M-PACT Bound

Ep. 70 Full Throttle to M-PACT 2026

• M-PACT Tradeshow

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Dive into the excitement of M-PACT 2026 as we unveil the "Full Throttle" racing theme, set to energize the upcoming show in Indianapolis. Brian Clark, Kellie Walsh, and Meggie Davlin discuss the new developments for 2026 – including the Exhibitor Cup Awards and the dynamic kickoff event at Crane Bay. With over 50% of the show floor already sold, this year's M-PACT promises to be a spectacular celebration leading up to the 25th anniversary in 2027. 

M-PACT Bound is the official podcast of the M-PACT Fuel and Convenience Tradeshow.

Brian Clark (00:12)
Welcome to M-PACT Bound, the podcast of the M-PACT Trade Show, the Midwest Petroleum and Convenience Trade Show, coming back to Indianapolis April 14th through 16th in 2026. And in studio with me today, I've got Kelly Walsh from Indiana and Meggie Devlin from ⁓ Illinois, all part of the M-PACT team. And we're really excited to talk today in our first podcast for the 2026 show year.

about some exciting new developments and some new things we'll be featuring So welcome, Kelly. Welcome, Meggie. Glad to have you with us.

Meggie Davlin (00:44)
Morning, Brian.

Hi, Kelly. Thanks so much for having us today.

Kellie Walsh (00:48)
Hey Meggie, hey Brian, glad to be here.

Brian Clark (00:50)
And we're excited to talk about M-PACT for 2026 and announce right off the bat, we've got a new theme for 2026 and that is full throttle. full throttle implies racing and it is a racing theme that we're going to be focusing on not just for 2026, but also for 2027. So we'll have two years that our exhibitors

and our sponsors and attendees can enjoy the racing theme focus. Obviously we're in Indianapolis, which is a racing town, of course, famous for the Indianapolis 500. And so we're excited to announce that theme as part of a two-year celebration leading up to our 25th anniversary in 2027. So theme is all about momentum and energy and gearing up for something big.

⁓ Meggie and Kelly and I are excited about talk about that today on our podcast. And so I'm gonna just turn it over to Meggie a little bit and we're gonna talk about exhibits and what's new ⁓ with the exhibit this year. You're in the middle of our booth sales right now. How's the 2026 floor shaping up for the show this year, Meggie?

Meggie Davlin (02:04)
Yeah, Brian, it's going great. We're over 50 % of the show floor sold, which we're really excited about. Opening up after the show is huge. I think everyone's excited and has momentum from the past year's show. opening up those booth sales just a month after everyone still has the energy from the previous year's show. So we're really filling up quickly again, over 50 % sold. So we're very excited about that. So we encourage exhibitors to keep signing up. It really helps, I think, if you get that exhibitor upgrade.

You get so much more exposure on the show floor to attendees. So if you're interested in that, please let us know. We'd love to help you get signed up for that.

Brian Clark (02:38)
Yes, especially, I mean, this show is all about attendees and the exhibitors, right? I mean, we have a huge turnout. I mean, that's our 24th year and we want to have a full floor and we're excited to already see the level of popularity of this show in 2026. ⁓ So.

Meggie Davlin (02:44)
Absolutely.

Yes.

Yeah, absolutely. Having this

much participation already is just huge. So we're excited about it. I think we're pretty excited to share about the Exhibitor Cup Awards this year. So we're encouraging all of our exhibitors to sign up to participate basically in a contest to really kick off the theme for this year to get geared up for the 25th year. So we're encouraging everyone to decorate their booth space with that full-throttle racing theme.

in the hopes to really surprise attendees this year. And I think by doing that, we're gonna get really a huge turnout and even more momentum for our 25th year in 2027. So we're very excited about this theme.

Brian Clark (03:35)
So is it open to any exhibitor or is there size restrictions or anything like that with a cup awards?

Meggie Davlin (03:41)
Sure, so it's open to all exhibitors. We're going to have two different categories to make it fair for everyone. So it's 10 by 30 and smaller will be one award and the second award will be for 20 and 20s and bigger. So that gives everybody a fair chance in the playing field ⁓ and it's pretty exciting. ⁓

So we're very excited. We're going to have ⁓ judges walking around for judges will walk around. ⁓ And we're excited to see who they're going to choose. But we'll have four judges there anonymously walking the floor to choose our winners, and they will be announced the last day of the show.

