EXHIBITOR PLAYBOOK • 90-DAY TIMELINE & DRAYAGE CALCULATOR
The 90-Day Trade Show Exhibitor Checklist & Drayage Savings Guide
Avoid 30% late electrical surcharges, surprise Freeman/GES material handling bills, and agency markups with our step-by-step exhibitor timeline.
Step-by-Step 90-Day Trade Show Planning Timeline
90–120 DAYS BEFORE SHOW
1. Lock In Floor Space & Select Your Booth Footprint (10x10, 10x20, or 20x20)
- ✓ Confirm your booth number, hall location, and height limits (typically 8 ft–12 ft for inline 10x10/10x20 booths; 16 ft–24 ft for 20x20+ peninsula and island booths).
- ✓ Check for columns, fire hoses, or low ceiling utility drops on the official floor plan.
- ✓ Select your NXT Stage flat-rate rental ($650–$5,600) or custom California island build and request your free 72-hour 3D CAD rendering.
60 DAYS BEFORE SHOW
2. Finalize High-Resolution Graphics & Submit Early-Bird Show Services
- ✓ Approve final CMYK vector print artwork for your tension fabric or SIP hard-wall panels so our Southern California shop can pre-stage and test-fit your entire booth.
- ✓ Submit Electrical, Internet, Lead Retrieval Scanner, and Overhead Rigging orders BEFORE the general contractor (Freeman / GES) 30-day early-bird deadline to avoid 25%–35% late penalty surcharges.
- ✓ Submit your Certificate of Insurance (COI) naming the show organizer and venue as additional insured.
30 DAYS BEFORE SHOW
3. Advance Warehouse Shipping & Marshaling Yard Scheduling
- ✓ Ship crated booths to the Advance Warehouse (arriving 10–30 days prior to move-in) so your crate is already waiting in your booth space when setup begins.
- ✓ Verify certified scale weight (CWT = per 100 lbs) to prevent minimum drayage rounding penalties.
- ✓ Confirm your NXT Stage Turnkey I&D (Installation & Dismantle) labor crew schedule so your team does not have to wait at the marshaling yard.
SHOW WEEK & MOVE-OUT
4. Targeted Move-In, Live Show Floor Execution & Outbound Bill of Lading (BOL)
- ✓ Inspect pre-staged booth graphics, LED lighting, and 55"–75" monitor mounts; test lead-capture QR codes and demo Wi-Fi.
- ✓ Affix Empty Crate ("EMPTY") stickers immediately after unpacking so Freeman/GES clears your aisle.
- ✓ At teardown, submit the outbound Material Handling Agreement (MHA / Bill of Lading) at the exhibitor service desk before leaving the hall.
DRAYAGE (CWT) WEIGHT REDUCTION GUIDE
How Lightweight California Engineering Cuts Your Freeman/GES Drayage Bill in Half
Convention contractors charge material handling by weight (per 100 lbs / CWT), averaging $145–$225 per CWT at major venues like LVCC, Moscone, McCormick Place, and Javits Center. Compare typical shipping weights across our fleet:
10x10 • 72 LBS$650
The NXT PopUp 10x10
Est. Drayage (2 CWT): ~$310
10x10 • 510 LBS$1,150
The NXT Base 10x10
Est. Drayage (6 CWT): ~$930
10x10 • 520 LBS$1,300
The NXT Plus 10x10
Est. Drayage (6 CWT): ~$930
10x10 • 465 LBS$1,450
The NXT Corner Retail 10x10
Est. Drayage (5 CWT): ~$775
10x10 • 510 LBS$1,550
The NXT Glow 10x10
Est. Drayage (6 CWT): ~$930
10x20 • 134 LBS$1,200
The NXT PopUp Plus 10x20
Est. Drayage (2 CWT): ~$310
10x20 • 755 LBS$2,950
The NXT Pro 10x20
Est. Drayage (8 CWT): ~$1,240
10x20 • 725 LBS$3,150
The NXT Ultra 10x20
Est. Drayage (8 CWT): ~$1,240
10x20 • 760 LBS$3,350
The NXT Executive Lounge 10x20
Est. Drayage (8 CWT): ~$1,240
10x20 • 690 LBS$3,550
The NXT Glow Pro 10x20
Est. Drayage (7 CWT): ~$1,085
10x20 • 825 LBS$3,750
The NXT Max 10x20
Est. Drayage (9 CWT): ~$1,395
20x20 • 1010 LBS$4,200
The NXT Pinwheel 20x20
Est. Drayage (11 CWT): ~$1,705
20x20 • 1070 LBS$5,200
The NXT Island 20x20
Est. Drayage (11 CWT): ~$1,705
20x20 • 1300 LBS$6,200
The NXT Summit VIP Island 20x20
Est. Drayage (13 CWT): ~$2,015
CITY CONVENTION GUIDES
Browse Exhibitor Rules by City
INDUSTRY TRADE SHOW GUIDES