Trade Show
BD Summer Forum 2026
BD Summer Forum (also known as Boutique Design Summer Forum) is a curated, invitation-only leadership retreat produced by Hospitality Design/Boutique Design that brings senior hospitality owners, developers, brand executives, designers, and purchasing leaders together for three days of programming, networking, and experiential activities in California wine country…
Directory listing reviewed June 2026
About BD Summer Forum 2026
Overview
BD Summer Forum (also known as Boutique Design Summer Forum) is a curated, invitation-only leadership retreat produced by Hospitality Design/Boutique Design that brings senior hospitality owners, developers, brand executives, designers, and purchasing leaders together for three days of programming, networking, and experiential activities in California wine country. The 2026 edition is scheduled for July 21–23, 2026 at Silverado Resort in Napa, California, combining thought-leadership panels, case-study discussions, and relationship-building sessions with relaxed, resort-style social events.
What to Expect
Attendees at BD Summer Forum 2026 can expect a highly curated, retreat-style experience rather than a conventional trade show format. The gathering is structured as a boutique leadership forum that blends conference programming, strategic networking, and destination experiences in Napa’s wine country. Past editions in Sonoma have featured roughly 180–190 industry executives over two to three days, focused on intimate networking, wine tastings, and structured discussions on hospitality trends and project case studies. Programming typically includes panel conversations and roundtables led by owners, developers, brand leaders, and designers who share insights on current and upcoming boutique and lifestyle projects. Sessions often explore topics such as evolving guest expectations, design innovation, F&B concepts, wellness, and how brands are repositioning properties in competitive markets. Because the event is invite-only and size-controlled, the environment encourages candid dialogue and peer-to-peer learning. Beyond the formal sessions, BD Summer Forum emphasizes relationship-building in relaxed settings. Past coverage describes networking activities such as guided wine tastings, property tours, and outdoor social events designed to help attendees connect away from traditional show floors. Expect hosted meals, evening receptions, and informal meetups where designers, owners, and purchasing leaders can explore collaboration opportunities. The 2026 edition at Silverado Resort adds a resort backdrop with on-property amenities, golf, and access to Napa’s surrounding vineyards, supporting an immersive, off-site experience tailored to senior decision-makers. The event does not center on a large exhibition hall; instead, select supplier participation is woven into meetings, hospitality settings, and sponsored activities, aligning with the forum’s focus on quality interactions over volume. Overall, attendees should anticipate three days of high-touch networking, focused content, and curated experiences in a resort environment, designed to foster long-term business relationships and strategic insight into the boutique and lifestyle hospitality sector.
Who Should Attend
BD Summer Forum is intended for senior-level professionals and decision-makers across the boutique and lifestyle hospitality ecosystem. Hospitality Design’s coverage of previous editions highlights attendance by owners, developers, brand executives, designers, and purchasing leaders gathered for two to three days of networking and idea exchange in California wine country. Ideal attendees include: - Hotel and resort owners and developers looking to benchmark strategies, learn from peer case studies, and explore new design and brand concepts. - Brand executives and corporate leadership from boutique, lifestyle, and luxury hospitality brands who influence pipeline decisions, repositionings, and guest experience strategies. - Interior designers, architects, and design principals focused on hospitality projects who want to stay close to client priorities, upcoming projects, and evolving brand standards. - Purchasing and procurement professionals serving hospitality projects who are interested in strengthening relationships with both owners/developers and designers, and understanding upcoming project needs. - Select product manufacturers and suppliers aligned with boutique and lifestyle hospitality who participate in a more intimate, relationship-driven format rather than a large exhibit hall. Because BD Summer Forum is curated and typically invitation-only, it best serves executives and leaders who value small-scale, high-level conversation over broad, open-attendance trade fairs. Attendees should be prepared to actively participate in discussions, share project experiences, and engage in networking activities that often continue beyond formal sessions into meals and social events.
