ASCO 2027Chicago exhibitor guide: booth costs, dates and deadlines
Chicago ASCO 2027 booths built to PhRMA Code limits and a 20-foot ceiling
- Event dates
- June 4–8, 2027
- Exhibit hall
- June 5–7, 2027 (Sat–Mon 9 a.m.–5 p.m.)
- Venue
- McCormick Place, Chicago
4.9 client rating10,000+ booths builtSince 20153,000+ exhibitors served
Quick answers
ASCO 2027 in 30 seconds
The short version for ASCO exhibitors. Every figure here has its source further down the ASCO page.
- When is ASCO 2027?
- June 4–8, 2027, at McCormick Place, Chicago.
- When does the ASCO exhibit hall open?
- June 5–7, 2027, Sat–Mon 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
- How big is ASCO?
- 45,700 total registrations attendees (2026 edition).
- What does ASCO booth space cost?
- $106 per sq ft, 2027 rate (up from $94 in 2026), paid to the organizer.
- What does a 10×20 booth cost all-in?
- $7,500 – $15,000 for a Purple rental at ASCO with design, graphics, lighting, install and dismantle. Space and show services are billed separately by ASCO.
- At ASCO, what is the next exhibitor deadline?
- Industry Expert Theater application deadline: January 15, 2027.
Official ASCO 2027 links: ASCO 2027 floor planASCO 2027 hotelsASCO 2027 scheduleASCO 2027 booth space
Everything about ASCO 2027 in one place
ASCO 2027 fact sheet
| Official name | 2027 ASCO Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology |
|---|---|
| Event dates | June 4–8, 2027 |
| Exhibit hall dates | June 5–7, 2027 (Sat–Mon 9 a.m.–5 p.m.) source |
| Venue | McCormick Place 2301 S King Dr, Chicago, IL 60616 |
| Organizer | American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) |
| Size (2026) | 45,700 total registrations attendees source |
| Who attends | Medical, surgical and radiation oncologists, hematologists, oncology nurses and pharmacists, researchers and industry |
| Booth space | $106 per sq ft, 2027 rate (up from $94 in 2026) source |
| Next deadline | Industry Expert Theater application deadline: January 15, 2027 source |
| Nearest airport | Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) or O'Hare International Airport (ORD) |
| Hotels | SPARGO, Inc., which handles hotel reservations for ASCO exhibitors Official hotel page → |
| Official website | asco.org |
Official ASCO resources
ASCO 2027 calendar
ASCO 2027 dates and deadlines
The dates the organizer has published, in order, each linked to the page that states it. We highlight the next one.
- Industry Expert Theater application deadlineContracted 2027 exhibitors source
- Exhibit space balance due in full; no refunds for cancellations from this dateExhibitors source
- Industry Expert Theater session titles, speakers and descriptions dueTheater participants source
- Deadline for the printed Exhibitor DirectoryExhibitors source
- ASCO 2027 opens at McCormick PlaceAttendees and exhibitors source
- Exhibit hall opens, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Exhibitors source
- Last exhibit day; hall closes at 5 p.m.Exhibitors source
- ASCO 2027 closes; move-out dayAttendees and exhibitors source
01 Purple at ASCO 2027
Chicago ASCO 2027 booths built to PhRMA Code limits and a 20-foot ceiling
We design ASCO booths where an oncologist reads the indication from the aisle and sits with your medical team a few steps in, inside ASCO's 8-foot inline and 20-foot island limits. At McCormick Place we file the EAC notice with SPARGO and book Freeman for rigging, power and drayage.
- Jun 4–8 · McCormick Place
- Exhibits Jun 5–7, 9 to 5
- 45,700 registered in 2026
What makes ASCO different, and how we build for it
ASCO runs its exhibit hall under clinical-meeting rules rather than trade-show habits.Commercial giveaways follow the PhRMA Code and the CMSS Code for Interactions with Companies, stay under $10 and cannot be pens or other reminder items, and pharmaceutical companies may not hand out product samples. Every food offer, game or display activity goes through a Booth Activity Request, food comes only from OVG Hospitality, and alcohol never enters the hall (2026 rules). SPARGO sells the floor, Freeman holds rigging, electrical and material handling, and the big conversations move to Industry Expert Theaters and hardwall meeting rooms in the East Building, sold by the same team.
The indication and the key endpoint readable from the aisle, approved safety information at arm's length, and a medical colleague a few steps away for the questions a panel cannot answer.
Dosing, administration, access and patient-support details laid out in steps, plus a quick handoff to the right specialist when the question turns to a specific regimen.
Pipeline and trial design on a screen they can page through themselves, and a seated table away from the aisle for an investigator conversation.
Your team in Chicago
One project manager, two shops, the whole ASCO build
Your ASCO booth is built in our own production shop in Fishkill, NY, or at our Las Vegas hub, shipped to McCormick Place and installed by vetted local labor with our own project manager on the floor. Builds take a predictable 30 to 45 days, with secure storage and pre-show QA.
The booth is lit and stocked when your team reaches McCormick Place. You just show up.
