Fall 2026 Towing, Public Safety, and Auto Recycling Events: Where to Find Autura
🔎In this article: Fall is one of the busiest stretches of the year for the towing and recovery and related industries. This year five big ones land between mid-October and late November. Below, we break down each one by audience: towing and recovery operators, public safety agencies, and the auto recycling and vehicle auction community. Learn what to expect at each event, where and when each one happens, how to register, and where to find our team on the floor.
Spring shows kick off the year, but fall is when the calendar gets crowded. In 2026, the ARA convention, the Tennessee Tow Show, and the International Towing & Recovery Museum's Museum Weekend all happen in the same week of October. IACP follows a week later, and American Towman Exposition takes place in Baltimore the week before Thanksgiving.
Each event serves a different slice of the industry. Tow owners go to compare equipment, pick up training, and catch up with peers. Law enforcement leaders go to see what's new in public safety technology, network with colleagues, and learn what other agencies are working on. Auto recyclers and vehicle buyers go to find new ways to source and move inventory.
We're privaledged to works wit all three groups, so you'll find our team at events across the board this fall.
Full Fall 2026 Towing and Recovery Industry Events Lineup
Towing and Recovery Events
International Towing & Recovery Museum Weekend
About this event: Museum Weekend is the towing industry's annual homecoming in Chattanooga, the birthplace of the U.S. towing industry. It's a reunion, built around the people who shaped the profession and those who were lost doing the job. The weekend opens Thursday with the Hall of Fame 40th Annual Reunion Celebration at the International Towing Museum, which Autura is proud to sponsor. Friday brings the annual fundraising auction at Erlanger Park. Saturday starts with the Wall of the Fallen name unveiling at 10 a.m., followed by the Hall of Fame Induction Dinner that evening. The weekend wraps Sunday with the museum member breakfast and meeting.
- Location: International Towing Museum and Erlanger Park, Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Dates: October 15-18, 2026
- Registration: towingmuseum.com/museum-weekend-page (pre-purchase sales have closed; Friday auction tickets are available at the door)
- Autura booth: Find us at the Hall of Fame Reunion Celebration on Thursday
Tennessee Tow Show
About this event: Held the same week as Museum Weekend, the Tennessee Tow Show gives operators a reason to make Chattanooga a multi-day trip. It's a regional show with a hands-on feel: equipment on the floor, vendor demos, training sessions, and plenty of time to network with other owners. If you're shopping for trucks, tools, or software, or just want to see what's changed since last year, it's a great place to be.
- Location: Chattanooga Convention Center, 1150 Carter St., Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Dates: October 15-17, 2026
- Registration: tennesseetowshow.com
- Autura booth: #1101
American Towman Exposition
About this event: American Towman Exposition in Baltimore is billed as the world's largest towing industry trade show and conference. Tow bosses from across the country, plus international visitors, fill the Baltimore Convention Center for three days of exhibits, education, and networking. Autura's Principal Product Strategist, Dennis McGowan, is presenting a Carte Blanche Passport session on Saturday morning, November 21: From Paperwork to Profit: How Modernizing Towing Management with Technology Can Change Your Business. Stop by booth #1115 after the session to keep the conversation going.
- Location: Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland
- Dates: November 19-21, 2026
- Registration: americantowman.com/atexposition
- Autura booth: #1115
Public Safety Agency and Government Events
IACP Annual Conference and Exposition
About this event: The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Annual Conference is one of the largest law enforcement event of the year, drawing more than 16,000 public safety professionals. Over four days, attendees can choose from 200+ educational workshops and walk an exhibit hall with 600+ companies. Technology is a major thread this year, including artificial intelligence and public safety innovation. For agencies that run rotation or contract towing programs, it's a good chance to see how other departments are cutting roadside wait times, tracking impounded vehicles, and reducing administrative load on dispatch and records staff. The exhibit hall is open Sunday through Tuesday.
- Location: Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida
- Dates: October 24-27, 2026
- Registration: theiacpconference.org
- Autura booth: #2489
Unclaimed, Impound Vehicle Auction and Vehicle Recycling Events
ARA 83rd Annual Convention & Exposition
About this event: The Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) convention is the main annual gathering for professional auto recyclers, and a natural fit for anyone who buys or sells impound, abandoned, and unclaimed vehicles. This year's opening keynote comes from Susan Frew, an AI entrepreneur, on using AI to drive growth. Friday and Saturday education sessions cover topics like self-service metrics, visual AI and damage codes, family business transitions, and compensation and culture. You'll also find Tech Talks, a large exhibit hall with equipment displays and vendor demos, a Friday networking dinner with the STAR Award recognition, and an auction benefiting the Automotive Recycling Training Institute (ARTI).
- Location: Renaissance Cobb Galleria and Cobb Galleria Centre, Atlanta, Georgia
- Dates: October 14-17, 2026
- Registration: a-r-a.org/annual-convention
- Autura booth: #113
Let's meet this fall
Show floors get busy fast, and the best conversations usually happen when there's time set aside for them. If you want to talk through your towing operation, your agency's towing program, or how you sell and buy vehicles at auction, book a meeting with our team in advance.
Prefer to keep it casual? Stop by the booth. We'd like to hear what's working for you, what isn't, and what you're hoping to find at the show.
