ARVO 2027Exhibitor guide: booth costs, dates and deadlines
- Event dates
- May 2–6, 2027
- Exhibit hall
- May 2–5, 2027 (Sun–Wed 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. PT)
- Venue
- San Diego Convention Center, San Diego
4.9 client rating3,000+ exhibitors10,000+ booths builtSince 2015
Quick answers
ARVO 2027 in 30 seconds
The short version for exhibitors. Every figure has its source further down the page.
- When is ARVO 2027?
- May 2–6, 2027, at San Diego Convention Center, San Diego.
- When is the exhibit hall open?
- May 2–5, 2027, Sun–Wed 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. PT.
- How big is ARVO?
- 10,990+ attendees, 220+ exhibitors (2026 edition).
- What does booth space cost?
- $3,100 per 10×10 inline ($31 per sq ft), 2027 rate, paid to the organizer.
- What does a 10×20 booth cost all-in?
- $7,500 – $15,000 for a Purple rental with design, graphics, lighting, install and dismantle. Space and show services are billed by the show.
- What is the next exhibitor deadline?
- Final balance due for ARVO 2027 exhibit space; new applications must include full payment: October 23, 2026.
Everything about ARVO 2027 in one place
ARVO 2027 fact sheet
| Official name | ARVO 2027 Annual Meeting (Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology) |
|---|---|
| Event dates | May 2–6, 2027 |
| Exhibit hall dates | May 2–5, 2027 (Sun–Wed 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. PT) source |
| Venue | San Diego Convention Center 111 W Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101 |
| Organizer | Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) |
| Size (2026) | 10,990+ attendees · 220+ exhibitors source |
| Who attends | Basic science and clinical researchers, surgeons, clinicians, ophthalmology educators, trainees and students |
| Booth space | $3,100 per 10×10 inline ($31 per sq ft), 2027 rate source |
| Next deadline | Final balance due for ARVO 2027 exhibit space; new applications must include full payment: October 23, 2026 source |
| Nearest airport | San Diego International Airport (SAN) |
| Hotels | Orchid Events, ARVO's official housing bureau, booking through Passkey; the 2027 hotel reservation deadline is March 5 Official hotel page → |
| Official website | arvo.org |
Official ARVO resources
ARVO 2027 calendar
ARVO 2027 dates and deadlines
The dates the organizer has published, in order, each linked to the page that states it. The next one is highlighted.
- Final balance due for ARVO 2027 exhibit space; new applications must include full paymentExhibitors source
- EAC notice, island booth drawings and hotel reservation deadlineExhibitors source
- Exhibit space application deadline for the ARVO Pocket GuideExhibitors source
- Last day the advance warehouse accepts shipmentsExhibitors source
- Exhibit installation opens (April 30 and May 1, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)Exhibitors source
- ARVO 2027 opens; exhibit hall open May 2–5Attendees and exhibitors source
01 Purple at ARVO 2027
ARVO 2027 booths in San Diego for scientists who read the figure first
Your ARVO booth gives vision scientists a shaded imaging bay inside the 9-foot back wall limit, real fundus and OCT images, and a seat to talk methods. At the San Diego Convention Center we file the EAC notice by March 5 and finish building before Saturday's 5 p.m. unpacking cutoff.
- Hall May 2–5 · San Diego
- 220+ exhibitors in 2026
- 72 countries in 2026
What makes ARVO different, and how we build for it
ARVO is a research meeting first: its 9,481 registrants in 2026, 35 percent of them from outside the U.S., came to present science, and the exhibit hall shares the floor with the posters.The 2027 floor plan places the Exhibitor Education Forum, two Networking Lounges and ARVO Central among the booths, and poster setup starts at 7 a.m. on opening Sunday. Inline space comes only in 10×10 units with a 9-foot back wall, islands stop at 20 feet, and Meeting and Executive Suites sit on the hall floor. Retina, cornea and glaucoma lead the members' interests, so instruments, images and data carry the conversation.
Instrument specs, sample images and methods they can compare against their own lab, plus a quiet place to talk about grants, core facilities and purchase timing.
Hands-on time with imaging, diagnostic and surgical devices, clinical trial data in readable form and staff who can answer protocol questions.
Meeting space away from the aisle for CRO, reagent and partnership discussions, with screens for confidential data and a booking system that works.
