The SEMA Show is well underway, with Day 1 in the books already. For veterans attending SEMA, this is just status quo. People who haven’t attended the show before, or going to the show for the first time could be overwhelmed. If you are going to the show, our SEMA show tips guide can help.
When it comes to the biggest car show on Earth, you will need all the help you can get. After all, you are talking about a four day car show with over 130,000 vendors and countless cars, boots and displays.
Whether you are attending the show as an exhibitor or attendee, we can help when it comes to attending the show. Here are some of the best tips for going to the SEMA Show below.
The Best SEMA Show Tips
Plan ahead – Not to state the obvious but taking time to plan your four days can pay huge dividends. Planning out the whole week can help you be prepared and ready.
Wondering on where to eat at the SEMA Show? Need to know what booth or vendor is hottest at the show?
Want help on finding a hotel for the SEMA show? Need your own set of SEMA Show Tips to help you get around? Take some time and plan. You will thank me for it later.
Planning ahead and using our SEMA guides and tips can help you get there. Given the large number of cars and booths, taking some time to plan ahead for the week can go a long way.
Register Early – Procrastinating or registering late for the SEMA show can be a headache. Taking the time to register early can help to give you a head start on planning and obtaining your SEMA badge.
When you are looking for the best SEMA show tips out there, registration should be key.
Why register early for SEMA? There’s more than a few reasons but the biggest is getting your badge mailed to you. Register before October 13 and you’ll get your badge well ahead of the show.
This means you won’t have to wait in will call or stop by a booth to register in person. What’s more the early bird registration is also a tad cheaper, and you can get tickets to the aftershow parties and functions like SEMA Ignite.
The after party functions are some of the best parts of the show experience. Make sure to make a note to attend, easily one of the best SEMA Show Tips to follow!
Attend a SEMA Class – Whether you are a vendor, shop or reseller, there’s a lot to learn from the free classes at SEMA. Any number of these courses can help you take your business to the next level. With over 50 courses from you to choose from, there’s no shortage of information at the SEMA Show.
Taking advantage of the First Time & Featured Exhibitor areas is a must for any new attendee. If you’ve gone to the SEMA Show before, you may want to check out the First Time & Featured Exhibitor Areas to see what’s new.
Don’t forget about the Performance Pavilion to download a complete show map. This roadmap is the single biggest piece of information you need, and a huge part of our SEMA Show tips.
Ford Out Front – Easily one of the biggest crowdpleasers at the SEMA Show, Ford pulls out all the stops for the show. Featuring exciting stunts and demonstrations by some of the biggest names in motorsports, this part of the SEMA Show is always a huge crowd pleaser.
Check out some of our footage from the epic RTR battle just a few years ago at the SEMA Show. This is easily one of the best SEMA Show tips you could ever follow. When you get to the SEMA show, make sure to take that stroll through the Toyo Tire Treadpass
and turn left at the east end of South or Central Halls.
Don’t believe me? Make sure to check out Ford out Front when you are at the show. When all else fails make sure to check out our SEMA guide as well!
John Huh
Owner
Ten Must See SEMA Features
The 2015 SEMA Show is quickly approaching and if you are lucky enough to head out to the world's biggest car show, there's always quite a few must see SEMA features that you can't miss. Whether you are a SEMA show veteran or it's your first time attending the iconic auto show, these features are areas you don't want to miss. The 2015 SEMA Show has more offerings from manufacturers like Ford, Chevy and Hyundai as well as the various builds and incredible modifications and new products.
Battle of the Builders
If you love modified cars then you'll love everything about the Battle of the Builders. Pitting the nation's most popular builders against themselves in the biggest customization showdown of the year, the Battle of the Builders is where you can check out the best mods and best builds. These rolling masterpieces are culminations of the best builders, and the showdown features all the vehicles on display at the 2015 SEMA Show.
Judges are editors from leading automotive magazines that will vote and narrow down the selection to the Top 10 cars before selecting the ultimate build.
Want to learn more? head over to www.SEMAignited.com.
SEMA Art Walk
The SEMA show is often called the pinnacle of the automotive aftermarket, and there's no other place to really enjoy this than the Art Walk of SEMA. Art, collectibles and many popular builders can be found here for any fan to enjoy or interact with. You can see drawings, concepts and some of the biggest names in the industry for you to talk to or hang out with. Head down to the Art Walk by heading through the Central Hall to the Skybridge.
