Exhibiting at a trade show or expo involves a lot more than a nice banner — freight deadlines, drayage fees, loading dock rules, and booth build costs can all catch a first-time exhibitor off guard. Graphics Design Media has produced booth graphics, displays, and signage for exhibitors across Las Vegas convention centers for years. Here's what you need to know before your next show, plus the display hardware we print and ship in-house.
Planning Your Booth Timeline
Most convention centers and show general contractors (Freeman, GES, Shepard, etc.) set hard deadlines for freight and graphics. Missing them means paying rush fees or losing your spot on the dock schedule entirely.
- 8–10 weeks out: Finalize booth design, graphics, and any custom-sized substrates.
- 3–4 weeks out: Advance warehouse shipping deadline for most major show contractors — this is usually the cheapest way to get freight to the show floor.
- 1–2 weeks out: Direct-to-show-site shipping deadline (more expensive, higher risk of dock congestion delays).
- Move-in day: Booth setup, typically 1–2 days before the show opens.
Freight & Trucking
"Freight" for a trade show almost always means working with the show's official general contractor, not just any trucking company. A few terms worth knowing:
- Advance Warehouse: A staging warehouse that receives your freight weeks before the show and trucks it to the venue on schedule. Generally the most cost-effective option.
- Direct to Show Site: Freight shipped straight to the venue during move-in. Convenient, but rates run higher and there's less buffer if something is delayed.
- Drayage (Material Handling): The fee the show's general contractor charges to move your freight from the dock to your booth space and store empty crates during the show. This is billed by weight (per hundredweight/CWT) and is usually the single biggest line-item surprise for new exhibitors — get a drayage estimate before you ship anything.
- Certificate of Insurance (COI): Many venues require proof of insurance before your booth contractor (or you) can even access the show floor for install.
We package and crate our display products to survive standard freight handling, and we're happy to work with your show's exhibitor kit deadlines — just tell us your ship-to warehouse address and deadline when you place your order.
Loading & Move-In / Move-Out
Every venue has its own loading dock rules, and most enforce union labor requirements for anything beyond a "one person, one hand-carry" setup:
- POV (Privately Owned Vehicle) unloading: Usually allowed if you can carry everything in one trip without a hand truck or dolly — rules vary by venue and show.
- Union labor: Most major convention centers require union labor for uncrating, positioning, and rigging anything beyond simple pop-up displays. Budget for this separately from your booth production costs.
- Forklift & rigging fees: Larger booths, hanging signs, and heavy displays typically require forklift service and licensed riggers, billed hourly through the general contractor.
- Move-out: Empty crates are returned to your booth at the end of the show for you to re-pack — label everything clearly, since a mislabeled crate is one of the most common ways exhibitors lose freight.
Booth & Display Production Pricing
Pricing for booth graphics depends on size, material, and whether hardware (frames, stands, cases) is included. As a general guide:
- Retractable banner stands — the most affordable way to add branded graphics to a booth, ready in days.
- Table covers & table throws — full-bleed printed fabric covers for standard 6ft/8ft show tables.
- Tension fabric displays (SEG) — a lightweight aluminum frame with a stretch-fit fabric graphic; scales from small pop-ups to full 10ft backwalls.
- A-frame & Signicade signs — double-sided, portable, ideal for directional signage or entryway branding.
- LED light box & two-way displays — backlit graphics that stand out on a crowded show floor.
- 10ft event tents & full booth kits — for outdoor expos, festivals, and street-level activations.
See current options and request pricing on our Display & Expo products page, or get a custom quote if you need a full booth package designed and produced from scratch.
Quick Reference: Trade Show Terms
- General Service Contractor (GSC): The company the show hires to manage freight, labor, booth carpet, and utilities for the entire event.
- Exhibitor Service Kit: The manual/order forms the GSC publishes with all deadlines, labor rates, and shipping addresses for a specific show.
- Booth Rigging: Hanging signage, trussing, or overhead graphics suspended above a booth — almost always requires licensed riggers and advance approval.
- Bill of Lading (BOL): The shipping document that must accompany every crate or pallet leaving the show — without it, your freight can't be picked up.
Not sure what your show requires? Send us your exhibitor kit or booth dimensions and we'll help you figure out exactly what to order and when to ship it. Contact us or start a quote.
