Las Vegas show & venue guides
Every Las Vegas show
Insights · Reference
Trade show glossary.
The words on every exhibitor manual, explained.
Drayage, I&D, EAC, SEG: trade shows have their own language. Here's what it means in plain English. For any specific show, the exhibitor manual has the final word.
A
- Advance warehouse
- A warehouse run by the show's general contractor that receives exhibit freight before move-in, then delivers it to your booth. Useful when freight arrives early or from several sources.Freight explained →
- Art department
- The team on a film, TV, or commercial production responsible for the look of the sets, led by the production designer.Film & TV sets →
B
- Backlit graphic
- A printed fabric or film lit from behind, usually in a lightbox frame, so the graphic glows. Common for brand walls and product displays.Trade show graphics explained →
- Brand activation
- A live, physical brand experience, such as a pop-up, lounge, product reveal, or sampling space, designed to create a moment people remember and share.Activation ideas →
C
- Corner booth
- An inline space at the end of a row, open to two aisles.Booth sizes explained →
- Custom exhibit
- An exhibit designed and fabricated specifically for one brand, as opposed to an adapted rental or modular system.Custom vs. rental →
D
- Direct-to-show shipping
- Freight delivered straight to the venue during the move-in window, rather than through the advance warehouse.Freight explained →
- Double-deck exhibit
- An exhibit with a second level, often for meetings or hospitality. It requires structural engineering and show approval.Double-deck guide →
- Drayage
- Also called material handling: the show contractor's charge for moving freight from the dock to your booth, storing empty crates, and returning them at move-out.Freight explained →
E
- Exhibitor manual
- The show's rulebook for exhibitors: deadlines, booth rules, height limits, service order forms, and move-in schedules. It's the source of truth for every show.
- Exhibitor-appointed contractor (EAC)
- A contractor you hire, such as your exhibit builder, rather than the show's official contractor. EACs usually must be registered with the show in advance.
- Experiential marketing
- Marketing that engages people through physical, in-person experiences rather than ads: exhibits, activations, pop-ups, and events.
F
- Facade
- A scenic or set piece that shows only the front of a building or structure, built to look real from where the audience or camera sees it.How sets are built →
- Fire-rated materials
- Materials treated or manufactured to meet fire-safety standards. Venues and fire marshals require them for many exhibit components and fabrics.
- Flat
- A lightweight framed panel used to build scenic and set walls, designed to be moved, joined, and painted.How sets are built →
G
- General service contractor (GSC)
- The official contractor appointed by show management to handle freight, drayage, carpet, furniture rental, and other show services.
H
- Hanging sign
- A sign suspended from the venue ceiling above a booth so it can be seen across the hall. It requires rigging services and show approval.
- Header
- A sign or graphic mounted at the top of an exhibit, usually carrying the brand name.
I
- I&D (installation and dismantle)
- The labor to set up an exhibit before the show and take it down after. Show labor rules may affect who can perform certain tasks.Trade show exhibits →
- Inline booth
- A booth in a row of exhibits, open to one aisle, most commonly 10×10 or 10×20 feet.Booth sizes explained →
- Island exhibit
- A booth open on all four sides, typically 20×20 feet or larger, that people can enter from any aisle.Booth sizes explained →
L
- Lead retrieval
- Badge scanners or apps that capture visitor contact details at the booth for follow-up.Measuring trade show ROI →
- Load-in
- The scheduled time to bring equipment and exhibit elements into a venue, common in event and activation production.
M
- Marshaling yard
- A staging area where trucks wait for their scheduled time to unload at the venue's docks during move-in and move-out.
- Modular exhibit
- An exhibit built from reusable, reconfigurable components that can adapt to different booth sizes.
- Move-in / move-out
- The scheduled windows before and after a show when exhibitors install and remove their exhibits. The real deadline for a build is move-in, not opening day.Exhibit timelines →
P
- Peninsula booth
- A booth open on three sides, backing onto another exhibit.
- Pipe and drape
- The basic frame and fabric that divides booths at many shows, usually supplied by the show.
- Pop-up
- A temporary retail or brand space, often used for launches, limited releases, or activations.Pop-up shop design →
- Production designer
- The person who designs the overall look of a film, TV show, concert, or stage production, and whose drawings scenic builders work from.Scenic & stages →
R
- Rental exhibit
- An exhibit assembled from a builder's existing inventory and customized with your graphics.
- Rigging
- The equipment and labor to suspend signs, lighting, or structures from the venue ceiling, ordered through show services.
- Riser
- A platform that raises performers, equipment, or set pieces above the stage floor.Concert scenic guide →
S
- Scenic fabrication
- Building the physical scenery for a show, event, or production: set pieces, facades, backdrops, platforms, and finishes.Scenic & stages →
- Scenic painting
- Painting and texturing that make built surfaces read as other materials, such as stone, plaster, or aged metal, on stage or on camera.How sets are built →
- SEG (silicone edge graphic)
- A printed fabric graphic with a thin silicone strip sewn around its edge, pressed into a channel in an aluminum frame for a tight, seamless finish.Trade show graphics explained →
- Set dressing
- The furniture, props, and objects placed on a set to make it feel lived in and real.Film & TV sets →
- Show services
- Utilities and services ordered from the show for your booth, such as electrical, internet, cleaning, and furniture.
- Strike
- Taking down an event, set, or activation at the end of its run.