The Main Event will celebrate multicultural beauty, barbering, education and entrepreneurship.
COLUMBIA – South Carolina’s beauty, barbering and creative communities will gather Nov. 7 for The Main Event Hair & Beauty Expo 2026 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.
Beginning at noon during USC Homecoming Weekend, the expo will celebrate beauty, style, education, entrepreneurship and artistry. The event will bring together cosmetologists, barbers, students, educators, salon and barbershop owners, vendors and beauty professionals from the Midlands and beyond.
The expo will spotlight talent at every stage of the industry, from students developing their skills to newly licensed professionals building their brands and experienced master barbers and cosmetologists whose work and leadership continue to shape the industry.
“The Main Event is about celebrating the full beauty and barbering community,” said event organizers Charles Bishop and Victory Purnell. “We want to create a space where students can be inspired, professionals can connect, entrepreneurs can grow, and master-level talent can be recognized for the impact they make.”
With an emphasis on multicultural beauty, diverse hair textures, grooming traditions, professional development and creative expression, the expo will offer opportunities for education, networking, professional visibility and community engagement.
The event also highlights Columbia’s growing beauty industry, local entrepreneurship, workforce development and the next generation of skilled beauty and barbering professionals.
