<!-- source: https://tradeshowintel.com/events/american-fire-sprinkler-association-afsa -->
# American Fire Sprinkler Association AFSA — Trade Show Intelligence

> AFSA45 is a four-day fire sprinkler industry convention and exhibition in San Antonio, Texas, featuring 78 seminar options, 15.5 available CE credits, network

URL: https://tradeshowintel.com/events/american-fire-sprinkler-association-afsa

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Pro listing

# American Fire Sprinkler Association AFSA

AFSA45 is a four-day fire sprinkler industry convention and exhibition in San Antonio, Texas, featuring 78 seminar options, 15.5 available CE credits, networking, exhibitors and a seven-apprentice national competition.
AFSA45 is a four-day fire sprinkler industry convention and exhibition in San Antonio, Texas, featuring 78 seminar options, 15.5 available CE credits, networking, exhibitors and a seven-apprentice national competition.

AFSA45 is the American Fire Sprinkler Association’s 2026 annual convention, exhibition and National Apprentice Competition for the fire sprinkler industry. The four-day event combines educational seminars, networking, social events, an exhibition and an apprentice competition at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa from September 27–30, 2026. The organiser describes AFSA membership as including fire sprinkler contractors and designers, manufacturers and suppliers, and Authorities Having Jurisdiction.

## At a glance

- Dates: September 27–30, 2026.

- Venue: JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, 23808 Resort Parkway, San Antonio, Texas 78261.

- The programme advertises 78 seminar options and 15.5 CE credits.

- The exhibition is sold out according to the exhibitor page.

- The National Apprentice Competition features seven apprentices from across the country.

## Product categories

- Fire sprinkler products and systems

- Fire protection technology

- Equipment, products and services for fire sprinkler contractors

## Exhibitor profile

- Fire sprinkler contractors

- Fire sprinkler designers

- Manufacturers and suppliers of fire sprinkler products

- Companies serving contractor decision makers and fire sprinkler professionals

## Visitor profile

- Fire sprinkler contractors and contractor decision makers

- Fire sprinkler professionals

- Fire sprinkler designers

- Authorities Having Jurisdiction

- Manufacturers and suppliers

- Invited guests of AFSA

## Why exhibit
AFSA45 positions itself as the largest fire sprinkler event in North America and says exhibitors can reach almost 1,500 decision makers, contractor companies and fire sprinkler professionals. Traffic-building features include unopposed exhibit hours, the annual apprentice competition, a grand-opening reception and free passes for invited guests on the second exhibition day.

## Why visit
Visitors can attend educational seminars, earn up to 15.5 CE credits, view fire sprinkler technology, network with contractors and industry professionals, attend social and networking events, and observe the National Apprentice Competition.

## Why it matters
AFSA45 is positioned by AFSA as North America's largest fire sprinkler exhibition and brings together contractors, designers, manufacturers, suppliers, and Authorities Having Jurisdiction. The event is relevant for evaluating fire-protection technology, channel relationships, training, and contractor demand.

## Venue

  **name:** JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

### address

**city:** San Antonio

**street:** 23808 Resort Parkway

**country:** United States

**postal code:** 78261

**map url:** https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCcywKcxXeMZiMwLDcLgyEnNglcLOyB_qw&q=23808+Resort+Parkway%2C+San+Antonio%2C+Texas%2C+USA%2C+78261&zoom=15

**latitude:** 29.666697

- Main Entrance

**longitude:** -98.401064

### facilities

### parking

**notes:** Not established from reviewed official materials.

**status:** unknown

**currency:** USD

### cloakroom

**notes:** Not established from reviewed official materials.

**status:** unknown

### prayer rooms

**notes:** Not established from reviewed official materials.

**status:** unknown

### accessibility

**notes:** Not established from reviewed official materials.

**status:** unknown

### onsite shuttle

**notes:** Not established from reviewed official materials.

**status:** unknown

### charging points

**notes:** Not established from reviewed official materials.

**status:** unknown

### luggage storage

**notes:** Not established from reviewed official materials.

**status:** unknown

**gate notes:** From downtown or San Antonio International Airport, take Highway 281 North, turn right at TPC Parkway, continue through Bulverde Road into Cibolo Canyons, and turn left on Marriott Parkway.

**parking notes:** The venue lists on-site self-parking at $29 per day and valet parking at $45 per day. Accessible and van-accessible on-site parking are available. The nearest listed EV fast-charging station is at Fisher's Marketplace, 25510 Bulverde Road.

