By Blake Jackson
Among the many events dedicated to honeybees, few compare in scale to the North American Honeybee Expo (NAHBE), recently hosted at the Kentucky Fair and Expo Center in Louisville. The three-day gathering filled the South Wing entirely and showcased the largest honeybee-focused event many attendees had ever experienced.
The 2026 expo spanned 165,000 square feet and featured 144 vendors, 1,242 exhibits, and 298 exhibitors. More than 3,500 people attended, sampling over 200 varieties of honey from around the world at the event’s signature honey bar.
NAHBE was founded by longtime beekeepers Kamon Reynolds and his wife, Laurel, both of whom began working with bees as teenagers.
“We used to run about 500 hives, and right now, we have around 300, but we just keep shrinking back because this conference takes two people, 365 days, to orchestrate and then a lot of things, industry-wise, beyond that,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds’ journey started early.
“I coerced my parents to drive me to a place and buy five hives of bees,” Reynolds said. “I didn't know anything, and I really struggled early on, because I didn't have the right information. That's kind of how all the expo was born.”
Education remains the heart of the event.
“It took us so many years to get to where we are with our own bees, and looking back, so much of that could have been avoided with proper education,” he said.
“So, we started a YouTube channel, and I do a lot of public speaking, and we now put on the expo with the goal of helping people be able to get to a place in maybe three or four years, that took me over 10 years to get to. We just want to help them out.”
Reynolds describes the expo as a family reunion, personally greeting attendees at the door each year.
With strong Kentucky participation, NAHBE continues to support beekeepers, vendors, and the next generation working to protect pollinators and the future of the industry.
Photo Credit: pexels-pixabay
Categories: Kentucky, General