The Utility Expo 2027

The Utility Expo is an event for utility and construction equipment manufacturing, showcasing the latest in technology, equipment, and services.

The Utility Expo 2027

The Utility Expo runs Tuesday to Thursday, October 5–7, 2027 at the Kentucky Exposition Center, 937 Phillips Lane, Louisville, Kentucky.

What it is

The Utility Expo is a trade show for utility and utility-construction professionals, and it's built around working equipment demonstrations. It's aimed at utilities providing electric transmission and distribution, natural gas transmission and distribution, telecommunications, drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services, and at the contractors who do their infrastructure engineering and construction. The show is owned and produced by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), which calls it "the largest and fastest growing trade show in the utility industry." Its roots go back to a field demonstration in the summer of 1966, when Illinois Bell invited 12 trencher manufacturers to demonstrate their equipment in the same field on the same day.

Show hours

• Tuesday, October 5: 8:30am–5pm
• Wednesday, October 6: 8:30am–5pm
• Thursday, October 7: 8:30am–2pm (short last day)

Exhibits and demonstrations

The organizer says the show covers more than 32 acres of indoor and outdoor exhibits and demonstrations. Machinery runs in job-like conditions at ground level, underground and overhead, and attendees can climb in and try it before buying.

Equipment categories include all-terrain carriers, attachments, components, earthmoving, environmental, light, overhead and maintenance, material handling, recycling, safety, testing, transportation, trenching, trenchless, and trucks and utility materials and supplies. Exhibitors on the organizer's featured list include Altec, Bobcat, CASE Construction Equipment and Caterpillar.

Education

Education is taught mostly through Field Classrooms, which take participants around the indoor and outdoor floor with industry experts, plus panel discussions. Topics at the 2025 show included horizontal directional drilling, aerial devices, vacuum excavating, fleet management, equipment hydraulics, toolbox and tailgate talks, and a Safety Tech Trek. The program covers safety, regulatory, operational and technology issues in utility and construction work.