**floor plan url:** https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/satjw-jw-marriott-san-antonio-hill-country-resort-and-spa/events/

**floor plan page url:** https://afsa-afsa45.eventsairsite.com/exhibitors

**floor plan asset url:** https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/satjw-jw-marriott-san-antonio-hill-country-resort-and-spa/events/

### floor plan schematic

**notes:** The exhibitor page references a floor plan but states the exhibition is sold out; no usable schematic was extracted.

**source url:** https://afsa-afsa45.eventsairsite.com/exhibitors

**has floor plan:** true

**google maps embed url:** https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCcywKcxXeMZiMwLDcLgyEnNglcLOyB_qw&q=23808+Resort+Parkway%2C+San+Antonio%2C+Texas%2C+USA%2C+78261&zoom=15

**google maps place url:** https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=29.6666970%2C-98.4010640

**floor plan edition year:** 2026

**official venue page url:** https://afsa-afsa45.eventsairsite.com/venue

**venue navigation map url:** https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=29.6666970%2C-98.4010640

## Entry & registration

  **event hours:** AFSA45 runs September 27–30, 2026. Official exhibition hours are Tuesday, September 29, 1:30 PM–2:00 PM for the Exhibitor Appreciation Event, 2:00 PM–5:30 PM for the Exhibitor Grand Opening Reception, and Wednesday, September 30, 12:30 PM–3:30 PM for registered attendees and invited guests.

**ticket notes:** Member and non-member passes are offered, including all-access, guest/no-CEU, exhibitor all-access, booth personnel, education-only and seminar day passes.

**setup end date:** 2026-09-29

**registration url:** https://afsa.eventsair.com/afsa45

**setup start date:** 2026-09-28

**teardown end date:** 2026-09-30

**teardown start date:** 2026-09-30

## Organisers

- American Fire Sprinkler Association

- AFSA45 event contact

## Programme

- AFSA45 Awards Party

- 33rd National Apprentice Competition awards

**agenda url:** https://afsa-afsa45.eventsairsite.com/seminars

**agenda status:** partial

- National Apprentice Competition

## Previous edition

### stats

**year:** 2025

**notes:** Official AFSA44 exhibitor materials confirm the 2025 edition dates and venue at Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Maryland, but do not publish verified attendance, exhibitor-count, country-count, or floor-area totals.

**end date:** 2025-10-19

**start date:** 2025-10-16

**deals count:** 0

**edition number:** 0

**floor area sqm:** 0

**visitors count:** 0

**pavilions count:** 0

**exhibitors count:** 0

**visitor countries:** 0

**exhibitor countries:** 0

**recap html:** <p>AFSA44 took place October 16–19, 2025, at Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Maryland. Official exhibitor materials document the exhibit schedule, networking meals, exhibitor appreciation event, grand opening reception, second exhibit day, and apprentice competition viewing. Verified attendance and exhibitor totals were not published in the reviewed official materials.</p>

- 78 seminar options

- 15.5 CE credits

- San Antonio resort format

- Sold-out exhibition

**exhibitor roi:** AFSA44 offered exhibitors a sold-out hall with 108 participating companies, unopposed exhibit hours, a grand-opening reception and the apprentice competition positioned within the exhibition. The organiser reported record participation and a packed competition audience, supporting strong traffic potential, but it published no verified lead totals, sales conversions, exhibitor satisfaction score or financial return-on-investment measure.

**impact summary:** AFSA44 brought more than 1,500 fire sprinkler professionals to the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center for four days of education, product discovery and networking. Its sold-out exhibition featured 108 exhibitors, while 64 seminars covered technical standards, technology, design, hydraulics, project management and business topics. AFSA described participation as a record turnout at every level.

### current edition

**year:** 2026

**end date:** 2026-09-30

**source url:** https://www.orbus.com/about-us/tradeshow-list

**start date:** 2026-09-27

**value status:** organiser_forecast

**edition number:** 45

**visitors count:** 1300

**exhibitors count:** 125

**estimated visitors count:** 1300

**estimated exhibitors count:** 125

- 78

- 15.5

- 1500

- 7

- 3

- 3

- 125

- 1300

**audience quality:** The official recap identifies more than 1,500 attendees spanning fire sprinkler contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, architects, designers, facility managers and Authorities Having Jurisdiction. This mix placed buyers, technical specifiers, regulators and product suppliers in the same event, although the organiser did not publish audited job-level or purchasing-authority distributions.

- AFSA44, Washington, D.C.