Inside ASCO 2027
ASCO rules that shape your booth
Inline displays may reach 8 feet only on the rear half of the space, everything toward the aisle stays under 4 feet, and inlines carry no hanging signs (2026 rules). We place headline walls and screens at the back and design a low, open front counter.
Islands top out at 20 feet including the sign, keep a two-foot open entry from every aisle, use no more than half their floor for private rooms, and cannot go multi-level; 400 square feet and up need an approved elevation (2026 rules). We draw and file to those limits.
Commercial giveaways meet PhRMA Code and CMSS Code standards: under $10, mainly educational, no pens, mouse pads or tote bags, and no product samples from pharmaceutical companies; every exhibitor files the giveaway form (2026 rules). We design the handout station around what passes.
Food and drink of minimal value need ASCO's approval on the Booth Activity Request, must be catered by OVG Hospitality with Freeman porter service, and alcohol is not allowed in the hall (2026 rules). We size the coffee counter and storage to the approved plan.
Booths stay fully intact and staffed through every exhibit hour, early dismantling is prohibited, and in 2026 EAC labor reached the floor only at 4:45 p.m. on closing day with an approved wristband. We schedule teardown crews and freight pickup around that release.
Programs worth planning for
Live, non-accredited sessions for up to 200 attendees, presented only by the exhibitor's own scientific staff; $110,000 per session for contracted 2027 exhibitors. Applications are due January 15, 2027 and session details February 10, 2027.
Hardwall rooms in the East Building and existing rooms in the North and West Buildings, from $48,400 for 400 square feet in 2027; first-round buyers are limited to two North and three West rooms.
A paid upgrade adding a logo and a 600-character paragraph in the printed Exhibitor Directory, plus a featured tile online and on the 2027 meeting map; the printed directory deadline is March 12, 2027.
ASCO's process for advisory boards, investigator meetings, focus groups and social functions held next to the Annual Meeting; ASCO says detailed 2027 information will be available in December 2026.
ASCO is the largest U.S. clinical oncology meeting, with 45,700 registrations in 2026; choose it over the AACR Annual Meeting when your buyers treat patients, as oncologists, nurses and pharmacists, rather than run cancer research labs. Compare every pharma and biotech show we build for →
pharma and biotech at ASCO
The industry behind ASCO, in pictures
02 Booths & pricing for ASCO 2027
Popular booth sizes at ASCO
ASCO sells space by the square foot, inline or island, so footprints run from 10×20 inlines for diagnostics and service firms to large pharma islands with meeting rooms built in (ASCO caps those rooms at half the island). We recommend a 10×20 or 10×30 inline for one indication, and a 20×30 island or larger for a portfolio.
An 8-foot indication wall on the back half, a low counter on the front half within ASCO's 4-foot limit, and one screen for the data story.
Shown: a Purple inline booth for Optinova
See 10×20 rental booths →
Three bays inline: a self-guided screen for browsing oncologists, the evidence wall at reading height, and a two-seat table behind a half wall for longer medical questions.
See 10×30 rental booths →
An island with a hanging sign topping out at 20 feet, two-foot open access on every side, an evidence wall and a small enclosed meeting room.
Pictured: Pixee, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×20 rental booths →
Separate zones for a short presentation, self-guided screens and private meeting rooms that stay under half the floor, plus literature storage and a pipeline wall.
Shown: a Purple large-format exhibit for Olon / Fidia Pharma Group
See 20×30 rental booths →In Purple's ASCO price
- A 3D rendering of your ASCO booth, revised until you approve it
- Structure, printed graphics, counters and storage, as specified for ASCO
- Lighting and in-booth power distribution for ASCO
- Installation and dismantle at McCormick Place, with our project manager on the floor
- Each service order and deadline in the ASCO exhibitor kit, tracked for you
What ASCO and its contractor bill
- Exhibit space (paid to American Society of Clinical Oncology)
- Material handling / drayage, where the space rate does not include it
- Electrical service, internet and rigging at McCormick Place
- Booth cleaning, and union labor where McCormick Place requires it
Rates to plan with for ASCO:
- Booth space, inline $106 per sq ft, 2027 rate (up from $94 in 2026) source
- Booth space, island $121 per sq ft plus $600 per open corner, 2027 rates source
- East Building meeting room $48,400 for 400 sq ft unfurnished, 2027 rate source
- Drayage About $210 per cwt, 200 lb minimum, 2026–27 planning figure
Your proposal estimates all of these, so the total for ASCO is on paper before you sign anything.
Prices are all-in 2026 rental ranges for design, structure, graphics, installation and dismantle; custom builds are quoted per project. Want an exact number for Chicago? Use the booth cost calculator or the 2026 booth cost guide.
Send us your booth size for ASCO and what the space needs to do. Expect a reply within one business day and, usually within a week, a rendering and a fixed proposal for ASCO. No charge.
Your team walks into a lit, stocked ASCO booth. You just show up.
