Small Business Expo Dallas runs Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas. Registration costs nothing. For a team that needs a signature, the free ticket leaves three line items to approve. Air, room and parking.
The ticket costs nothing
The expo's Dallas page prints the date, the 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM window and a single control labelled "GET YOUR TICKET (IT'S FREE)".
The venue page places the show in Exhibit Hall C and the C Ballroom. Its location list adds Ballroom C1-C4 and the C100 meeting rooms. The venue prints Event Starts 9:30 AM against November 4, which matches the organiser's banner.
The expo's FAQ reads a 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM programme. It puts check-in at 9:30 AM. The agenda opens the doors at 9:30 AM and starts the first workshop at 10:30 AM.
One show day, one hotel night
The show opens at 9:30 AM. A November 3 arrival puts the team in Dallas the night before and removes a same-morning flight from the plan. That is one hotel night and one show day.
The expo publishes no host hotel. Its travel partners page names HotelPlanner for rooms and Expedia for air and car rental. HotelPlanner lists Small Business Expo Dallas 2026 as November 3 to 4 at 650 S Griffin St, which matches the one-night plan.
What the attendee mix tells the staffing plan
The expo publishes its own attendee figures on its exhibit page. 82% of attendees plan to purchase within a year. 81% of attendees are business owners or C-level executives. More than 5,000 businesses register for each expo.
That mix sets how many people to send. A two-person team covers a booth and a workshop track. A five-person team covers the floor, the workshop rooms and a set of booked meetings in one day.
Flying into Love Field
The venue publishes Dallas Love Field at seven miles from 650 South Griffin Street. DFW sits about 30 minutes away. Dallas Executive Airport sits 10 minutes away.
The venue publishes a construction and roadwork advisory for its own access. It asks visitors to map the route in advance.
Parking on the day
The on-site garage at Memorial Drive and South Griffin Street runs $20 per day per entry, with no in and out. Lot C at 502 South Lamar Street runs $17 and holds 170 spots. Both run first-come, first-served.
One vehicle for a five-person team holds the parking line at $20.
The organiser's FAQ answers parking with "Venue parking is offered at no cost at the Dallas / Fort Worth Small Business Expo." The venue posts $20 and $17 on its own parking page. Ask the organiser which applies, and budget the $20.
Two people: the number to approve
Assumptions: one room with two beds at $149 for November 3, round-trip air at $250 a person into Love Field, one garage entry at $20 on November 4, and two free registrations. The room rate and the air fare are the planner's own inputs.
Total: $669 for the trip, or $334.50 a person. Rates exclude taxes.
Test the room rate before submitting it. Two quotes on the same night settle the figure faster than a market average.
Five people: the number to approve
Assumptions: three rooms at the same $149 example rate, five round-trip fares at $250, one garage entry at $20, and five free registrations.
Total: $1,717, or $343.40 a person. Rates exclude taxes.
The group route and its threshold
Three rooms for one night sits below the group threshold bookMyTeam publishes. Its FAQ puts most hotel group rates at 10 or more rooms per night, with some hotels discounting from five rooms by season and availability.
bookMyTeam sends one request to 50+ hotels and quotes 15-40% below rack rates with a 24-72 hour response. The RFP route carries no fee. The Dallas directory lists 790 hotels, which is the supply list for a second quote.
What to hand the approver
One page carries the decision. Free registration, the November 4 date, the 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM window, the $20 garage, the $669 two-person total and the $1,717 five-person total, with air and room marked as planner inputs.
Add the two attendee figures from the expo's exhibit page. 82% purchase intent within a year and 81% owner or C-level attendance describe who the team meets. The totals describe what the trip costs.
Ask for authorisation against both totals and hold the November 3 arrival.
