August 2026 Christian Product Expo sets attendance record

Buoyancy PR plus clients and friends were among the nearly 800 individuals who attended the record-setting 2026 Summer Christian Product Expo (CPE) held August 2-4 in the St. Louis area.

According to the CRA’s post-show report out yesterday, the 2026 summer show was the largest attended show to date, since the Christian Retail Association (CRA) established CPE in 2019.

The St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles, Missouri, was a great and welcoming venue for the industry’s event.

CRA also noted this year’s show included representatives from 140 Christian bookstores, as well as 130 vendors.

The theme for this year’s show was celebrating Faith and Freedom and our nation’s 250th year of independence.

But the theme also included celebrating the “independents” – the uniquely individual independent Christian bookstores and their contributions to their communities as well as our nation.

Kudos to those stores, whose ministry-minded businesses continue to serve God and their local believers and churches.

But we also commend the Christian Retail Association itself, the trade association for those bookstores that makes possible the Christian Product Expo twice each year and keeps the heartbeat of the industry strong.

The next CPE will be the winter show February 7-9 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL.

Being with those bookstore people has us thinking about Christian bookstores. Expect to hear more from us in coming weeks about their importance.