Orlando transformed into a bustling hub of veterinary excellence as nearly 30,000 veterinarians, nurse techs, vet school students and alumni representing more than 25 leading veterinary universities converged for Veterinary Meeting & Expo’s (VMX) highly anticipated 2026 annual conference. This year’s theme: “World Classic–Celebrating the Champions of Care.”
The five-day show, held January 17-21 at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) and produced by the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC), was more than the largest event in the veterinary industry; it was a vibrant celebration of lifelong learning, professional connection, well-deserved networking and fun.
Attendees from 85 countries gathered for its more than 1,300 hours of continuing education—including virtual—from industry leaders, and to see the latest in veterinary products and innovations from more than 700 exhibitors, such as animal healthcare companies catering to small, large, exotic and aquatic animal care.
The excitement was palpable on opening morning as attendees streamed into the OCCC’s South Concourse to Queen’s iconic “We Are the Champions” anthem, setting an inspiring tone as a powerful video montage showcased dedicated veterinarians, nurses and techs in action, treating turtles, rescuing dogs and cats, caring for horses and healing exotic birds.
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A warm welcome from CEO Gene O’Neill set the stage for the week, as he praised those who have devoted their lives not only to caring for animals, but also to advancing veterinary education and empowering pet owners everywhere.
“VMX is designed to celebrate the continuing work of veterinary professionals worldwide—the people who never stop advancing care for animals,” O’Neill said.
Star Power
Next up: Hollywood icon John Travolta, whose airport home is in Ocala, Florida.
The crowd was wowed by a big-screen montage of his most famous movies, and then a sit-down Q&A that revealed the pet lover he is—owner at one time of 16 cats and his adoption of stray dog Peanut on Oscar night 2022!
He talked about his heroes being first responders.
“Fireman, policemen and vets that get up in the middle of the night to tend to people and their pets are my heroes,” he said.
A hero himself, Travolta is a trained and licensed Qantas International Airline pilot with several of his own airplanes. He’s flown doctors and supplies to Haiti, the Bahamas and New Orleans during hurricane-relief efforts.
“If you have the means, you have an obligation to help,” Travolta said.
He also thanked veterinarians “for injecting life into care with kindness.”
Touring the Show Floor
Next, I ventured onto the show floor where behemoth companies like Purina Pro Plan and Royal Canin exhibited, as well as smaller companies like VET Girl, offering the latest in technology and new products to the vet world.
Dr. Alison Beaulieu, DVM, traveled with 10 of her staff from Dickin Memorial Animal Hospital (DMAH) in Endicott, New York.
“The lectures are incredible—everything from the basics to advanced, hands-on sessions,” she said. “We divide and conquer when it comes to attending the educational tracks. After the show, we shoot the breeze about what we learned during the day.”
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Diving into the latest educational sessions and exploring cutting-edge products are top priorities, she said, but escaping the frosty winters of Upstate New York to soak up that sunny Orlando weather in January felt like a well-deserved bonus.
First-time attendee Claire Juergens, a surgical assistant at DMAH and an aspiring vet herself, spent several days visiting booths that offered medical equipment, new technology and new products.
“The show was eye opening, offering something for everyone,” she said.
Joe Sorrentino, chief events officer for the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC), has helmed the show for 13 years. With a staff of 80, plans are already in the works for VMX 2027 because, he says, the event is a year and a half in the making.
The Meeting Specs
NAVC had room blocks at 35-plus hotels with meeting rooms to accommodate 1,300 hours of in-person and virtual meetings.
Most of the room blocks were at the many hotels connected to the convention center, including Hyatt Regency Orlando, Hilton Orlando, Rosen Centre and Rosen Plaza Hotel.
Joe Sorrentino, chief events officer for NAVC, said the association is looking forward to the new Grand Concourse
Expansion at the OCCC because the group needs more space for its ever-expanding conference.
“We’ve outgrown the ballroom here. Seven thousand came out to see John Travolta, and in the future, we’ll need a ballroom for 10,000,” he offered.
The Grand Concourse will add 44,000 square feet of meeting space and a 100,000-square-foot ballroom to the North-South Building. Construction for the Grand Concourse Expansion will begin in 2026 and is expected to finish in 2029.
While few convention centers in the country can handle this large of an event, Sorrentino said attendees particularly enjoy Orlando for the weather, walkability and wealth of restaurants and attractions.
“During the conference we have an outing at Crystal River so attendees can see the hundreds of manatees that migrate to warmer waters,” he said. “We also have a behind-the-scenes event at SeaWorld offering rescue tours of manatees and sea turtles in distress, and how they care for them. In the past we’ve gone to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and we know many of the exhibitors use restaurants and attractions for after-hours events.”
Vet Girl Marketing Coordinator Lauren Wenstad said her team of 12 came in early from all over the country and decided to visit Disney World.
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“We all work remotely, so we go as a team-bonding activity,” she said. “We also visited Arcade Monsters International Drive for fun before the show.”
Boehringer Ingelheim, maker of pharmacuetical products for pets, feted their best customers at Universal Studios on one night, where guest rode The Incredible Hulk and Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man coasters and sampled fare from a variety of CityWalk restaurants.
Melisa Tooke, manager, marketing and events for Antech Diagnostics, said Orlando is always a hit with her company’s attendees.
“Everyone likes to come to Orlando for the warm weather and hotel choices,” she said. “We know some of our employees brought in their families and plan on staying a few days to go to Disney World and Epic Universe. And because it’s football season, we like to hold customer appreciation events at venues like The Pub and Hampton Social at Pointe Orlando, where guests can watch the games,” she said.
During VMX, attendees were also treated to a concert by country star Riley Green, a Go for the Gold 5k fun run (where runners could bring their kids and pets), a Shark Tank-style pitch competition for emerging veterinary startups and a volunteer opportunity to VMX attendees who packed and distributed 1 million meals across Central Florida in partnership with U.S. Hunger.
