It has been 13 years since I wrote the initial guide to Surviving the InfoComm Zombie Apocalypse, so I thought it was time for a reboot for 2026!

Nearly 750 companies will be on the floor exhibiting at InfoComm 2026, and with around 30,000 attendees, there is potential to leave after three days transformed into an AV Zombie, regurgitating AI taglines and muttering speeds and feeds.

Here are a few tips for navigating the show in Vegas and leaving with both your body and brain intact without joining the ranks of the undead.

Understand the Terrain

Surviving Infocomm ’26 will require you to know where you are and where you’re headed, with exhibits in the North and Central Halls and education in the West Halls, comfortable shoes and proper time management will be key. The good news is that with proper planning, you can minimize the back-and-forth between halls, and AVIXA has provided a way to Map Your Show online and in the app to create efficiencies. Ignore the terrain, and you may quickly find your left foot dragging behind you as you shuffle around mindlessly all day.

Protect Your Brains!

Have no illusions that there won’t be zombies on the show floor trying to devour your brains. They’ll look normal at first, but if you pay attention, they’ll likely start repeating the same terms over and over again without any real context. Buzzwords are the buzzsaw to try to crack your skull and spoon out the delicious gray matter. AI will definitely be a siren call, so be prepared with good questions, a kind of “Turing Test” for the AV Zombies.

Arm Yourselves

Know where the West Hall is. That is where the survival camps train, building real-world knowledge and skills — not just for the show floor — but also for the impending invasion that happens after you return to home base. The best defense is a great offense, and there’s nothing more offensive than great training (wait … you know what I mean). The more you know, the better odds you have of survival.

Safety in Numbers

Unfortunately, there have been some incidents over the last couple of years where attendees have been mugged or assaulted after hours at the show. Most of the incidents happened in the dark, in alleys and parking lots, when the attendee was alone and potentially impaired. After-hours events are a core part of InfoComm, so just make sure you’re with your squad, stick to the public paths and take care of one another. I can’t condone baseball bats wrapped in barbed wire, but in emergencies …

Bring IVs

The easiest way to turn into a Zombie on the show floor is to go too hard at the late-night “survivor” parties. If you want to avoid the stiff-armed slog and sensitivity to light, hydrate properly. Alternating a drink with a glass of water throughout the night can definitely help. Bring Liquid IV in your bag and drink one elixir before you go to bed, and another when you wake up. If you can muster the strength, a morning gym session, even if it’s just a 20-minute walk on the treadmill, can get your blood flowing and help you sweat out the infection.

So there you have it. Five tips for surviving InfoComm 2026 without losing World War Z.

I wish you, your brain, and your left foot luck, and I’ll see you in Las Vegas.

Have a tip for the survival guide? Add it in the comments.