The fully redesigned Parking Industry Expo puts connections, content, and community at the center.
By Kevin Uhlenhaker
Two years ago at PIE 2024, we announced the acquisition of Parking Today Media. In the past two years, we have taken a fresh look at everything we do, and asked ourselves one question: How can we best serve the parking industry? The answer to that question shaped the all-new Parking Industry Expo (PIE).
PIE 2026 takes place March 30th through April 2nd at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. This year’s show marks our first fully redesigned event, and we built it around five things: content, connections, affordability, a true focus on parking, and innovation.
Content built for parking professionals
Every session at PIE is curated by the Parking Today editorial team and held to the same standards as our publications. No sales pitches. No filler. Just timely, relevant, unique content that speaks directly to what parking professionals deal with every day. Each day opens with a joint session before breaking into individual tracks, then brings everyone back together in the evening.
The session lineup consists of segment, topic, and Parking Today exclusive tracks. Segment tracks cover topics related to the categories of Municipal, Higher Education, Private Operators, and Facility Design. Topic tracks dig into Policy and Legal issues, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Parking Standards, Operations, and Data Stories. Parking Today exclusive sessions include our must-see Accelerate! parking pitch competition, discussions of real-world parking stories highlighted in our ParkNews news site, and Real Talk, which continues the candid conversations about the human side of parking management that attracted strong attendance last year.
Designed for connections
In today’s increasingly digital and AI-driven world, the need for real, in-person experiences has never been greater. PIE is intentionally designed to help remove the traditional barriers to meeting new people at conferences. That means welcoming spaces, integrated networking activities, and the right amount of unscheduled time for conversations to happen naturally. Whether you manage a municipal system, run a university parking operation, work in private parking, or work in any other segment of the industry, the people you want to meet will be at the show.
Day one kicks off with Speed Networking, giving attendees a structured way to make multiple new connections quickly. The Parking Connections Game runs throughout the show, making it easy to meet people you might never have crossed paths with otherwise. The Dinner Club program pairs small groups for shared meals, perfect for anyone attending solo or just looking to meet new people. The Expo Hall is designed for you to connect with vendors and explore the latest products and services in parking. To round it all out, the hotel has a centrally located bar to continue the conversations long after the show’s programming ends.
Everyone can attend
We know budgets are tight and travel approvals are harder to get. That is one of the reasons we chose Dallas specifically for PIE 2026. It has two major airports with thousands of direct flights, competitive airfare, and a central location that minimizes travel time for most of the country. The Hilton Anatole is an AAA Four Diamond property, and our hotel block includes both GSA rates for government attendees and great prices for everyone else. You can attend the full conference without traveling on the weekend. When you add it all up, PIE has the lowest overall cost of any national parking conference.
For parking professionals, by parking professionals
Most people outside our industry do not fully understand what parking professionals actually do or the impact they make. We do. PIE 2026 is designed to celebrate parking professionals and what they bring to the communities, campuses, and facilities they serve. Our goal is that you leave PIE renewed, with at least one new idea you can put to work right away.
As part of our support of the parking industry, we are proud to host the inaugural Parking Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner. The Parking Hall of Fame is an independent nonprofit organization created specifically to recognize individuals who have made a significant, lasting contribution to the parking profession. The dinner is open to everyone in the parking industry, but registration is required, and seating is limited. (For more on the Hall of Fame and this year’s inductees, see the related article on page 26.)
Always improving
PIE 2026 is a new show. Not just redesigned, but reimagined. We built it by rethinking what a parking conference should be, and we are committed to continuing that work every year. If you have an idea for the show, a topic you want to see covered, or something to share with the industry, reach out. New voices and new ideas are what keep this show moving forward.
Join us. Registration is open at parkingtoday.com/PIE2026. If you need help building the case for attendance, do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help.
I look forward to seeing you in Dallas.
Kevin Uhlenhaker is the CEO and publisher of Parking Today Media. He can be reached at [email protected].
