# IMTS After Hours: Your Unofficial Guide to IMTS 2026 featuring Jim Mayer and Emily Wilkins

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2026-09-11
- Length: 25m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-09-11-imts-after-hours-your-unofficial-guide-to-imts-2026-featuring-jim-mayer-and-emil
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Chris Luecke hosts IMTS After Hours with Emily Wilkins of Marketing Metal and Jim Mayer of the Manufacturing Connector to discuss the unofficial social scene of IMTS 2026 in Chicago. The guests share favorite memories from past events, such as karaoke at Brando's Speakeasy and concerts at Reggie's, while previewing specific 2026 after-parties including 'Extra Innings' at Kaiser Tiger and 'Manufacturing Mic Drop' at Brando's. They emphasize that these after-hours connections are as valuable as the show floor, offering advice on pacing oneself and prioritizing events during the busy week.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-09-11-imts-after-hours-your-unofficial-guide-to-imts-2026-featuring-jim-mayer-and-emil#t=0) Introduction: IMTS 2026 After Hours Overview
- [2:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-09-11-imts-after-hours-your-unofficial-guide-to-imts-2026-featuring-jim-mayer-and-emil#t=171) Guest Intros: Marketing Metal and Manufacturing Connector
- [5:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-09-11-imts-after-hours-your-unofficial-guide-to-imts-2026-featuring-jim-mayer-and-emil#t=354) Past IMTS Memories: Reggie's, AME, and Spin Chicago
- [10:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-09-11-imts-after-hours-your-unofficial-guide-to-imts-2026-featuring-jim-mayer-and-emil#t=659) Evolution of IMTS and 2024 Concert Experiments
- [13:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-09-11-imts-after-hours-your-unofficial-guide-to-imts-2026-featuring-jim-mayer-and-emil#t=823) 2026 Event Preview: Extra Innings and Manufacturing Mic Drop
- [17:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-09-11-imts-after-hours-your-unofficial-guide-to-imts-2026-featuring-jim-mayer-and-emil#t=1062) Event Logistics: Sold Out Status and Food Trucks
- [20:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-09-11-imts-after-hours-your-unofficial-guide-to-imts-2026-featuring-jim-mayer-and-emil#t=1200) Advice on Pacing and Managing Energy at IMTS
- [22:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-09-11-imts-after-hours-your-unofficial-guide-to-imts-2026-featuring-jim-mayer-and-emil#t=1330) Other 2026 Events: WNBA, MasterCam, and Riot Fest

## Topics

- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- IMTS 2026 (other)
- Marketing Metal (company)
- Manufacturing Connector (company)
- Reggie's (other)
- Spin Chicago (other)
- Kaiser Tiger (other)
- Brando's Speakeasy (other)
- MasterCam (other)
- WNBA (other)
- Riot Fest (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [PDX 2026 Tickets Are 50% Off August 3–7](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-07-16-pdx-2026-tickets-are-50-off-august-3-7) (Being an Engineer)
- [#234 -  Startup CPG's Expo West 2026 Preview](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-02-03-234-startup-cpgs-expo-west-2026-preview) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [T-26-011 : Happy CES-mas](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tradeoffs/2026-01-05-t-26-011-happy-ces-mas) (TRADEOFFS)
- [476: That’s What You Do Do](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2025-03-21-476-thats-what-you-do-do) (Making It)
- [Hosting a Niche Event and Building a Community Around It w/ Wendy Covey](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2026-02-03-hosting-a-niche-event-and-building-a-community-around-it-w-wendy-covey) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-09-11-imts-after-hours-your-unofficial-guide-to-imts-2026-featuring-jim-mayer-and-emil. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Manufacturing Happy Hour.