands plan both. Daily hours are not confirmed yet.
Where is LOFT New York held?
The 2027 New York edition uses two spaces on West 28th Street in the Chelsea and Hudson Yards district: Chelsea Industrial at 535-551 W 28th St and High Line Nine at 508 W 28th St. LOFT calls this an expanded New York event.
What is the LOFT Eyewear Show?
LOFT is a curated show for independent eyewear, started in 2000. It calls itself the anti-trade show trade event and the longest running and largest independent eyewear show in North America, held in architecturally notable spaces rather than convention halls.
Who exhibits at LOFT?
LOFT exhibitors are independent eyewear design houses and frame collections, the eclectic, independent brands the show was built around. LOFT does not publish its 2027 exhibitor list on its website.
Who attends LOFT New York?
The show is aimed at optical boutique owners, opticians and optometrists who stock independent collections and look for frames the chains do not carry. LOFT offers CE classes at the New York event, which brings eye care professionals as well as store owners.
How much does it cost to exhibit at LOFT?
LOFT does not publish exhibitor pricing or booth sizes on its website; participation is arranged directly with Loft Eyewear Events. Your display budget is separate: a tray, lighting and case kit from us costs far less than a booth build and travels to every show.
Can we bring a booth to LOFT?
LOFT is set in event spaces with displays made by each brand, not a hall of booth structures, so we do not pitch a booth there. We build tables, frame trays, lighting and slim wall panels that fit the space LOFT gives you.
Is there a LOFT show outside New York?
LOFT returns to Santa Monica in October 2027 at the historic Santa Monica Post Office, 1248 5th St, a few blocks from the beach, with CE classes by Spexy, catering and coffee. Exact fall dates are not confirmed yet.
Does LOFT offer continuing education?
The 2027 New York event will again offer CE classes, along with LOFT's party, catering and baristas, per the organizer. The Santa Monica edition includes CE classes by Spexy.
Is LOFT the same as EYECON?
They are separate shows by different organizers that share the same New York week. LOFT runs March 4–6, 2027 on West 28th Street, and EYECON runs March 5–7 at The Glasshouse, 660 12th Avenue, farther north on the West Side. Brands often show at one and visit the other.
Is LOFT open to the public?
LOFT is a trade event for the optical industry: boutique owners, opticians, optometrists and the independent brands that sell to them. The organizer describes it as an annual homecoming for optical boutique owners and independent designers.
Can Purple deliver our display to LOFT?
Our project manager delivers the cases to West 28th Street, helps set the table and collects everything after close. We also store the kit between shows and can send it straight on to EYECON or to Vision Expo in Las Vegas.
How should we light frames at LOFT?
Industrial event spaces mix daylight and tungsten, which flattens acetate colors. We use LED bars with high color rendering, set low and behind the trays, so tortoise, crystal and metal finishes look the way they do in a boutique.
Before you sign for LOFT New York
Five things to ask every builder quoting LOFT New York:
- Is every fee on the proposal, including what the LOFT New York show contractor bills?
- Who actually builds it for LOFT New York: your shop or a subcontractor?
- Will your project manager be on the floor at the Chelsea Industrial and High Line Nine for install and dismantle?
- What exactly is in the rental, and what does LOFT New York bill?
- Where does the booth go after the show, and what does storage cost?
Common situations
Already own a booth? Your existing booth gets refreshed graphics and repairs, then we ship it to New York, install it and store it between shows. You keep the structure you paid for and bring it to LOFT New York.
Exhibiting from outside the US? For LOFT New York, 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? A LOFT New York rental carrying your graphics can be ready in two to three weeks. You will know on the first call what is realistic for your LOFT New York date.
Get a proposal
Tell us about your LOFT New York booth
What happens next
- We reply within one business day with questions about your products, goals and LOFT New York footprint.
- You get a concept rendering and a fixed proposal for LOFT New York, usually within a week. Every last fee for LOFT New York, listed upfront and in full on paper.
- Production runs 30–45 days, then we ship to the advance warehouse and install before the LOFT New York hall opens.