The 2015 SEMA show features automotive artist Max Grundy, as well as legendary events promoter Bob Larivee Sr. and many more.
Car Crazy Studio
This year the Car Crazy studio will feature Host Barry Meguiar and as always will be held in front of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Interactive media and interviews from some of the leading experts and market leaders can give you a good idea of the direction in which the aftermarket is headed. Meguiar will entertain, host and feature many of the most popular automotive celebrities as well as racers and innovators. You can enjoy the show live or follow along with some of the big screen TV's throughout all of the SEMA show.
Cars & Coffee
Get your morning off to a great start any day of the SEMA Show by heading out to Cars & Coffee from 7:30 am to 9:00 am. Mingle with some of the industry's biggest names and check out the cool cars and builds. The 2015 SEMA Show will feature the Cars & Coffee section between the North Hall and Westgate. You'll be able to spot the Cars & Coffee through the more than 80 Optima Street car competitors, and coincidentally if you don't have credentials to get into the show, this is something that's open to enjoy for the public.
Want more action after the SEMA Show is over? watch all of these cars will be competing between Nov. 6-8 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Want more information on the 2015 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational? Follow along at My Pro Street for more information.
Performance Pavilion
The opening entrance to the SEMA Show, the Performance Pavilion is where first time exhibitors can show off their work and it's a great way to kick off your SEMA experience. Located near the mass transit pick up and drop off points, it's a great way to see what some of the best builders have to showcase. Want to learn more about the SEMA show? Check out our Ten Best SEMA Tips list here at My Pro Street
SCORE Baja 1000 Experience
If you enjoy off road machines or desert racing, the SCORE Baja 1000 Experience is one of the biggest must see SEMA features. Taking the front of the Las Vegas Convention Center and turning it into the ultimate off road experience, there's several race-related activities and events featuring some of the biggest and baddest Baja 1000 Trophy Truck and Class 1 race vehicles.
SEMA Cruise
One of the biggest highlights of the SEMA Show is when the show comes to an end. The Cruise takes place as the cars and exhibit vehicles begin to exit and make their way out of the SEMA show. Exiting from the halls and heading across Paradise Road to the Gold Lot, the SEMA Cruise is a fun way to close out the biggest aftermarket show of the year.
Although nothing may top last year's Cruise, where the Liberty Walk Ferrari was rear ended by a modified Jeep. Relive the accident here.
New Products Showcase
When you want to see the latest and greatest aftermarket performance parts, head over to the Skybridge between Central and South Halls for the SEMA New Products Showcase. From superchargers, turbochargers and various exhaust, fuel and intake components, you can see what's coming down the line and the excellent engineering behind them.
Want to get a sneak peek into what's included in the 2015 SEMA Show? Head over to the new products showcase at SEMA's website.
Ford Out Front
Ford has just about taken over at the SEMA show, having taken home Best of Show honors 4 years in a row, and it's up front and personal for you at Ford Out Front at the 2015 SEMA Show. You can check out some of the biggest names linked to Ford Performance, like Ken Block, Vaughn Gittin Jr., Jack Roush Jr. and Justin Pawlak.
If you are a registered attendee, you can ride along or test your skills on the track with a host of Shelby GT350 Mustangs, Ford Raptors and the new Focus RS as well as Superformance Cobras.
SEMA Central
The centerpiece of the 2015 SEMA Show, SEMA Central is located between the North and Central Halls and gives any attendee the chance to see and experience everything the show has to offer.
Head on over to the SEMA Garage, or get connected to through the SEMA Data Co-op center, or simply stroll through the various booths and features.
This year for the 2015 SEMA Show, SEMA Central will also offer 3D printing and product scanning tech that will really make your show going experience much more easy.
Last but definitely not least of all our SEMA Show tips is the New Products Showcase. Wondering what the newest aftermarket parts that could be the next big thing? Head over to the bridge between the Central and South Halls.
The Showcase features 2,500+ new and innovative products in a single location. This part of the SEMA Show opens at 8AM, so there’s no reason to wait!
Are you headed to the SEMA Show? What are some of your own personal SEMA Show Tips? Leave us a comment below and let us know!