Brian Clark (04:12)
Very cool, very cool. So this is a chance for our exhibitors to opt in and really embrace that racing theme of full throttle for 2026. And how do they participate though? They do have to opt in to do it, right? It's not just a passive thing.

Meggie Davlin (04:21)
Absolutely.

Correct, It is an opt-in feature. So when you receive that email, you'll be able to click on a link to opt in. You can email myself directly as well, exhibit@m-pact.org and we'll make sure you're able to participate in the contest. I think it's going to be a lot of fun. We're very excited about it.

Brian Clark (04:42)
So what do you think the judges are gonna be looking for? Like what should exhibitors think about in prepping for this with a theme this year?

Meggie Davlin (04:48)
Yeah,

absolutely. would say, you know, decor any way to bring that racing theme to your booth. So I would say any kind of visual, any kind of engagement with attendees, making it fun, really kicking off the theme of being at a racetrack. So I think the more you can engage your attendees and, you know, really visually bring them together, I think the judges are going to be looking for engagements and visual effects and any way to really like promote your service or product by using the theme as well.

Brian Clark (05:17)
So whether it's the Indy or Formula One or NASCAR, race related, theme related with full throttle. Very, very cool.

Meggie Davlin (05:21)
Absolutely. Theme race related, yes. Yes. Absolutely.

Yeah, we're excited. It's gonna be really cool. I think it's been a great way to kick off our 25th show. So just really gearing up both exhibitors and also just really surprising attendees. It's gonna be cool.

Brian Clark (05:38)
Yeah, I think so too. And Kelly, I know with the kickoff event, that's always been a really big part that on the first night on April 14th, we'll have that event. It's always been a big hit. Obviously with this racing theme this year, you've got some things up your sleeve, I'm sure. So what's new for 2026 with the kickoff this year?

Kellie Walsh (05:57)
Hey, Brian. Yeah, thanks for having me. I'm really excited to talk about the kickoff event. Gosh, what's not new with the kickoff this year? We've changed venues. some racing simulators to make sure we're right in theme and start them off right with that racing full throttle theme. We've got...

An indoor-outdoor setting at Crane Bay this year, is set with a beautiful backdrop and skyline of the city, Lucas Oil Stadium. It's within walking distance of the convention center. We will have shuttles running though. If you don't want to make that walk, we'll be running back and forth between the convention center and the event venue to get people to and from so they can easily make it then on back to their hotels or accommodations.

but a really cool environment of an industrial revitalized industrial facility where some of the actual working cranes from when it was a factory are still in use and will be displaying some of our goodies and things around the room as well.

Brian Clark (06:52)
So that's the name, the Crane Bay, because it was a crane manufacturing facility. Very cool, very cool. So he's going to have that manufacturing feel, some aspects inside, some aspects outside. And that's going to be on Tuesday night from 7 to 10.

Kellie Walsh (06:56)
Yes.

Yep.

Seven to 10 come rain or shine. If it's a little cool, you know, dress a little warmer. The outside facility does have an awning that can expand out if the weather's a little inclement. They have propane heaters. They have fire pits. So it's there's no reason that you shouldn't attend the kickoff. We've kept the pricing very reasonable again this year. And we're looking for really just a great evening to get fully into that racing theme. And then the

Brian Clark (07:33)
You

Kellie Walsh (07:34)
That continued on to the floor the next couple of days with Meggie's contest.

Brian Clark (07:38)
So the kick-off itself has a theme to it too, right? What is that?

Kellie Walsh (07:42)
Yes it does, Brian. It is night at the infield and this kind of gives you the vibe of being there in this infield, let's just say the Indianapolis Motor Speedway near and dear to my heart, where they will be able to really be up close and personal with not only the simulators that I mentioned a little while ago, but we also have RC race cars and the track that'll be there that you'll be able to control those cars on the track and race against your peers and your friends as well.

Brian Clark (08:08)
that'll be fun That'll be cool. So like the little cars, like we would be racing. Cool. So you can sit in a car simulator and get the racing experience or you can race your friends with an RC car.

Kellie Walsh (08:10)
So, yeah.