Your team in San Diego
Two shops, one project manager, every hall
We build in our own production shop in Fishkill, NY, and our Las Vegas hub, ship to the San Diego Convention Center, and install with our own project manager on the floor and vetted local labor. Predictable 30–45-day turnarounds, secure storage and pre-show QA.
Your team walks into a lit, stocked booth. You just show up.
Inside ARVO 2027
Rules that shape your booth
Islands of 20×20 or larger submit top and side views with every dimension by Friday, March 5, 2027, and cannot set up without approval; height stops at 20 feet with signage. We draw, dimension and file them for you.
ARVO lets 20×20 and larger islands use walls only if each of the four sides stays at least 25 percent see-through. We place meeting room walls and storage so every side keeps open sightlines into the booth.
Contests, lotteries, raffles and games of chance are prohibited at ARVO. We build engagement around the instrument instead: a timed imaging challenge or a sample-image comparison that needs no drawing.
Non-official contractors are kept out of the hall unless the exhibitor files ARVO's Notice of Intent to Use an EAC and a certificate of insurance for each vendor, due March 5, 2027. We prepare both for your signature.
Every booth except meeting suites must be staffed and open through all exhibit hours, and early breakdown is billed $200 with a loss of priority booth assignment. We schedule dismantle crews from 5:15 p.m. on May 5.
Programs worth planning for
A presentation area on the show floor with screen, podium and microphone, sold in 30-minute slots from $4,500 in 2027; a $2,500 promotion package adds an app push and a hall announcement.
Private suites on the exhibit hall floor, $35 per square foot for exhibitors; Executive Suites with a hardwall exterior start at $20,000 and include 12 exhibit-only and four full registrations.
A sponsorship from $5,000 that funds travel for five early-career scientists presenting at the Annual Meeting, with donor recognition in ARVO's printed and digital materials.
ARVO is where eye and vision scientists meet each spring, with 220+ exhibitors in 2026; choose it over the ASCRS Annual Meeting when you sell imaging, research instruments or trial services to scientists rather than surgical devices to cataract surgeons. Compare every medical devices show we build for →
02 Booths & pricing for ARVO 2027
Popular booth sizes at ARVO
ARVO sells inline space only in 10×10 units at $3,100 each in 2027, up to three side by side, and allows a peninsula only with a 20×20 purchase. Islands with a 20-foot height limit and on-floor Meeting Suites carry the larger brands. We recommend a 10×20 for one instrument with a seated demo, and a 20×20 island for imaging.
Two ARVO units side by side: a shaded fundus or OCT station in one, a science wall and a two-seat table in the other, all inside the 4-foot back wall depth.
Shown: Tipmed, a Purple inline booth
See 10×20 rental booths →
The largest inline run ARVO sells: a seated imaging demo at one end, a poster-style science wall in the middle and a grant conversation table at the other end.
Shown: Optinova, a Purple inline booth
See 10×30 rental booths →
An island with walls kept 25 percent see-through, a dimmable imaging bay, two data stations and a hanging sign inside the 20-foot limit.
Shown: Pixee, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×20 rental booths →
Several instrument stations, a small theater for investigator talks, an enclosed meeting room and lockable storage for optics and consumables.
Shown: Olon / Infa Group, a Purple large-format exhibit
See 20×30 rental booths →In Purple's price
- Design and a 3D rendering, revised until it is right
- Structure, printed graphics, counters and storage as specified
- Lighting and power distribution inside the booth
- Installation and dismantle, with our project manager on the floor
- Every show-service order and deadline tracked for you
Billed by the show and its contractor
- Booth space (paid to the organizer)
- Material handling / drayage, where the space rate does not include it
- Electrical service, internet and rigging
- Booth cleaning and any union labor the venue requires
Rates to plan with for ARVO:
- Booth space $3,100 per 10×10 inline ($31 per sq ft), 2027 rate source
- Corner fee $900 per corner, 2027 rate (non-profit $200) source
- Meeting Suite $35 per sq ft for exhibitors; Executive Suite from $20,000, 2027 rates source
- Drayage About $176 per cwt, 200 lb minimum, Purple venue-guide figure for 2026–2027
We estimate every one of these on your proposal, so the total is on paper before you sign.
Prices are all-in 2026 rental ranges for design, structure, graphics, installation and dismantle; custom builds are quoted per project. Get an exact number for ARVO with the booth cost calculator or read the 2026 booth cost guide.
