Vendor Prep Guide
Everything you need to know before you arrive at an Ace Expos show. Insurance requirements, what's included with your booth, move-in logistics, and the pre-event timeline so you walk into your first show confident, prepared, and ready to sell.
Have booking questions? Read the Vendor FAQ
Coverage You Need
We require insurance to protect both you and the venue from unexpected incidents during the show. Here is everything you need to bring your broker, and the providers other vendors have used when they did not already have an annual policy.
Important
Our master event insurance does not cover vendors or vendor property. Your coverage is primary and non-contributory for any claim involving your booth or your activities. Plan accordingly.
Per-event general liability coverage is widely available, with cost depending on your industry, the coverage limits, and the policy term. Vendors have reported good experiences with the following providers for trade-show coverage:
These are vendor-reported experiences, not endorsements. Choose the provider that best fits your business.
Booth Inclusions
Plan your packing list around the split below. We handle the booth shell and the audience; you handle your displays, your samples, and your sales conversation.
Sizes and Placement
Floor-plan position can be previewed on the booth map for each event before purchase. Available booth sizes vary by show.
The most common booth size, fitting most vendors. Indoor placement on the main show floor with pipe and drape, ideal for service providers, consultants, and product displays of standard scale.
Corner or end-cap positioning offering double the footprint and double the visibility. Available in limited quantities per show. Best for vendors with larger displays, multiple product lines, or active demonstrations.
Same footprint as the indoor standard, available at venues that include outdoor exhibit space. Open to any vendor category. Outdoor booths require a tent with weights that meet the specifications in the Vendor Booth Agreement.
Logistics
Move-in is scheduled for the day before the show opens (typically Friday for a Saturday and Sunday show), in the time window assigned in writing by Ace Expos. Vendors arriving outside the assigned window are not guaranteed access.
Vendor check-in happens during the move-in window the day before the show, not on show days. Check in at the on-site team table near the load-in entrance for booth assignment confirmation.
If you need to set up on the morning of the show instead of the day before, you must contact Ace Expos in advance to confirm an arrival slot. Same-day setup is not the default and requires coordination.
Loading: most venues offer a dedicated load-in zone with cart and dolly access. Bring your own carts if you have large items, since venue inventory is limited.
Parking: vendor parking is separate from attendee parking and is reserved for the duration of the show. The specific lot or zone ships in your welcome packet.
Move-out begins immediately after the show floor closes on the final show day. Vendors must clear their booth within two hours of close. Early breakdown before the published close time is not permitted for the safety of attendees still on the floor.
On the Show Floor
The on-site Ace Expos team is on the floor throughout the show for wayfinding, signage support, and any last-minute issues.
Restrooms, food, and break areas vary by venue and are covered in the welcome packet sent before each event.
Your booth must be open, staffed, and merchandised throughout all published show hours. Vendors who leave the booth unstaffed during show hours may forfeit fees per the Vendor Booth Agreement.
What Arrives When
From booking confirmation to show day, here is everything that lands in your inbox and when.
Within 30 days of booking
A confirmation email arrives with your booth assignment, your event details, the Vendor Booth Agreement reference, and clear COI submission instructions including the venue-specific additional insured language.
4 to 6 weeks before
The full vendor welcome packet ships with the floor map, parking instructions, move-in schedule, the venue-specific additional insured and endorsement language for your COI, and the on-site team contact information.
2 weeks before
A final logistics email lands with the day-of contact phone number, any last-minute updates to move-in windows, and a checklist of items to confirm before you arrive.
48 hours before
Your specific arrival window is confirmed by text or email so you can plan your travel, your team, and your load-in.
Day of
The Ace Expos on-site team is available throughout move-in and the full duration of the show for wayfinding, signage, and any last-minute issues.
One More Thing
When you exhibit with us, we get to put your brand in front of every future attendee through our recap content, sponsor decks, and future event marketing. By participating in the event, you grant Ace Expos a license to use your company name, logo, and photographs from the show in this marketing. The full marketing rights are detailed in Section 11 of the Vendor Booth Agreement.
Get Started
Every booth's exact price, footprint, and live availability is shown openly on each event's floor plan. Browse our current events to see what's open.
