ACS 2026
By Buzzbox Media · Last reviewed August 3, 2026
What is ACS?
The largest general surgery meeting in North America. 80% surgeon audience gives unmatched access to the people who choose instruments, energy devices, and capital equipment for ORs nationwide. High-value face time with department chairs and residency directors.
What are the key facts about ACS?
- Host organization: American College of Surgeons
- Primary specialty: general surgery
- Scale: mega
- Geography: US National
- International attendance: ~15%
- See all Surgery conferences
Which device categories fit ACS?
Which buyer stages does ACS fit?
What does ACS charge for booth space?
Read from the ACS exhibitor prospectus published by American College of Surgeons. The rates are the organizer’s own; the 10×10 totals are our arithmetic on them. View the prospectus ↗
| Booth Type | $/sqft | 10×10 Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inline (up to 399 sq ft) | $44.50 | $4,450 | Min 100 sqft |
| Corner | $45.50 | $4,550 | Min 100 sqft |
| Island (400+ sq ft) | $42.50 | $4,250 | Min 400 sqft |
| Non-profit | $24.00 | $2,400 | Min 100 sqft |
What does an all-in 10×10 inline booth cost?
| Space rental | $4,450 |
| Estimated all-in total | $8,000-$15,000 |
Buzzbox Media estimate covering space rental plus standard show services. Not a quote and not the organizer's number. Does not include travel, staffing, booth display, or marketing materials. Confirm current pricing with the organizer.
Planning the ACS booth itself? Read our guide to medical conference booth design for booth types, union labor rules, and the corner upgrade.
Who attends ACS?
~80% general surgeons. 7,000-8,000 professional MDs with the remainder being residents, fellows, nurses, and virtual attendees. 12,000 total including virtual.
- Purchasing authority: ~50% of attendees
- Effective buyers: ~5,500
- Cost per effective buyer: $2.09 ($11,500 all-in ÷ 5,500 buyers)
- International attendance: ~15%
Where is ACS held?
- Venue: Washington, DC (Walter E. Washington Convention Center)
- Management company: Tradeshow Logic
- Move-in: September 25-26, 2026 (Fri 8am-4:30pm, Sat 8am-4:30pm)
- Move-out: September 29, 2026 2pm-6pm; September 30, 2026 8am-12pm
Who else exhibits at ACS?
Exhibitor data coming soon for ACS.
Is ACS worth exhibiting?
Why Exhibit
The largest general surgery meeting in North America. 80% surgeon audience gives unmatched access to the people who choose instruments, energy devices, and capital equipment for ORs nationwide. High-value face time with department chairs and residency directors.
Why Skip
If your device is specialty-specific (spine, urology, ENT), you'll be lost among 200 exhibitors targeting general surgeons. Smaller specialty meetings deliver more concentrated buyer access for niche products.
What should exhibitors know before ACS?
Managed by Tradeshow Logic, not in-house. Non-profit rate of $24/sqft is a significant discount if your org qualifies. Floor plan available at MapYourShow (acscc2026.mapyourshow.com).
What is the Buzzbox Score for ACS?
9.5 / 10 (Exceptional)
9.5 out of 10. One of the strongest exhibiting opportunities in our index. Carried by data transparency (9.6: booth pricing published and exhibitor prospectus available). The lightest dimension is cost efficiency (8.1, $44.50/sqft, slightly above the $42.50 median). The largest general surgery meeting in North America.
How we score
Six weighted factors, each scored on a 0 to 100 rubric then normalized to a 7.0 to 10.0 band. Every show on this list cleared a relevance bar to be included, so 7.0 is the floor; the number tells you how far the leaders pull ahead.
Strong (8.7): 50% purchasing authority (moderate), 55:1 attendee ratio, and mega-scale floor (11,000 attendees).
Strong (8.1): $44.50/sqft, slightly above the $42.50 median.
Standout (9.6): booth pricing published, exhibitor prospectus available, and 4 booth options documented.
Standout (9.4): Tradeshow Logic-managed, non-union venue (simpler, cheaper move-in), and purpose-built convention venue.
Strong (8.3): honest "who should skip" guidance, the flagship / largest show in its niche, and ~200 exhibitors to scout.
Standout (9.4): mega-scale and stable, ~200 exhibitors, and 11,000 attendees.
When are the ACS exhibitor deadlines?
Detailed deadlines not yet published for ACS. Check the official site for the application window.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a booth cost at ACS?
ACS publishes an exhibitor prospectus, and read from it an all-in 10×10 booth works out to roughly $8,000-$15,000, covering space rental plus standard show services. Travel, staffing, and booth display are additional. This is an estimate read from a published prospectus, not a quote, so confirm current pricing with the organizer.
How many people attend ACS?
ACS draws approximately 11,000 attendees. ~80% general surgeons. 7,000-8,000 professional MDs with the remainder being residents, fellows, nurses, and virtual attendees. 12,000 total including virtual.
When and where is ACS 2026?
ACS 2026 takes place September 26-29, 2026. The venue is Washington, DC (Walter E. Washington Convention Center). American College of Surgeons hosts the meeting. Exhibitor move-in is listed as September 25-26, 2026 (Fri 8am-4:30pm, Sat 8am-4:30pm).
How many ACS attendees have purchasing authority?
About 50% of ACS attendees hold purchasing authority, which works out to roughly 5,500 effective buyers out of approximately 11,000 attendees. Effective buyers multiplies total attendance by the share of attendees who hold purchasing authority. Both inputs are estimates drawn from organizer reporting and our own exhibitor research, so read the figure as directional rather than exact.
How does Buzzbox Media score ACS?
ACS carries a Buzzbox Score of 9.5 out of 10 (Exceptional). The score weighs six factors: audience quality, cost efficiency, data transparency, exhibitor experience, editorial value, and growth trajectory. Each factor is scored on a 0 to 100 rubric then normalized to a 7.0 to 10.0 band, and every conference in our index cleared a relevance bar to be listed, so 7.0 is the floor. On this record the highest is data transparency at 9.6 and the lowest is cost efficiency at 8.1.