Why It Matters
BD Summer Forum matters because it operates at the intersection of hospitality development, brand strategy, and design innovation within the boutique and lifestyle segment. By convening approximately 180–190 senior executives in a retreat environment each year, the forum becomes a concentrated venue where future projects, partnerships, and design directions are informally shaped before they reach the broader market. For owners and developers, participation offers direct access to peers and brand leaders who are facing similar challenges—rising construction costs, changing guest expectations, and the push toward experiential, wellness-forward properties. Discussions and case studies shared at the forum help inform investment decisions and project positioning, particularly for properties in resort and wine country settings similar to Napa and Sonoma. For designers and architects, BD Summer Forum provides insight into the strategic priorities of hotel brands and owners, from room and public-space concepts to F&B and outdoor experiences. Hospitality Design’s ongoing coverage of the event underscores how design narratives and standout projects are showcased to illustrate what is resonating with guests and driving performance in the boutique and lifestyle sectors. The event also matters to purchasing professionals and select suppliers because it replaces the anonymity of a large exhibition with focused, relationship-driven engagement. With structured and informal networking woven into activities like wine tastings and dinners, stakeholders can discuss upcoming pipelines and product needs in context, often leading to collaborations that might be more difficult to initiate at traditional trade shows. At an industry level, BD Summer Forum contributes to thought leadership and community-building within hospitality design. The forum’s content and the subsequent news features on Hospitality Design help disseminate ideas and highlight emerging directions in guest experience, sustainability, and regional hospitality concepts. Hosting the 2026 edition at Silverado Resort in Napa situates these conversations in a living example of resort and wine country hospitality, reinforcing the connection between place, design, and guest engagement. As a result, BD Summer Forum functions both as a live laboratory for hospitality trends and as a networking engine that supports the ongoing evolution of boutique and lifestyle hotels and resorts worldwide.
- [1]hospitalitydesign.com/bd-forums
- [2]hospitalitydesign.com/bd-forums
- [3]hospitalitydesign.com/news/boutique-design-summer-forum-2025/183973
- [4]hospitalitydesign.com/news/boutique-design-summer-forum-2024/168296
- [5]hospitalitydesign.com/news/boutique-design-summer-forum-2022/139238
- [6]hospitalitydesign.com/topic/event-news/page/2
- [7]hospitalitydesign.com/topic/event-news/page/13
- [8]hospitalitydesign.com/page/47
Venue & directions
Silverado Resort
1600 Atlas Peak Road, Napa, California 94558, USA
Napa, USA
Frequently Asked Questions
BD Summer Forum 2026 is scheduled for July 21–23, 2026 at Silverado Resort in Napa, California, USA.
The 2026 BD Summer Forum will be held at Silverado Resort, a destination resort in Napa, California’s wine country.
Registration for BD Summer Forum is managed directly by Hospitality Design/Boutique Design as a curated, invitation-only event. Interested qualified professionals typically connect with the organizer’s team via the Hospitality Design website or existing industry relationships to be considered.
BD Summer Forum is organized by Hospitality Design / Boutique Design, part of the Hospitality Design media and events portfolio, with the official BD Forums page on the Hospitality Design website providing dates and venue information.
BD Summer Forum focuses on high-level conference-style programming, case studies, and networking rather than a traditional trade show floor. Past coverage highlights attendee counts (180–190 executives), but exhibitor and visitor numbers are not formally published as trade show metrics.
You can find official information about BD Summer Forum, including dates and host properties for each year, on the BD Forums section of the Hospitality Design website, which lists the 2026 summer forum at Silverado Resort, Napa.
More from Emerald
Other trade shows organized by Emerald on ExhibitionsVoice.
Related Trade Shows
ExhibitionsVoice guides
Editorial coverage and planning tips for Napa · Manufacturing & Automation.
- Industrial trade shows 2026: manufacturing and plant-floor calendar
- Trade shows near me: how to find local B2B expos worth attending
- 12 Packaging trade shows peak in August — calendar breakdown
- 15 Food & Beverage trade shows peak in August — calendar breakdown
- 5 Medical Device trade shows peak in August — calendar breakdown
Search other trade shows
Find exhibitions by name, city, region, or industry.