Carwash Con East Breaks Show Floor Record Following Successful Strategic Rebrand

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — Carwash Con East, October 5-7, is in the record books and boasting the event’s largest show floor in its 37-year history, according to 2026 Show Co-Chair Dave DuGoff. “Carwash Con East had it all,” said DuGoff. “Not only did we have our largest number of exhibits in our history with 423, but we had speakers and education that reached out and brought you in.” Co-Chair Mike Ashley echoed his sentiments. “From outstanding educational programs to an expansive show floor and a strong turnout, every aspect of the event exceeded expectations,” according to Ashley. “Our education delivered valuable insights, and our Keynote presentation by Ken Schmidt with Harley-Davidson was exceptional. The energy throughout the convention was remarkable, and our vendors went above and beyond with impressive exhibits and displays that received tremendous positive feedback from attendees.”

Rebrand Delivers Results

Part of Carwash Con East’s board’s decision to rebrand was to attract new vendors and attendees. And according to 1Stop Merchandise co-owner, Even Baright, the mark was hit. “As a first-time exhibitor, I really didn’t know what to expect, but I couldn’t be happier with how everything went,” he said. “We met some amazing operators and built some strong leads.

“On day one, the traffic was great, and on day two we had the opportunity to reconnect with people we met the previous day, answer their follow-up questions, and build on those conversations. It was a great experience and we’ll definitely be back next year!”

In addition to attracting new exhibitors, the rebrand has helped expand the show’s reach and SEO. “I am new to the industry and really exploring what might make sense for me in my market, and after searching for carwash shows, Carwash Con East came right up. I jumped on a plane the next day and am taking a comprehensive look at what self-serve options I have, thanks to what I saw on the website and what is available to me on the show floor,” said Matt Ladendorf with Centerpointe Development in Scottsdale, AZ. “Just from speaking to a handful of attendees, I already know exactly where to go and who to connect with.”

Honoring Excellence

Three awards were given out this year by DuGoff and Ashley. The first two were to Emerging Leaders Aaron King of Mast Solutions Inc. and Kevin Fitzgerald of ScrubaDub Auto Wash Centers for their exceptional leadership, early impact and dedicated service to the industry. The third award, a new one this year, called the Giving Back award, was presented to Motor City Wash Works for its 16+ year effort to raise money and awareness for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Richard Belanger accepted the award. The show’s highest honor, it’s Hall of Fame award, was bestowed to Micrologic founder and visionary Miguel Gonzalez for his tireless support of Carwash Con East. This award was presented to him by the 2025 Hall of Fame Recipient, Tom Hoffman, Jr.

Expanded, Diverse Education

Attendees partook of an expanded and dynamic mix of industry-leading speakers and educational seminars, including dedicated programming for managers, and valuable opportunities to connect and network with fellow industry professionals. You can still view the entire educational lineup at carwashconeast.com, in case you missed the show, but here are a few highlights:

• Keynote Speaker Ken Schmidt with Harley-Davidson shared insights on achieving market dominance

• Southwest Airline’s Tony Brigmon explored the keys to stellar service and meaningful employee engagement

• Kyle Doyle presented “The Hidden Habits of High-Performing Washes,” revealing practices that can help elevate wash performance

• Mel/Mike Ohlinger tackled visibility and AI search, helping operators understand how to stand out in an increasingly AI-driven world with a great “rubber chicken” attendees received

• Two self-service sessions focused on competing effectively and doubling down on what works

• Two dedicated manager tracks covering sales and coaching strategies

• The traditional Early Bird panel engaged in a wide-ranging conversation on all things “carwashing”

• Fan favorite, The Virtual Carwash Tour, featured four different wash models, offering a behind-the-scenes look at a variety of operations from the comfort of the Atlantic City Convention Center

• The ever-popular and well attended Simoniz Celebration in the Hard Rock’s Hollywood Ballroom provided endless networking and exceptional food/drink and

• The Welcome Reception, now on the show floor, sponsored by OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions/ICS further expanded show networking.

DuGoff was especially inspired by Keynote Speaker Ken Schmidt’s message. “As our Keynote Speaker explained, we aren’t just selling a good carwash. The customer expects a good wash, that’s what they pay for, but how can we reach out to that customer and provide them with an experience? How do we make them feel like we care about them and make them say that your wash is their wash? “Ken Schmidt brought home the fact that we need to do more than sell a commodity and compete on price. If you learned that in AC this week, it will pay dividends to your forever. And if you agree, according to speaker Mel Ohlinger, squeeze your rubber chicken!”

Save the Date!

Carwash Con East 2027 is slated for October 4-6 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. “If you missed this year’s event, you missed an unforgettable experience. It was one of those shows that set a new standard for what a convention can be,” noted Ashley. “But as proud as we are of this year’s success, we’re already focused on making next year’s event even bigger and better. Mark your calendar now and make plans to attend, bring your managers and key employees and be ready to network, learn and have a whole lot of fun. We look forward to seeing you there and helping us make next year’s convention the best one yet!”

About the Event

Carwash Con East (formerly the Northeast Regional Carwash Convention) brings together professional carwash owners, operators, manufacturers and suppliers to share knowledge, explore new technologies and build lasting industry connections. The annual event was first held in Newport, RI, in 1989. The three-day event is conceptualized and facilitated by representatives from the Car Wash Operators of New Jersey (CWONJ), Mid-Atlantic Carwash Association (MCA), New England Carwash Association (NECA) and the New York State Car Wash Association (NYSCWA). The 2026 host was the Mid-Atlantic Carwash Association with Dave DuGoff and Mike Ashley serving as co-chairmen. The 2027 host is the New England Carwash Association with John Shalbey, Jr. and Dave Ellard serving as co-chairs.

Carwash Con East 2027 is October 4-6, at the Atlantic City Convention Center with the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino serving as the host hotel.