Getting Your Exhibit to the Show Floor: A Freight Timeline
Trade show freight is not standard shipping. Every show has its own deadlines, dock rules, drayage contracts, and receiving windows. Miss one cutoff and your booth sits in a warehouse while your sales team stands at an empty space.
This playbook covers everything a first-time or experienced exhibitor needs to plan their freight — from the first quote to post-show return.
How Far Out Should You Plan Freight?
For most US trade shows, start planning freight 8-12 weeks before move-in. This gives you time to:
- Check the show's official service manual for freight deadlines
- Decide between advance warehouse and direct-to-show delivery
- Book a carrier with venue-specific experience
- Arrange return freight logistics before you arrive
The biggest mistake exhibitors make: booking freight 2 weeks out and paying rush rates for something that could have shipped standard.
Advance Warehouse vs Direct-to-Floor
Advance Warehouse: Ship to the show's official warehouse 1-3 weeks before move-in. Pros include lower drayage rates, guaranteed staging, and no show-floor chaos on move-in day. Cons include an extra handling touchpoint and stricter receiving windows.
Direct-to-Floor: Ship directly to your booth space on move-in day. Pros include fewer handling touchpoints and total control over timing. Cons include higher drayage rates, tighter delivery windows, and higher risk if your carrier hits traffic or delays.
Rule of thumb: 10×10 and 10×20 booths do fine with advance warehouse. 20×30 and larger — especially multi-crate exhibits with rigging — benefit from direct-to-floor coordination.
What Are Drayage Fees and Why Do They Matter?
Drayage is the fee charged by the show's official carrier to move freight from the loading dock to your booth. Every major convention center — LVCC, McCormick Place, OCCC, Javits, Anaheim Convention Center — has a different drayage rate structure.
Typical drayage costs:
- Advance warehouse shipment: $80-$150 per 100 lbs (crated)
- Direct-to-show shipment: $120-$200 per 100 lbs (crated)
- Minimum drayage charge: usually $200-$400 regardless of weight
Pro tip: Drayage is charged per hundredweight (CWT). An empty crate that weighs 300 lbs and a full exhibit that weighs 300 lbs cost the same drayage. Pack efficiently.
How Much Does Trade Show Freight Cost?
Rates depend on origin, destination, weight, dimensions, and whether you ship advance warehouse or direct-to-floor.
| Booth Size | Weight Range | Origin (CA) → LVCC Advance | Origin (CA) → OCCC Direct | |---|---|---|---| | 10×10 | 500-800 lbs | $350-$900 | $500-$1,200 | | 10×20 | 800-1,500 lbs | $700-$1,800 | $1,000-$2,500 | | 20×20 | 1,500-3,000 lbs | $1,200-$3,000 | $1,800-$4,000 | | 20×30+ | 3,000-6,000 lbs | $2,500-$5,000 | $3,500-$7,000 |
LTL (less-than-truckload) shipping for booth materials costs $150-$600 for a standard 10×10, depending on lane distance and carrier class.
What Happens When You Ship to Advance Warehouse
Step by step:
- Get the advance warehouse address and receiving window from your show's service manual
- Ship your crates to arrive within the window (usually 1-3 weeks before move-in)
- The warehouse offloads, stages, and holds your freight
- On your assigned move-in day, the show's drayage team moves it from warehouse to booth
- Your install crew opens crates and builds the booth
What can go wrong: shipping too early and getting a storage surcharge. Shipping too late and missing the window — forcing direct-to-floor at higher rates.
Direct-to-Floor: When and How
Direct-to-floor delivery requires precise timing. Your carrier must arrive at the loading dock during your show's designated move-in window. Late arrival means waiting for the next available slot or paying overtime.
Best for:
- Large multi-crate exhibits with complex setup
- Exhibits with fragile components (minimize handling)
- Last-minute builds where advance warehouse window has passed
The key: coordinate with your carrier and your installation crew on the same timeline. The truck arrives, drayage moves crates to booth, and your I&D team is ready to unbox immediately.
Return Freight: The Part Everyone Forgets
Post-show logistics are often treated as an afterthought — until the hall closes and you have 4 hours to vacate your booth.
What a good return plan covers:
- MHA (material handling agent) coordination for outbound drayage
- Re-crating: new plywood? Original crates still usable? Trade show crates get damaged.
- Pickup booking: trucks must arrive in the designated outbound window
- Routing: back to your warehouse? Direct to the next show? Storage?
Plan return freight before you leave for the show. Your show's service manual lists the outbound pickup window — typically 4-6 hours after show close.
10×10 vs Large Exhibit: Does Freight Strategy Change?
Yes. A 10×10 booth ships as parcel or small LTL. One or two crates, under 1,000 lbs total. The strategy is simple: ship advance warehouse 1-2 weeks before, and the show's drayage handles the rest.
A 30×30 or larger exhibit is a different game. Multiple crates, sometimes a truckload. You need:
- A carrier who coordinates with your I&D crew
- Direct-to-floor delivery for rigging-heavy builds
- On-site logistics contact (not just a dispatcher)
- Backup plan if one crate gets delayed
Calway handles both ends of that spectrum. A single-crate 10×10 and a 40-crate 50×50 run on the same operational playbook: venue-specific dock knowledge, real-time tracking, and 24/7 dispatch.
Cross-Border Freight for Canada Trade Shows
Shipping exhibits to Canada adds customs documentation to the timeline. Common shows include Toronto's Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Vancouver Convention Centre.
Requirements:
- Commercial invoice with HS tariff codes
- NAFTA/USMCA certificate of origin (for qualifying goods)
- ATA Carnet (for temporary exhibit materials returning to the US)
- 2-3 extra days in transit for customs clearance
Work with a carrier that handles cross-border trade show freight regularly. General freight brokers may not know the exhibitor-specific customs rules.
Calway Logistics is a licensed freight broker (USDOT #3353508) specializing in trade show freight, LTL shipping, and expedited delivery across North America. Based in Southern California with nationwide coverage including Las Vegas, Orlando, Chicago, Anaheim, and all major US convention markets.