There will also be plenty happening outside the classroom. Attendees can walk the trade show floor and rig showcase, hear from keynote speaker Rob Jones, take part in a golf tournament or Nashville excursion, and connect with others in the industry during the welcome reception, Casino Night and President’s Dinner.

With a lot packed into two days, here are some of the highlights to look forward to at NDA Drill Expo 2026.

A Nashville Tee Off

Thursday offers attendees a chance to ease into the conference before Friday’s full slate of educational sessions.

Golfers will get an early start with the Joe Scribellito, Jr. Memorial Golf Tournament at Hermitage Golf Course. The bus leaves Gaylord Opryland at 6:15 a.m., with the tournament scheduled to run from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

For attendees looking to experience Nashville, the Host City/Destination Adventure begins at 9 a.m. and heads to the Country Music Hall of Fame. The outing includes a Stories Behind the Songs Experience, followed by time to explore the museum and grab lunch before returning to the resort.

The Trade Show Floor Opens

The industry side of the event gets rolling Thursday afternoon when the Trade Show Opening and Recognition of Exhibitors begins at 4 p.m. in Ryman Hall A1.

Running until 6 p.m., the opening gives attendees their first opportunity to visit exhibitors, see equipment and connect with companies from across the drilling industry. The Sponsor & Rig Showcase will also put drilling equipment front and center.

Rob Jones: “Own Your Attitude”

Friday begins early with a 6:30 a.m. 5K Fun Run before breakfast and the Opening General Session.

One of the conference’s headline events comes at 8:15 a.m., when keynote speaker Rob Jones presents “Own Your Attitude.”

The keynote serves as the official start of Friday’s educational program and will run during breakfast. Attendees should also note that the exhibit area will remain closed Friday morning until the keynote concludes at 9:30 a.m.

A Full Day of Drilling Education

Friday’s continuing education lineup covers several issues with direct implications for drilling contractors.

Greg Piazza will present “Drilling for Geotechnical Engineering Design” beginning at 9:45 a.m., followed at 10:45 a.m. by Daniel Rodgers’ session on geologic explorations for new dams and generation facilities, including lessons learned from drilling and testing technology.

The afternoon turns toward some of the business and liability issues contractors encounter away from the drill rig.

Grant Piraine will lead “Know Before You Drill” at 12:30 p.m., examining how drillers can navigate liability associated with underground utilities.

That will be followed by a panel examining workplace safety and its impact on business operating costs, moderated by Mike Scaringella.

The final panel of the continuing education program tackles the real challenges of doing business in the environmental and geotechnical drilling world. Moderated by Will Keyes, the discussion provides an opportunity to hear directly about the pressures contractors are facing and how companies are responding.

Marketing in the AI Era

There is also something on the schedule for drilling companies thinking about how customers find them.

During Friday’s lunch and open trade floor, Josh Clark will present “From Search to AI: Smarter Marketing for Drilling Companies” from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

The session comes as AI-powered search tools continue changing how people discover businesses online, making it a potentially useful discussion for contractors looking beyond traditional word-of-mouth and search marketing.

Time to Walk the Floor

Beyond the formal sessions, Drill Expo offers attendees plenty of time to talk with manufacturers, suppliers and other drilling professionals.

The trade show opens Thursday afternoon and continues Friday following the keynote. Friday’s lunch period from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. is specifically set aside as an open trade floor, providing another opportunity to catch up with exhibitors before the hall closes at 4 p.m.

Closing with the President’s Dinner

After two days of drilling education, equipment and networking, Drill Expo 2026 concludes Friday evening with the President’s Dinner & Awards on Magnolia Terrace.

The event begins at 6 p.m., with meal service starting at 6:30 p.m., giving attendees one final opportunity to connect while recognizing members of the drilling community.

With technical sessions, discussions about safety and liability, new equipment, business strategy and plenty of networking packed into two days, NDA Drill Expo 2026 offers a little bit of everything for drilling professionals making the trip to Nashville.

Whether attendees come for the technical sessions, the latest equipment or simply the chance to catch up with others in the industry, Drill Expo 2026 packs plenty into its two-day schedule.

More importantly, the event offers drilling professionals a chance to step away from the day-to-day demands of the job and compare notes on some of the issues shaping the industry, from safety and underground utility liability to new technology and the realities of running a drilling business.

NDA Drill Expo 2026 runs Sept. 17-18 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville.