Channel partners are heading into 2027 with more questions than answers and that’s usually when a conference badge earns its keep.
Customers want to deploy AI and they need partners who can outline strategy, deliver outcomes and tell them what it will cost. The hardware powering it all is suddenly very expensive. Server memory prices climbed throughout 2026 and TrendForce expects DRAM costs to continue to rise through the end of next year.
Meanwhile, the channel is getting smaller at the top. GTIA merged with ASCII in September. Big distributors are consolidating through M&A. And managed services providers and their peers in managed security services are selling to one another and private equity firms at a steady clip.
Even the shows are on the move. Pax8 Beyond heads to San Diego, ChannelCon lands in Orlando, Extreme Connect crosses the Atlantic and Avant takes its Special Forces Summit to Denver for the first time.
Wherever you pick up a badge, the work stays the same. Find out what’s real, what’s noise and who is really worth doing business with.
Here are the technology and channel events worth your time in the year ahead:
Top channel conferences in 2027
Xchange
March 7-9
Arlington, Texas
The B2B marketing, media and events company that publishes CRN brings together IT channel executives, technology providers and industry consultants for its flagship partner event in the spring. The Channel Company’s Xchange conference features keynotes by company executives, workshops and exhibitions that delve into challenges and trends in the vendor-partner ecosystem.
Channel Partners Conference and Expo
March 15-18
Las Vegas
The Channel Partners Conference and Expo marks its 30th year with a return to Las Vegas and a crowd of more than 8,000 channel professionals. The show began as an agent event and now covers the full partner landscape, from TAs and TSDs to VARs and MSPs. The spring edition of MSP Summit is part of the Channel Partners conference, filling the first day with dedicated managed services keynotes, sessions and a tabletop expo. After that, attendees head into three days of the main conference and expo hall.
Kaseya Connect
April 26-28
Las Vegas
Kaseya’s annual flagship conference brings together channel professionals to share industry insights and build relationships. The event boasts 20-plus hours of networking and social events, plus more than 100 one-on-one sessions with executives. Partners and IT professionals can also expect workshops, hands-on training and vendors showcasing business growth solutions.
Forrester B2B Summit North America
May 2-4
Phoenix
Forrester’s B2B Summit North America welcomes marketing, product, customer and revenue leaders to discuss AI-driven buying behavior, marketing impact analysis, customer relationship building and other related topics. The event includes peer networking, sessions with Forrester analysts and GTM leaders and an evening with rock band the Fray.
Extreme Connect
May 10-13
Dublin
Extreme Networks’ annual conference for business leaders, IT professionals and network specialists moves across the Atlantic to Ireland after landing in Orlando in 2026. The event features speakers and sessions on AI-powered networking and next-generation wireless technologies, peer-to-peer sessions and expert-led training programs.
Pax8 Beyond
June 6-8
San Diego
Pax8 counts more than 47,000 MSPs in its customer base and has turned its flagship North American event into one of the marquee mid-year MSP shows, featuring celebrity keynotes, networking and education. The marketplace platform brought in more than 3,500 attendees last year. A pre-con event will provide sessions on AI, cybersecurity and go-to-market strategies.
GTIA ChannelCon 2027
July 27-29
Orlando
The Global Technology Industry Association’s midsummer conference is the trade association’s flagship event for IT services providers, partner program executives, consultants and vendors. In 2026, GTIA merged with MSP community ASCII, adding 1,300 partner firms to its ranks, promising a larger than ever ChannelCon in 2027. The event features keynotes, panel discussions, industry awards and plenty of time for networking.
Telarus Partner Summit
Aug. 2-4
Dallas
The global tech services distributor returns to the Big D for a second year. Tech advisor partners of the firm will gather for keynote sessions, education, vendor meetings and networking. Founded in 2003, Telarus has grown into the largest TSD by most metrics, fueled by an investment by Columbia Capital.
AppDirect Thrive
Oct. 4-6
Charlotte, North Carolina
AppDirect’s Thrive27 brings tech buyers and sellers together under one roof, with sponsors such as Microsoft, AWS and Google. Attendees at the B2B commerce confence can attend keynotes and expert-led sessions, and explore AI, cybersecurity, SaaS, cloud and energy technologies with deep-dive demos and real-life use cases. They can also connect with more than 1,200 IT industry decision-makers, founders and executives.
Avant Special Forces Summit
Oct. 4-7
Denver
Avant Communications’ flagship event heads to Colorado for the first time, as the tech services distributor celebrates its 10th Special Forces conference. The firm brings trusted advisor and vendor partners together for keynotes, education and networking. Many attendees will stick around for the end-of-show concert, which touted Nelly as its headliner in 2026.
Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo
Oct. 18-21
Orlando
Gartner’s flagship U.S. event — the annual IT Symposium/Xpo in Orlando — gathers IT executives and professionals for three days devoted to keynotes, panels, workshops, demos and plenty of vendor swag. The four-day event also features Gartner analyst insights and discussion that explore challenges and emerging trends, including but not limited to AI governance, AI strategy, AI costs and getting AI aligned with business strategy.
