The adult nightclub industry descended on the Rio Hotel and Casino for the 28th Annual ED Expo, featuring four days of seminars, networking, nightlife and the 2026 ED “Honors” Awards Show, recognizing clubs, entertainers and industry professionals at the Penn & Teller Theater.
The 2026 Exotic Dancer Expo proved once again that when the adult nightclub industry comes to Las Vegas, it doesn’t exactly believe in doing anything halfway.
Held August 23–26 at the Rio Hotel & Casino, this year’s EXPO brought together club owners, operators, entertainers, manufacturers, suppliers, educators and industry professionals for four days of networking, education, business, nightlife and plenty of reasons to stay up past bedtime.
From a bustling tradeshow floor packed with exhibitors and new products to a full slate of seminars addressing the issues shaping today’s clubs, EXPO 2026 delivered plenty of opportunities to learn, connect and make deals. And, because this is Vegas, the business day was followed by a nightlife schedule that made the concept of “calling it an early night” largely theoretical.
“The best thing about EXPO is that it brings the entire industry together in one place,” says Dave Manack, Publisher of ED Magazine. “You can spend the afternoon talking business, sit in on a seminar that changes the way you look at your operation, walk the tradeshow floor and then find yourself at a party with people you haven’t seen in a year. That combination has always made EXPO the premier B2B event of our industry.”
The nighttime festivities delivered their own brand of controlled chaos, with parties hosted by Las Toxicas and Spearmint Rhino LV and special events offering attendees plenty of opportunities to network in a considerably less formal environment. Because nothing says “productive business relationship” quite like discovering you have the same questionable moves on the dance floor.
The festivities culminated with the 2026 ED Honors Awards, held Tuesday evening at the Penn & Teller Theater and hosted by comedian Matt Richards, who brought his biting wit to an evening celebrating the people, clubs and companies that continue to move the industry forward.
Among the evening’s biggest honors, Thee Dollhouse of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was named Overall Club of the Year, while Bucks Platinum of Columbus, Ohio, took home Overall “Small” Club of the Year. Regional honors recognized standout clubs across the country, while the entertainer categories celebrated both established stars and the next generation of talent.
The evening also included the presentation of the Don Waitt Industry Ambassador Award, given to his daughter, Devyn Waitt, for curating the Exotic Dancer Archive in Don’s memory, now open at Harry Mohney’s Erotic Heritage Museum, and the induction of Ken Degori of BSG Management into the Exotic Dancer Hall of Fame.
“This year’s Honors Awards really captured what makes this industry special,” Manack says. “There are the big names and the big clubs, but there are also hundreds of people working behind the scenes every day to make this industry stronger, smarter and more successful. The Honors are about recognizing all of them.”
As the final awards were presented and the last EXPO events wound down, the 2026 edition left attendees with what has become one of the event’s most enduring takeaways: this is an industry that knows how to work hard, celebrate harder and occasionally forget what time it is.
“EXPO is always a snapshot of where the industry is right now, but it’s also a glimpse at where we’re headed,” Manack says. “The people who come to EXPO aren’t just here to see what’s happening. They’re the people helping decide what happens next. That’s why we’re already looking forward to next year.”
For more information, please visit theedexpo.com.
2026 ED Honors Awards Winners
Overall Club of the Year
Thee Dollhouse — Myrtle Beach, SC
Overall “Small” Club of the Year
Bucks Platinum — Columbus, OH
Club of the Year East
The Pony Club — Pensacola, FL
“Small” Club of the Year East
Teasers — Key West, FL
Club of the Year Central
Cheyenne Gentlemen’s Club — Roland, OK
“Small” Club of the Year Central
PT’s Showclub — Indianapolis, IN
Club of the Year West
Spearmint Rhino — Las Vegas, NV
“Small” Club of the Year West
4Play — Los Angeles, CA
Feature Club of the Year
Platinum 84 — Denver, CO
Feature Entertainer of the Year
Rachel Rampage
Newcomer Entertainer of the Year
Jordan Dove
Club Favorite Entertainer of the Year
Blake Monroe
2026 EDI Overall Champion
Hayla Faye
Miss ExoticDancer.com of the Year
Summer Reign
Progressive Leader of the Year
Raquel Rea, Admiral Theatre — Chicago, IL
Don Waitt Industry Ambassador
Devyn Waitt
Outstanding Employee of the Year
Paolo Stoltz, The Men’s Club — Dallas, TX
Industry Innovators of the Year
Scott Discianno and Keith Silfstein, Las Toxicas
Businesswoman of the Year
Caressa, CXO — HausVue/SmartTab
Exotic Dancer Hall of Fame
Ken DeGori
