IGES 2026 in Pigeon Forge: Where to Stay for the Show

IGES, the International Gift Exposition in the Smokies, is America's largest annual wholesale gathering for souvenir, resort and specialty gift vendors. Held every November across two venues — the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge and the Sevierville Convention Center — it anchors Tennessee's Smoky Mountains as the country's souvenir-buying capital. Founded in 1999, the show draws roughly 4,000 buyers from the travel and tourism industry — theme parks, zoos, aquariums, museums, national parks, resorts, hotels and specialty retailers from the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean — alongside more than 500 vendors across 1,000+ booths. IGES is a strictly trade-only, order-writing show and is not open to the general public. The Pigeon Forge venue at the LeConte Center runs November 4–7, 2026, while Sevierville opens a day earlier, November 3–5, hosting themed pavilions for Toy + On Trend, Sustainable, Made in America and Campground. A complimentary shuttle connects official hotels with both venues throughout the show. For out-of-town attendees, staying near the LeConte Center or the Sevierville Convention Center is the smartest way to maximize show-floor time, catch the official shuttle and avoid Smoky Mountains peak-season traffic.