About the Nail Tech Event of the Smokies

The Longest-Running Nails-Only Professional Trade Show in the United States

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Founded in 2008, the Nail Tech Event of the Smokies is the longest-running nails-only professional trade show in the United States. Each year, 500 - 700 licensed nail technicians attend alongside 200 - 250 nail educators & nail company owners, working across 57 - 69 nails-only exhibitor booths at the Gatlinburg Convention Center in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The event is open exclusively to licensed beauty professionals & current beauty school students, maintaining a true trade-only educational environment.

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Why Gatlinburg, Tennessee

The Nail Tech Event of the Smokies was created in 2008 to bring affordable, high-quality nail education to an underserved region of the Southern United States. Gatlinburg, TN was intentionally chosen because it sits within driving distance of 22 surrounding states, making it accessible to nail professionals across the eastern U.S. In fact, more than 50% of the U.S. population living east of the Mississippi River can reach Gatlinburg within a single day’s drive.

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Gatlinburg welcomes 11 - 14+ million visitors annually as the gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the United States & one of the few that remains free to enter. Just 7 miles away, Pigeon Forge, TN offers additional attractions including Dollywood Theme Park & Water Park, making the Smokies Nail Show a popular destination for both professional education & family travel.

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From Grassroots Beginnings to National Recognition

The Smokies Nail Show began humbly in 2008 as a small "nail tech networking event" held in a local hotel ballroom. The first year welcomed 50 nail technicians, 6 educators & featured legendary nail icon Vicki Peters as the guest speaker, with no product sales at that time. Within just three years, the event grew into the largest nail tech networking event in the United States, driven entirely by word-of-mouth within the nail community.

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As demand grew, the show evolved to meet professional education needs. Monday Workshops were introduced in 2010, followed by Saturday Workshops in 2011. After outgrowing two hotel venues in four years, the event officially moved into the Gatlinburg Convention Center in 2012 & became a fully licensed, nails-only trade show, removing the word “networking” from its name to reflect its professional scale & focus.

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Education-Focused, Nails-Only & Built for Professionals

The Nail Tech Event of the Smokies is known for providing everything professional nail technicians need in one place featuring live demos, wholesale nail products, hands-on education & business-building seminars. In 2019, the show expanded again with the addition of Friday Extended Workshops, allowing attendees to extend their educational experience to a full four-day weekend or if techs time is limited, just attend the 1-day, nails-only show on Sunday.

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The Friday to Monday format gives nail professionals flexibility to attend education while their families enjoy the Smokies, making the event especially appealing for self-employed techs who combine advanced education with family travel. This structure has helped the Smokies Nail Show remain the most attended nails-only trade show in the U.S. for nearly two decades.

CLICK HERE for the Workshops page

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A Debt-Free, Community-Driven Trade Show

The Smokies Nail Show is proudly debt-free & community-built. The Event Team is made up of friends & family volunteers who use their own vacation time to help operate the show. Expenses are cash-flowed year over year, ensuring long-term stability without outside investors or corporate ownership.

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Behind the scenes, the show requires year-round planning, coordination & commitment. Its continued success stands as proof of what’s possible when the nail industry comes together to support education & professionalism. We’re honored to welcome you to the journey of building nail tech pride, one professional at a time.

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XOXOXO
Jill Wright
Event Coordinator & Nail Tech
Nail Tech Event of the Smokies, LLC