Chicago Exhibit Rentals · McCormick Place
Chicago Trade Show Exhibit Rentals Built for McCormick Place
Your Chicago exhibit should be designed around the result you need on the show floor—and planned around the rules, service deadlines, and move-in realities that determine whether it opens on time. Exhibit Experience coordinates custom rental exhibits from concept and graphics through freight planning, installation, on-site readiness, and dismantle.
- Custom exhibit design
- Graphics and rental structure
- Freight and I&D coordination
A turnkey exhibit partner
Why Exhibit Experience
Founded in 2014, Exhibit Experience supports inline, island, peninsula, LED, and double-deck rental programs across major U.S. trade show markets. Our team combines exhibit design, graphics production, and turnkey project coordination in one workflow.
Venue-specific planning
Plan the Exhibit Around McCormick Place Requirements
Start With the Current Event Documents
McCormick Place is a multi-building convention campus, and event-specific documents—not a generic venue summary—control the job. Before production, the current exhibitor manual should be reviewed for exhibit rules, the official service contractor, Exhibitor Appointed Contractor requirements, target move-in, advance-warehouse deadlines, floor-plan submissions, and show-controlled services.
Coordinate Freight and Drayage Early
McCormick Place advises exhibitors to coordinate freight and drayage with the general service contractor; freight arriving before the licensed move-in is not accepted directly by the venue. The show manual remains the authority for the specific event.
Move-in readiness
Understand Chicago Labor Before Move-In
Chicago labor is not one undifferentiated line item. Depending on the task, carpenters, decorators, electricians, teamsters, riggers, plumbers, projectionists, stagehands, and venue technology technicians may have separate responsibilities. We map each required task to the appropriate provider, identify client approvals, and schedule work around the event’s permitted hours. The goal is clarity before move-in—not arguments or emergency orders on the floor.
Transparent project scope
Know What the Quote Includes
Exhibit Experience Scope
The exhibit proposal should state exactly what Exhibit Experience supplies: design development, rental structure, custom graphics, flooring, lighting, furniture, project management, coordinated freight, installation, and dismantle as applicable.
Show-Controlled Services
The proposal should also identify costs commonly controlled by the organizer, venue, or official contractors, such as exhibit space, material handling, electrical, internet, rigging, cleaning, plumbing, and lead retrieval. A transparent scope is more valuable than a low headline price with missing categories.
Audience-led design
Design for the Audience, Not a Template
Chicago’s major shows serve very different audiences—from manufacturing and packaging to healthcare, foodservice, and commercial interiors. The design should begin with the buyer journey: what must be understood from the aisle, what should be demonstrated, where qualified conversations happen, what needs secure storage, and how leads will be captured. That creates an exhibit that works, rather than a generic structure wearing new graphics.
Space that supports the objective
Choose the Footprint by Function
The right exhibit size is a functional decision. It should balance visibility, messaging, product interaction, staffing, meetings, and storage against the available floor space and event rules.
10×10 Inline
Best when one message and one conversation are the priority.
10×20 Inline
Supports a product story or demonstration while preserving aisle access.
20×20 Island
Creates multiple engagement zones and meetings with visibility from four sides.
Large Island or Double Deck
Supports stronger brand architecture, theaters, hospitality, and private rooms when permitted.
Double-deck structures can add meeting capacity where the show permits them, but engineering, approvals, fire-safety requirements, and lead time must be addressed early.
A practical, documented workflow
Our Chicago Exhibit Planning Process
- Brief: Show, venue, footprint, audience, objectives, products, meetings, technology, budget, and deadline.
- Requirements: Current manual, hall placement, open sides, height, services, and approvals.
- Design: Message hierarchy, circulation, functions, finishes, and technology.
- Scope: Inclusions, exclusions, responsibilities, assumptions, and schedule.
- Production: Artwork approval, graphics, preflight, and packing.
- Show services: Orders, drawings, EAC documents, and deadlines.
- Move-in: Freight coordination, installation, inspection, and punch list.
- Close: Dismantle, return handling, damage review, and reusable-asset plan.
Compare like for like
How to Compare Chicago Exhibit Rental Costs
Compare proposals using the same footprint and the same inclusion list. Confirm whether design, graphics, flooring, furniture, lighting, AV, freight, installation, dismantle, supervision, storage, change orders, and post-show handling are included or excluded. Ask for show-controlled estimates to be separated from provider-controlled pricing. Publish Exhibit Experience price ranges only after management approves current, supportable numbers and defines what each range includes.
Start with the project basics
Request Pricing for Your Chicago Trade Show Exhibit Rental
Speak with our exhibit team to review exhibit sizes, design options, timelines, and budget considerations.
Send the show name, venue, dates, exhibit number or dimensions, target budget, required functions, and artwork status. We will assess feasibility, identify the information still needed, and recommend the next step.
Chicago exhibit rental FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in a Chicago exhibit rental?