Send the show, your booth size and what the space needs to do. We reply within one business day and send a rendering and a fixed proposal, usually within a week. No charge.
Your team walks into a lit, stocked booth. You just show up.
03 Built by Purple
Booths we have designed, built and installed
Case study · Pixee Medical
Pixee Medical at a medical technology congress
A focused, demo-first booth for augmented-reality surgical guidance, built so every visitor could try the technology while traffic kept moving.
Pixee Medical had to let surgeons try AR guidance in minutes without blocking its aisle; an ARVO fundus or OCT station inside a 4-foot back wall zone faces the same squeeze.
Read the Pixee Medical case study All case studies →“We were very happy with the experience and with the support provided throughout the project. The booth looked great, the coordination process was smooth, and everything was handled professionally, which made the event much easier for our team.”
Miriam Valdes, Communications Manager, INdermal · more client reviews
Trusted by exhibitors including
04 Designing for ophthalmic device, imaging and vision research brands at ARVO
Four things we get right for ARVO exhibitors
1Work inside ARVO's 9-by-4 back wall
ARVO caps the inline back wall at 9 feet high and 4 feet deep, and equipment in the front 6 feet must not block the neighbors' view. We tuck the shaded imaging hood into that 4-foot zone and keep the front of the booth low and open.
Pull the demo crowd off the aisle
ARVO's booth rules tell exhibitors not to put a crowd-drawing demonstration on the aisle line and to leave room inside the booth to absorb visitors. We set the fundus or OCT chair two steps back, with an observer screen that reads from the carpet edge.
Unpack everything by Saturday at 5
Booths must be built and fully unpacked by 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 1, because poster setup takes the hall at 7 a.m. Sunday and no booth work is allowed then. We calibrate instruments and focus demo lighting on Friday so Saturday is for checks.
Keep image files off the open WiFi
ARVO includes free WiFi with every booth but describes it as an open network not suitable for secure data. We order a dedicated line through the Exhibitor Service Manual for any demo that pulls patient images or trial data, and hard-wire the workstation.
Concept rendering
Every proposal comes with a rendering like this
You see the booth in 3D before we cut a single panel: layout, graphics, lighting and product positions, revised until it is right. Shown: a Purple concept for Purple AI.
Start my ARVO concept05 San Diego Convention Center · San Diego
Logistics for ARVO 2027, handled
Freeman is ARVO's general show contractor for 2027, and PDS/Freeman receives advance freight at 2995 Faivre Street in Chula Vista until April 23; later deliveries may be refused or billed as late storage. The San Diego Convention Center is a union building with its own in-house services, so we file ARVO's EAC notice and certificates of insurance by March 5, then build during the two installation days, April 30 and May 1, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Every crate is emptied by 5 p.m. Saturday so empties clear before poster setup. Our project manager leads the floor, and dismantle opens at 5:15 p.m. on May 5.
Hall rules, drayage estimates and freight deadlines for this building are in our San Diego Convention Center exhibitor guide.
Hall guide
ARVO's 2027 floor plan mixes booths, posters and attendee spaces in one exhibit hall at the San Diego Convention Center. These are the areas ARVO marks on that plan and what each means for your booth.
Inline 10×10 units and islands share the hall with ARVO's poster boards, which are set up from 7 a.m. on Sunday, May 2, after booth work ends.
Our advice: Poster traffic is scientists with time to talk, so we face your demo and science wall toward the poster side when the booth number allows.
A presentation area on the show floor with screen, podium and microphone, sold in 30-minute slots from $4,500 in 2027.
Our advice: If you book a Forum slot, we echo its title on your booth graphics so listeners can walk straight to the instrument afterward.
Two Networking Lounges and ARVO Central are marked on the 2027 floor plan, with branded lounge sponsorships sold separately.
Our advice: Booths near a lounge see longer dwell time, so we add a counter-height table where a researcher can set down a coffee and stay.
Suites on the exhibit hall floor at $35 per square foot for exhibitors in 2027, or Executive Suites with hardwall exteriors from $20,000.
Our advice: A suite takes the confidential trial and CRO meetings, so your booth can stay open and instrument-led; we match its exterior graphics to the booth.
