CHAMPS Trade Show Las Vegas 2026: Utah Channel 3 Tech Coverage Hits the Las Vegas Convention Center

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

By Scott Kraft, Technology Producer – TechTalk, Richard Berk, Executive Producer

Your Utah Channel 3 team—Scott Kraft and Richard Berk—is on the ground covering CHAMPS Trade Show Las Vegas 2026, the longest-running B2B marketplace for smoke shops, vape retailers, glass specialists, CBD/hemp operators, and alternative-product businesses. The show runs August 26–28, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, with the CHAMPS Sample Mixer returning August 27. This late-summer edition is the largest CHAMPS event of the year and a key buying window for independent retailers stocking the rest of 2026 and into 2027.

CHAMPS has connected manufacturers, distributors, glass artists, and shop owners since 1999. The floor brings together smoking accessories, functional glass, vaporizers, hemp products, novelty, apparel, and the support tools that keep specialty retail running. For Southern Utah operators in Cedar City, St. George, and surrounding markets—where tourism swings and state compliance rules are part of daily operations—this show is a practical place to compare suppliers and evaluate store technology.

We’re concentrating on the technology side, as specialty retail continues to adopt digital tools that improve inventory control, age verification, customer flow, and margins:

• Cloud POS and inventory platforms built for high-SKU shops (glass, hardware, vapor, merch) with real-time stock counts, multi-location visibility, and tighter shrink control. Better data helps Utah retailers match seasonal demand without overbuying.
• Age-verification and compliance systems that integrate scanners and logging at the register. Fast, consistent ID checks reduce risk and keep lines moving—critical in a tightly regulated category.
• Smart display, cooler, and case monitoring so temperature-sensitive and high-value items stay in spec without constant manual checks. Remote alerts cut waste and after-hours trips.
• Loyalty, CRM, and targeted marketing tools that track repeat customers and support promotions without violating advertising limits. Community shops in smaller Utah markets benefit when they can reward regulars and measure what actually sells.
• Contactless payments and security that speed checkout, cut cash handling, and give clearer sales analytics for buying decisions after the show.

These tools address the same operational realities Utah independents face: compliance, labor, tourism peaks, and competition with larger chains. CHAMPS is where buyers can see those systems live, ask integrators hard questions, and leave with solutions that pay for themselves in fewer stockouts, faster service, and cleaner books.

We’ll be walking the floor for demos, education sessions, and hands-on exhibits that matter to Utah’s specialty retail community. Stay tuned for follow-up pieces on the tech that actually moves the needle for shops back home.

Scott Kraft is the Technology Producer for Utah Channel 3. He is a degreed Electrical Engineer that applies engineering testing/procedures to products that are of technical interest to those participating in sporting activities in Southern Utah.

Richard Berk is the Executive Producer for Utah Channel 3. Richard’s field of expertise is the medical field and covers medical conventions when he is not producing Utah Channel 3 content. Richard also shares the passion of outdoor sports as do all members of BHTV.