The written project scope can combine design, rental structure, graphics, flooring, lighting, furniture, logistics coordination, installation, and dismantle. Show- or venue-controlled services should be identified separately.
Do you coordinate exhibits at McCormick Place?
Yes. The project workflow can include review of the current exhibitor manual, EAC requirements, service orders, floor plans, freight planning, and installation coordination. The official event documents control the final requirements.
How early should we start?
Start as soon as exhibit space is confirmed. Larger islands, custom elements, hanging signs, double decks, complex demonstrations, and peak events require more time. Rush feasibility depends on inventory, approvals, artwork, labor, and shipping.
Can a rental exhibit look custom?
Yes. Modular rental architecture can be configured with custom graphics, finishes, dimensional branding, lighting, digital displays, meeting rooms, and product zones.
Who pays for drayage, electrical, and internet?
These services are commonly controlled by the show, venue, or official contractors. The proposal should identify who orders each service, who pays it, and whether the amount is fixed, estimated, or billed at actual cost.
Can the same exhibit be reused at other shows?
Often. Modular components can be reconfigured for different footprints, but graphics, regulations, services, and freight requirements must be reviewed for each event.
What do you need to quote the project?
Provide the show and venue, dates, footprint and open sides, objectives, product or demo needs, meeting and storage requirements, technology, budget range, and decision deadline.
Find the Right Exhibit for Your Space
Explore trade show exhibit rentals by footprint, from compact inline displays to larger island and double-deck configurations.
10×10 Exhibit Rental Packages
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20×20 Exhibit Rental Packages
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10×20 Exhibit Rental Packages
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30×40 Exhibit Rental Packages
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Double-Deck Exhibit Rental Packages
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Affordable Exhibit Rental Packages
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About
Discover the Smart Way to Exhibit: Trade Show Exhibit Rentals
Why Rent a Trade Show Exhibit Instead of Purchasing One?
Reduces costs by eliminating ownership, storage, and maintenance expenses.
Offers flexibility with zero long-term commitment or design limitations.
Delivers custom-branded displays tailored to your event objectives.
Speeds up production timelines with ready-to-go modular systems.
Scales easily to fit any exhibit size, venue, or show requirement.
Provides access to modern designs and the latest exhibit technology.
Simplifies logistics with turnkey setup, teardown, and support services.
Discover the Smart Way to Exhibit: Trade Show Exhibit Rentals
Trade show exhibits come in many forms to fit your unique needs. Renting a exhibit offers a flexible, convenient way to get a professional, customizable display that aligns perfectly with your event goals—without a long-term commitment. Whether you’re exploring options or looking for a scalable solution, rentals provide an excellent way to showcase your brand effectively.
Rethinking the Rental: Achieving a Custom Look with Modular bMatrix Architecture
Custom Exhibit Graphics: Mirroring Your Brand Identity
Scalable Exhibit Layouts & Services Engineered for ROI
Special Offers
Rental Exhibits with All-Inclusive Packages
Our all-inclusive package gives you complete peace of mind by covering custom graphics, installation & dismantle, storage, and shipping—so you can focus on engaging your audience. With no hidden fees or extra charges, you save money while enjoying premium rental exhibit quality. Plus, dedicated support ensures your exhibit arrives on time, looks perfect, and performs flawlessly for your brand.
Receive expert guidance to create stunning, branded graphics tailored to your exhibit.
Experience seamless setup and teardown handled by a skilled labor team.
Enjoy hassle-free shipping logistics for local trade shows.
DEDICATED ON-SITE SUPPORT FOR YOUR EXHIBIT BEFORE AND DURING THE SHOW.
Why Exhibitors Choose Rental Exhibits
Rental exhibits give brands room to adapt their presence from one event to the next while reducing the long-term commitments that come with owning, storing and maintaining a exhibit.
Our Blogs
Experience-Driven Exhibits for Industry Leaders
How to Plan Your Trade Show Exhibit Layout: Custom vs Modular Exhibit Rentals
Most exhibitors choose a exhibit size, then a exhibit design, and only afterwards think about layout. That order is backwards, and it is the reason so many well-built exhibits underperform. Layout is not decoration applied at the end. It is the decision about what your...
Trade Show Exhibit Size Comparison: 10×10 vs 10×20 vs 20×20 vs Double Deck
Exhibit size is the first real decision in exhibit planning and the one most exhibitors make with the least information. Size determines what your exhibit can physically do, how many people can work in it, what the show will permit you to build, how long it takes to...
How to Actually Pick a Trade Show Exhibit Company (Not the “Top 25” List)
Google “best trade show exhibit company” or “top exhibit house in the U.S.,” the first ten results you see will almost certainly be listicles. “The 25 Best Trade Show Exhibit Companies in 2026.” “Top 15 Exhibit Builders You Should Know.” “Ranked: The 10 Most Trusted Exhibit Houses in America.” They all look authoritative. They all have logos and rankings and paragraphs that sound like independent journalism.