Yes, yes, and you can have your pictures taken with our really cool ⁓ selfie camera we're going to have up at 360. So they'll be able to have a picture, a souvenir picture with that as well.

Brian Clark (08:33)
But to attend that, obviously they've got to purchase a kickoff ticket, right?

Kellie Walsh (08:38)
They do. They

have The tickets are $70. Again, same as last year's price and hoping that we really can just get a great crowd again like we've had in the past to celebrate the new venue and the beginning of a two-year celebration leading up to our 25th anniversary of the show in 2027.

Brian Clark (08:56)
Now even though the Crane Bay venue is downtown, it's not exactly walkable, right? How can attendees get there?

Kellie Walsh (09:03)
If they make their way like they do to the convention center for the show, we'll have shuttles set up there for them to catch and those will be making a circuit around the loop there down to Crane Bay, back up to the convention center, round trip from Crane Bay on a ride. It's about 10 minutes the stoplights. There they can take their normal pathways back to their hotels. Or certainly if they don't...

want to take a ride and they'd rather walk the distance from the convention center it's approximately two miles,

Brian Clark (09:32)
And there is limited parking there, right? So it's probably better that they take a Uber or something like that.

Kellie Walsh (09:38)
There is parking there, it's ⁓ a pay lot, but there is parking there, ⁓ or they can certainly take an Uber. Easy ride from anywhere downtown on an Uber

Brian Clark (09:41)
Mm-hmm.

and all that's gonna be going on the night before getting us warmed up for the next morning where we'll have our education sessions before the floor opens. So we'll have nine o'clock, 10 o'clock education sessions for day one on April 15th. And then of course, sessions again on day two for April 16th. Those are gonna be announced very soon, but I can certainly tell you we've got a great lineup already.

committed to speak again this year. That includes one of our very popular speakers, Kristine Sexter is going to be coming back. She was one of our top rated speakers last year. She's going to be doing two sessions for us this year. We're going to have sessions on marketing in your community, human trafficking, well as some motivational ones about leadership, and of course, some of the really topics that you'll hear about every year.

when you come to M-PACT, certainly regulatory trends, as well as equipment upgrades and some other exciting things that we'll be announcing very, very soon. So we're excited about 2026. But of course, the most important thing will be making your plans now. So if you're remotely...

Thinking about attending the show get those dates on your calendar watch for an announcement of a registration opening and then also If you're thinking about exhibiting Contact Meggie, right? How can exhibitors get involved and learn more Meggie?

Meggie Davlin (11:08)
Absolutely.

Yes, so can go online to m-pact.org or you can email me directly at exhibit@m-pact.com and I'm happy to help with any questions. I can get you signed up with any boost size. We can discuss sponsorships or marketing opportunities. We've got a great team and we're more than happy to help you get set up to be there.

Brian Clark (11:30)
Exactly, that's totally spot on. There's opportunities for both sponsorship details will be coming up on the night in the infield for the kickoff and then always you can follow us on social media for updates and behind the scenes content or any important event announcements we're going to be having but at the very core of it if you go to m-pact.org m-pact.org that's where you can get all your information about M-PACT 2026 ⁓ and then also reach out to us to staff if you've got a question contact Kelly contact Meggie myself or any of the M-PACT team

We're glad to help you prepare brainstorm a little bit with you on ways you can do that theme in your booth I know Meggie's probably got some great tips for folks to think about as well Kelly with some ideas We've already been brewing for the kickoff that there's great ideas to brainstorm as you prepare for the show So any closing comments ladies as we wrap up the podcast today?

Meggie Davlin (12:15)
you

Thanks so much for having us, Brian. We're so excited. I think it's going to be great show. Our team's been working very diligently to make this the best yet. And I think the theme is going to be incredible so we can really build up to that 25th year show. So thank you, Brian.

Kellie Walsh (12:37)
Yes, thank you, Brian. I appreciate being on today. I'm excited to see everyone at the kickoff event. So no excuse. Make your plans and we'll see you in April.

Brian Clark (12:46)
Absolutely, it's gonna be a great show and we're looking forward to it. So we're looking forward to seeing you there ⁓ at M-PACT 2026 in Indianapolis April 14th through 16th. So make sure you check it out. Go to the website www.m-pact.org. We'll see you there.