What Purple handles
- Island drawings and the EAC notice with insurance certificates by March 5
- Carpet, electrical, dedicated internet and drayage orders with Freeman
- Shaded imaging bays sized to ARVO's 9-foot by 4-foot back wall
- Graphics printed in house and proofed against your figures
- Crates in Chula Vista by April 23, then shipped home
- Installation and dismantle led by our own project manager on the floor
Timeline, counted back from move-in
Island drawings, EAC notice and hotel reservations due to ARVO: March 5, 2027. Islands without approved drawings cannot set up and unlisted contractors are kept off the floor, so we need your design signed off by mid-February.
We need design sign-off by mid-February 2027.
- Mid-February 2027Design sign-off, instrument list and demo lighting plan locked.
- By March 5, 2027Island drawings with top and side views and the EAC notice filed with ARVO Exhibits Management.
- March 2027Production in Fishkill, NY over 30 to 45 days; graphics proofed against your real images and figures.
- By April 23, 2027Crates delivered to the PDS/Freeman advance warehouse in Chula Vista before ARVO's last receiving day.
- April 30 to May 1, 2027Installation 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days; booth built and unpacked by 5 p.m. Saturday.
- May 2–6, 2027Exhibit hall open May 2–5; dismantle Wednesday 5:15 to 10 p.m. and Thursday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., then freight home or to storage.
Purple planning timeline. Official move-in, freight target and order deadlines come from your exhibitor kit and assigned schedule; we confirm them against your booth when you book.
Printable budget & deadline sheetTravel to ARVO 2027
Getting to ARVO 2027: airport and hotels
Fly in
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Stay
Orchid Events, ARVO's official housing bureau, booking through Passkey; the 2027 hotel reservation deadline is March 5
Travel facts from arvo.org.
ARVO by the numbers
ARVO year by year
How ARVO 2027 compares with other medical devices shows
The medical devices shows closest to ARVO on the calendar, with the latest size each organizer has published. Each name opens our exhibitor guide for that show.
| Show | Dates | City | Latest published size |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACP Internal MedicineAmerican College of Physicians (ACP) | April 15–17, 2027 | Los Angeles, CA | 6,994 attendees (2026) |
| HSPAHealthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) | April 24–27, 2027 | Columbus, OH | 1,417 attendees (2026) |
| AATS Annual MeetingAmerican Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) | May 1–4, 2027 | Los Angeles, CA | 2,831 attendees · 111 exhibitors (2026) |
| AAN Annual MeetingAmerican Academy of Neurology (AAN) | May 1–5, 2027 | Washington, DC | 16,340 total attendees (2026) |
| AACN NTIAmerican Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) | May 2–5, 2027 | Indianapolis, IN | 300+ exhibits (2026) |
| ARVOAssociation for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) | May 2–6, 2027 | San Diego, CA | 10,990+ attendees · 220+ exhibitors (2026) |
| MEDevice BostonInforma Markets | May 11–12, 2027 | Boston, MA | 1,500+ attendees (2026) |
| Heart RhythmHeart Rhythm Society (HRS) | May 13–16, 2027 | San Francisco, CA | 10,573 attendees · 150+ exhibitors (2026) |
| ATSAmerican Thoracic Society | May 14–19, 2027 | New Orleans, LA | 10,004 attendees (2026) |
| DDWDigestive Disease Week | May 15–18, 2027 | Washington, D.C., DC | 31.73% international attendees (2026) |
ARVO exhibitor questions
Questions exhibitors ask us before ARVO
How much does a booth at ARVO 2027 cost?
For ARVO the usual starting point is a 10×20 rental at $7,500 to $15,000; an imaging island on a custom 20×20 runs $50,000 to $120,000. A dimmable demo hood, isolated optics counters and a dedicated internet line move the number here. ARVO bills space on top: $3,100 per 10×10 inline and $900 per corner at the 2027 rate.
When is ARVO 2027?
The ARVO 2027 Annual Meeting runs Sunday, May 2 to Thursday, May 6, 2027 in San Diego. ARVO has also published its next stops: April 30 to May 4, 2028 in Toronto and May 6–10, 2029 in Seattle.
Where is ARVO 2027 held?
ARVO 2027 meets at 111 W Harbor Drive on the downtown waterfront, the address of the San Diego Convention Center. ARVO lists the center as the 2027 location and provider of in-house convention services, with exhibit freight routed through the PDS/Freeman warehouse in Chula Vista before move-in.
When is the exhibit hall open at ARVO 2027?