- 2026

### next edition outlook

**year:** 2026

**summary:** AFSA45 moves to the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio, Texas, for September 27–30, 2026. The published programme promotes 78 seminar options, 15.5 available CE credits and a seven-apprentice national competition, while the exhibition is listed as sold out.

**end date:** 2026-09-30

**confidence:** confirmed

**start date:** 2026-09-27

- The host destination changes from the Washington, D.C. area to San Antonio, Texas.

- The venue changes from Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center to JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.

- Published seminar options increase from 64 at AFSA44 to 78 at AFSA45.

- The 2026 programme advertises 15.5 available CE credits and seven apprentices competing during the exhibition.

## Exhibitors

  **total:** 108

### exhibitor analysis quality

**total rows:** 0

**rows with hall:** 0

**classified rows:** 0

**rows with booth:** 0

**unclassified rows:** 0

**classification coverage pct:** 0

## Market

  **region:** North America

**why it matters:** AFSA45 is positioned by AFSA as North America's largest fire sprinkler exhibition and brings together contractors, designers, manufacturers, suppliers, and Authorities Having Jurisdiction. The event is relevant for evaluating fire-protection technology, channel relationships, training, and contractor demand.

- Fire sprinkler technology adoption

- Workforce development and apprentice training

- Contractor-focused commercial networking

### similar event circuit

**title:** AFSA annual convention circuit

- AFSA46 Convention

- AFSA47 Convention

- AFSA48 Convention

**summary:** AFSA publishes future convention locations for comparison and forward planning.

- Annual AFSA planning window

**source note:** Dates and future-city information are from the official AFSA45 website.

**planning window:** Review the next convention destination before committing to a multi-year exhibition program.

## Logistics

### visa

**official url:** https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas.html

**ata carnet notes:** No event-specific ATA Carnet policy was identified in the reviewed official materials. Confirm with U.S. Customs and the official event freight contractor before shipping temporary exhibition goods.

**free nationalities notes:** Nationality-specific eligibility was not established. Travelers should check U.S. Visa Waiver Program and visa requirements through official U.S. government resources.

**weather notes:** September conditions and forecast should be checked close to departure; official event materials do not provide weather data.

- Business networking

- Local planning

- San Antonio International Airport

**connectivity notes:** The official lodging page states conference-center wireless internet is included at general bandwidth and guest-room wireless supports up to six devices.

**local currency code:** USD

## Visitor persona

### visa

**notes:** No nationality-specific visa determination was provided.

**official url:** https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas.html

**processing time:** Varies by nationality, visa class, and consular workload.

**requirement summary:** Visa requirements depend on nationality and travel purpose. Use the official U.S. Department of State and U.S. Customs and Border Protection resources for determination.

### hotels

- JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

- North San Antonio / Stone Oak

- TPC Parkway area

### flights

**partner url:** https://www.flysanantonio.com/

- United States domestic origins

- International origins connecting through a U.S. gateway

**booking notes:** Book flights to SAT and allow ground-transfer time to the Hill Country resort.

**destination airport:** San Antonio International Airport (SAT)

### weather

**month:** September

**packing notes:** Business-casual clothing, comfortable shoes, and weather-flexible layers are advisable.

**temperature range:** Not established from official event materials.

**rain or seasonality:** Check a current San Antonio forecast before travel.

### transport

**parking:** Venue parking terms and current daily rates were not established from official event materials.

**ride hail:** Use a current ride-hail app for airport and hotel transfers; pricing varies.

**hotel to venue:** Downtown Atlanta and convention-center hotels are typically within walking distance or a short ride-hail/MARTA trip to the venue.

**public transit:** Public-transit suitability to the Hill Country resort was not established from official event materials.

**airport to venue:** Taxi, ride-hail, rental car, or hotel transfer; exact current fares were not established.

- Confirm event pass and badge details

- Confirm visa and travel documents

- Book flights and hotel

- Shortlist target exhibitors/sessions

- Prepare meeting calendar

### itinerary builder

- River Bluffs Water Experience

- TPC San Antonio

## Exhibitor persona

### compliance

**notes:** Review the official exhibitor kit and service contractor rules before build-up.

**stand rules url:** https://afsa-afsa45.eventsairsite.com/exhibitors

**insurance required:** Not established from reviewed official materials.

**electrical or safety rules:** Booth specifications include a 26 ft ceiling height; chairs, tables, and extra carpet are not included and are optional purchases.

