Exhibitor FAQ

Thursday, June 8, 2023
10am–6:30pm

Friday, June 9, 2023
9:45am–4pm

Exhibitor move in 
Monday, June 5, 2023 | 8am–5pm
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 | 8am–5pm
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 | 8am–5pm 

Exhibitor move out
Friday, June 9, 2023 | 4pm–11:59pm
Saturday, June 10, 2023 | 6am–8pm
Sunday, June 11, 2023 | 6am–10am

When can I move in / start the installation of my booth?
If you ship your freight to the Freeman advanced warehouse, your freight will be in your booth and ready to start being installed when exhibitor move in begins at 8am on Monday, June 5.

If you ship your freight directly to the show site, it must arrive during your designated time slot noted on the target freight plan. You do not need to be present in your booth when freight arrives. Your direct freight delivery time is not your set-up time. Please plan for your labor/setup to start after your targeted time slot. Exhibitor targeted move in floorplan link coming soon.

Exhibitor move in takes place Monday, June 5 through Wednesday, June 7 from 8am-5pm. All booths must be set no later than 5pm on Wednesday, June 7.

When does move out take place?
At the close of the expo at 4pm on Friday, June 9, aisle carpet will be rolled / picked up, and all exhibitor empty containers will start to be returned to exhibitors. This process can take up to 9 hours (please plan travel accordingly).

All exhibitors with outbound freight must complete the outbound shipping form, return the form to Freeman, and completely clear the expo floor no later than 10am on Sunday, June 11.

Can our company employees install / dismantle our booth?
Yes, but only one full-time employee can accomplish the task in an hour or less without the use of tools. If the exhibit preparation, installation, or dismantling requires more than one hour or more than one full-time employee, you must use union personnel supplied by Freeman or your EAC.

Read the Moscone Center union labor jurisdictions >

Can I hand-carry products / use my own vehicle to transport items?
An exhibitor may hand carry material that is able to be carried by one person, in one trip, without the use of dollies, hand trucks, or other mechanical equipment.

Where can I order electricity, furnishings, labor, etc.?
All order forms, along with show rules and regulations, can be found in the Exhibitor Service Manual (ESM) to be released later.

How do I order lead retrieval equipment?
Exhibitor lead retrieval is a must-have for every organization looking to track and manage attendees who stop by their booth. The instructions for ordering lead retrieval equipment are included in the Exhibitor Service Manual (ESM), which will be released later.

Where can I go to register booth personnel?
Each 10′ x 10′ comes with four expo passes. Please reach out to your account executive to learn more about your allotment. Exhibitor badges include access to the expo hall and keynotes, although preregistration is required for keynote access. Exhibitors can attend educational sessions by registering for an exhibitor education badge for an additional cost, purchased during the registration process. Exhibitor registration will open after attendee registration.

Can I send a free Expo Pass to my current / potential customers to attend the expo?
Yes. As an exhibitor, you can invite an unlimited number of current/potential architecture and design-industry customers to attend the expo for free. Exhibitors automatically receive an email from our referral campaign provider, Feathr. (The email will come from support@feathr.co.) The email includes a link to your personalized dashboard, where you can access the link to share the free Expo Pass, plus custom emails and banner ads to promote your presence.

More information will be available on the Exhibitor tools page as we get closer to the event.

Is there an official hotel provider for the AIA Conference on Architecture?
Yes, onPeak is the only official housing vendor for A’23 in San Francisco. Please use the online hotel reservation system to avoid housing poachers. Housing opens February 8, 2023, for exhibitors.

Read the important travel advisory about housing poachers >

What are the expo days and times?
The Architecture Expo will be open for two days: Thursday, June 8, from 10am to 6:30pm, and Friday, June 9, from 9:45am to 4pm. The expo hall will not be open on Saturday, June 10.

What is included in my booth?
The standard package starts at $45/sq. ft. and includes:

• Dedicated non-conflicting expo hours to meet with attendees
• Digital listing (required; upgrades available)  
• Four expo badges per 100 sq. ft.  
• Unlimited free Expo Passes to share with your customers  
• A’23 promotional logos to use on your marketing materials
• Exhibitor resources to help you plan for the upcoming event
• 24-hour security  

The premium turnkey package starts at $8,100 and includes everything in our standard package, plus:

• Premium position on the expo floor
• 8′ Full-color graphics backwall w/4′ side walls
• Optional company sign included or build into graphic wall creative
• 3 arm lights per 100 sq. ft. w/power
• Tuxedo color carpet
• Wastebasket

Non-island booths include:

• 8′ high back drape and 3′ side drape
• 7″ x 44″ identification sign (non-island booths only)

Standard exhibit space rental does not include any furnishings or utilities and is the responsibility of the exhibitor. Optional upgrades for graphics, furnishings, a/v, electrical, and other booth needs will be included in our Exhibitor Service Manual (ESM), which will be available through Freeman, AIA’s Official General Service Provider.

What are my payment options?
Credit card
Now available through the online application: VISA, MasterCard, or American Express.

Bank/wire transfer
Please email Accounts Receivable for wire transfer information.

Check
Checks should be in U.S. dollars and made payable to Architecture Expo.

Overnight mail delivery
M&T Bank
c/o The American Institute of Architects
Box #62671
1800 Washington Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21230

Standard mail delivery
The American Institute of Architects
PO Box 62671
Baltimore, MD 21264-2671

What are the required booth specifications?
The booth specifications document provides the information that will help you with your display preparations for San Francisco. If your booth does not meet the specifications, you must submit a rendering of your display to show management for review. All booths—regardless of size—are required to follow these guidelines.

To avoid additional costs (i.e. design cost or tear down of an unapproved structure), please obtain written approval before beginning production or construction of your display. For advance approval, or for any other questions regarding booth specifications, email exhibit operations.

Download the booth specifications >

How do I update my booth profile?
Log in to the exhibitor portal, located in MapYourShow, to update your profile.

I am getting solicitations to buy attendee lists. Are these valid?
No, A’23 does not sell attendee (or exhibitor) email addresses. Unfortunately, the trade show industry is experiencing an increase in rogue list brokers and fake companies targeting exhibitors. If you are receiving unsolicited emails or phone calls from people claiming to have an A’23 attendee list, please do not purchase the list. It is not the official A’23 attendee list and you will either be scammed or given bad data files.

An article by Trade Show News Network explains what to look for when dealing with a potential list poacher. Read the full article >

Who are AIA’s preferred vendors?

The American Institute of Architects works with preferred providers and partners that may contact you to discuss their services. These providers include:

• Freeman–General Service Contractor: Exhibitor Service Manual (ESM), Booth Furnishings, EAC Collection
• onPeak: AIA’s exclusive housing provider
• Moscone Convention Center: Internet and electrical

If you are contacted by providers other than those listed above, please email exhibit operations.

Will there be complimentary Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi information will be provided prior to the conference and on signage onsite. You should purchase an internet drop if you are going to be showing videos or doing more than light work on your computer (such as answering emails). If you need to order internet for your booth the form to purchase will be available in the Exhibitor Service Manual (ESM).