If the past few years have taught the exhibit and event industry anything, it’s that budgets are no longer static line items. They’re living, breathing reflections of supply chains, labor markets, technology adoption, and union labor negotiations. As 2026 approaches, planners are staring down a familiar question with new urgency: How much is it really going to cost this year? From fabrication and freight to AV, labor, and experiential tech, pricing pressures are evolving ra