Sunday, May 2 to Wednesday, May 5, 2027, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific each day, per the ARVO 2027 prospectus. Exhibitors can enter from 7 a.m., installation runs April 30 and May 1, and dismantle starts at 5:15 p.m. on May 5 and ends at 2 p.m. on May 6.
How many people attend ARVO?
ARVO reports 10,990+ attendees and 220+ exhibitors at ARVO 2026 in Denver, with 72 countries represented. Its 2027 prospectus counts 9,481 registrants in 2026 without exhibitors, 35 percent of them international, and ARVO says 80 percent of current members attend every year.
Who organizes ARVO, and who runs the exhibits?
The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology organizes the meeting. NTP Events sells booths and sponsorships, Freeman is the general show contractor, Orchid Events runs housing, Projection handles booth audiovisual and ExpoLogic supplies lead retrieval for ARVO 2027.
How do we get a booth at ARVO 2027?
You pick an open booth on the ARVO 2027 floor plan and submit the Booth Space Selection Contract online, with full payment, since ARVO's applications must include it. Combined booths go through the exhibit sales manager. Send us the booth number as soon as you have it and we start the layout.
What are the key ARVO 2027 exhibitor deadlines?
The final balance for exhibit space is due October 23, 2026, and the Exhibitor Service Manual opens to companies paid in full. March 5, 2027 is the big one: EAC notice, island drawings and the hotel reservation deadline. Booths booked by March 12 make the Pocket Guide. We plan design sign-off for mid-February.
Can we rent a booth for ARVO, and what does a rental include?
Our ARVO rental bundles the frame, printed graphics, LED lighting, counters, freight, installation and dismantle on one fixed proposal. ARVO's own space comes with 8-foot back drape, 36-inch side drape, an ID sign and WiFi, while carpet is required and ordered separately, so we add flooring and a shaded instrument hood.
Can our own staff set up our booth at the San Diego Convention Center?
The center is a union building, and installation and dismantle fall under the show's labor agreements. ARVO admits outside builders only after the exhibitor files the Notice of Intent to Use an EAC and a certificate of insurance, due March 5, 2027. We file both and install with our own project manager.
How tall can an ARVO booth be?
Inline back walls stop at 9 feet high and 4 feet deep, and anything in the front 6 feet must not block a neighbor's view. Islands reach 20 feet including signage, keep at least 25 percent see-through on all four sides, and need ARVO's drawing approval before setup.
What does drayage cost at ARVO in San Diego?
Freeman bills material handling by weight to your account. For the San Diego Convention Center we plan about $176 per hundredweight in 2026 and 2027 with a 200-pound minimum, a Purple venue-guide figure; Freeman's 2027 tariff arrives with the Exhibitor Service Manual. Crated imaging systems are heavy, so drayage is its own proposal line.
Can we reuse our ARVO booth at other eye meetings?
We build ARVO booths from modules so the same imaging hood and science wall travel to the ASCRS Annual Meeting in April, Optometry's Meeting in June and AAO in November with new panels. Between meetings the kit stays in our warehouse, and we check optics counters and lighting before each shipment.
Do you handle Freeman orders and the EAC paperwork for ARVO?
We do. Once the Exhibitor Service Manual opens to your paid booth, we order carpet, electrical, dedicated internet and material handling from Freeman, file the EAC notice and insurance by March 5, and label crates for the Chula Vista warehouse before its April 23 cutoff, copying you on every confirmation.
Before you sign with anyone
Five questions to ask any exhibit builder for ARVO:
- Is every fee on the proposal, including what the show contractor bills?
- Who builds the booth: your own shop or a subcontractor?
- Will your project manager be on the floor for install and dismantle?
- What exactly is in the rental, and what is billed by the show?
- Where does the booth go after the show, and what does storage cost?
Common situations
Already own a booth? We refresh the graphics, repair what is worn, ship it, install it and store it between shows. You keep the structure you paid for.
Exhibiting from outside the US? We are your team on the ground: freight to the advance warehouse, show-service orders, installation and storage, with one project manager answering your emails in your time zone.
Short on time? A rental with your graphics can be ready in two to three weeks. We tell you on the first call what is realistic for your date.
Get a proposal
Tell us about your ARVO booth
What happens next
- We reply within one business day with questions about your products, goals and footprint.
- You get a concept rendering and a fixed proposal, usually within a week. Every last fee listed upfront, in full, on paper.
- We build in 30–45 days, ship to the advance warehouse and install before the hall opens.