### lead capture

**notes:** The official pages reviewed do not state whether badge scanning or lead-capture services are available.

- https://afsa-afsa45.eventsairsite.com/exhibitors

- https://cloud-1de12d.becdn.net/customfile/11c20afe68ddfef26fc85c71ac3deb0aa4aa498d835e29675c5d4508373ea7b5/Exhibitor-Kit.pdf

**availability status:** unknown

**recommended followup sla:** Within 48 hours of each qualified conversation

- Confirm booth package and payment deadlines

- Submit stand design and contractor forms

- Book staff travel and accommodation

- Prepare freight and customs documents

- Prepare lead capture, collateral, and follow-up workflow

### freight shipping

**notes:** VIPER handles furnishings, installation/dismantle labor, material handling, shipping, and booth cleaning.

**partner url:** https://order.vipertradeshow.com

**deadline summary:** Specific freight deadlines were not captured; consult the exhibitor kit and VIPER ordering portal.

- Shipping labels

- Material-handling order

- Booth service orders

- Commercial invoice or customs documentation where applicable

**official handler:** VIPER Tradeshow Services

## Planning

### exhibitor

### lead capture

**notes:** The official pages reviewed do not state whether badge scanning or lead-capture services are available.

**recommended followup sla:** Within 48 hours of each qualified conversation

- San Antonio River Walk

- The Alamo

**best visit day:** Tuesday, September 29, 2026

- AFSA45 exhibit hall

- Networking breakfasts

- Networking lunches

- River View Pavilion & Lawn

- Start with the official schedule

- Use the exhibit hall strategically

- Book lodging carefully

- Education

- Exhibition

- Networking

- Apprentice competition

**best visit day reasoning:** Tuesday includes the exhibitor appreciation event and the 2:00-5:30 PM grand opening reception, creating a concentrated opportunity for exhibition networking. The official page identifies these as September 29 activities.

## Costs

### calculator

**currency:** USD

**per diem usd:** 0

**booth sqm max:** 9.29

**booth sqm min:** 9.29

**visa cost usd:** 0

**nights default:** 4

**booth sqm default:** 9.29

**insurance cost usd:** 0

**shell per sqm low usd:** 429

**shell per sqm high usd:** 1454

**hotel mid per night usd:** 282.43

**hotel budget per night usd:** 259

**hotel premium per night usd:** 305.85

### booth prices

**notes:** Published booth pricing is for booth space only and a standard 10 x 10 booth. Early member price is $3,985; late member price is $4,515; early non-member price is $11,955; late non-member price is $13,514. Each published package includes one all-access badge and two booth-personnel badges.

**source:** https://afsa-afsa45.eventsairsite.com/exhibitors

**currency:** USD

**standard booth sqm:** 9.2903

**raw space per sqm low:** 0

**raw space per sqm high:** 0

**shell scheme per sqm low:** 0

**shell scheme per sqm high:** 0

## Decision tools

### quiz result config

**mode:** visit_exhibit_skip

**intro:** Answer the questions to determine whether AFSA45 is best approached as a visitor, exhibitor, or both.

- Attend as a visitor

- Exhibit

- Attend and exhibit

**tie label:** Plan a targeted visit first

**tie description:** If scores are tied, attend as a visitor and use the event to validate exhibition ROI.

## Partners

- Official AFSA45 lodging

- VIPER Tradeshow Services

- San Antonio International Airport

- U.S. Department of State visas

## Media

- AFSA45 official homepage banner

- AFSA45 exhibit-hall image

- AFSA45 Awards Party image

- AFSA45 event logo

**og image url:** https://cdn.tradeshowintel.com/assets/tsi_pro/6a12874085028b98a703c5e3/og_1785922130.png

**event logo url:** https://cdn.tradeshowintel.com/assets/event_logos/6a12874085028b98a703c5e3_1780119882.png

**hero image url:** https://cdn.tradeshowintel.com/assets/tsi_pro/6a12874085028b98a703c5e3/hero_1785922100.jpg

## Sources

- AFSA45 Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition

- AFSA45 Exhibitor Details and Events

- Honor Those Who Make an Impact

- AFSA Sets the Stage in San Antonio

- JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa Events and Floor Plans

- AFSA National Apprentice Competition

- AFSA44 Attendee Registration

- AFSA44 Hits Every Mark in the Nation's Capital

- AFSA44 Exhibition Has No Equal

- Over Sixty Sensational Seminars at AFSA44

- About AFSA45

- AFSA45 Convention official home page

- AFSA45 Lodging

- AFSA45 Exhibitor Kit

- U.S. Visas

- San Antonio International Airport