03 Built by Purple
Built by our team: booths to compare for ASCO
Case study · SpecialtyRx
SpecialtyRx at a healthcare trade show
A custom island, visible across the whole floor thanks to elevated circular branding and LED tiles, that stayed busy from open to close.
SpecialtyRx drew pharmacy and pharma buyers to a custom island with circular branding and LED tiles; at ASCO, where giveaways stop at $10, the structure itself has to do that pulling.
Read the SpecialtyRx 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 · client reviews
Trusted by exhibitors including
04 Designing for oncology drug makers, biotech, diagnostics and cancer care service companies at ASCO
Four things we get right for ASCO exhibitors
1Back half tall, front half low
ASCO's inline rule lets walls reach 8 feet only on the rear half of the space and holds everything forward to the aisle at 4 feet (2026 rules), with no hanging signs over inlines. Your indication headline and screens go up on the rear half, and the front half becomes a waist-high counter a visitor can lean on.
2Islands open on every side
ASCO islands top out at 20 feet including the sign, must leave a contiguous two-foot entry from every aisle, and may give no more than half their floor to private meeting rooms (2026 rules). We plan rooms against the core and set kiosks two feet back from each entry.
3Content that changes after sign-off
Medical, legal and regulatory review often lands after the structure is in production, and ASCO only approves booth activities that are educational and congruent with its mission. We build swappable panels and screen content, keep one version log with your approval owner, and print revised graphics in house before the crates leave for Chicago.
4Hospitality without the hall's red lines
ASCO allows food of minimal value only with an approved Booth Activity Request, catering by OVG Hospitality and Freeman porter service, and bans alcohol in the hall (2026 rules). We build a coffee point with drain-free storage and a clear handout zone for the giveaway form you file.
Concept rendering
Your proposal for ASCO includes a rendering like this one
The 3D view shows layout, graphics, lighting and product positions before we cut a panel, and we revise it until the ASCO booth is right. This one is a Purple concept for Olon.
Start my ASCO conceptFloor at a glance
Where you could be at ASCO 2027
ASCO uses McCormick Place in layers: the exhibit hall and posters in the South Building, and exhibitor meeting rooms sold by SPARGO in three other buildings. Where your meetings happen changes how much of the booth must be private.
Exhibit hall, South Building
ASCO's 2027 meeting map groups exhibits, posters, food service and the Industry Expert Theater in the South Building; in 2026 the largest Food Court at McCormick Place sat at the back of the hall.
Our advice Booths near the front aisle face the clean-floor deadline a day earlier than the rest of the hall (2026 rules), so we schedule their install first.
Hall E, East Building, Level 2
Hardwall exhibitor meeting rooms with lockable door, carpet, power and a logo sign: 400 square feet unfurnished is $48,400 in 2027, open June 4 to June 7.
Our advice A room here takes advisory and payer meetings out of the island, which keeps the booth itself under ASCO's half-floor cap on private space.
North and West Building meeting rooms
Existing building rooms, North on Level 1 and West on Levels 1 and 4, from $55,000 to $100,000 in 2027 and mostly available from June 3 at 8 a.m. to June 8 at 1 p.m.
Our advice Rooms open a day before the meeting, so we deliver screens and graphics there during move-in and keep them off the exhibit freight schedule.
05 McCormick Place · Chicago
Logistics for ASCO 2027, handled
Freeman is ASCO's general services contractor and the exclusive provider for rigging and hanging sign installation, electrical, cleaning and material handling, so every crate from the McCormick Place dock to your booth moves as Freeman drayage, billed by weight. Since the 2010 MPEA reforms staff on your own payroll may put the exhibit together with their own tools. A builder like us files as an Exhibitor Appointed Contractor with a $1 million liability certificate naming ASCO, SPARGO, Freeman, McCormick Place and MPEA (2026 rules). ASCO's clean-floor rule clears every aisle of crates by 4:30 p.m. the day before opening, so our project manager has empties labeled early and the booth set with vetted Chicago labor.
ASCO exhibitors can find this building's hall rules, drayage estimates and freight deadlines in our McCormick Place exhibitor guide.
What Purple handles
- Booth Rendering drawings for islands of 400 square feet or more
- EAC notification, liability certificate and McCormick Place contractor authorization
- Booth Activity and giveaway forms drafted for your compliance team
- Freeman rigging, electrical, porter and material handling orders
- Our own project manager on the floor for setup and teardown, with vetted local labor
- Storage between ASCO and your next oncology meeting
Your ASCO timeline, from move-in back
Balance of ASCO 2027 exhibit space due; cancellations from this date earn no refund: January 27, 2027. ASCO issues no exhibitor badges and allows no setup while a balance is open, so we settle footprint and open sides with you before this payment.
We need your ASCO design signed off by late March 2027.
- By January 27, 2027ASCO exhibit space paid in full; we settle the footprint, open sides and meeting-room plan with you.
- Late March 2027Design sign-off; scaled floor plan and elevation drawings prepared for islands of 400 square feet or more, with hanging sign and truss specs.
- April 2027Booth Rendering, Booth Activity, giveaway and EAC forms filed through ASCO's Exhibitor Resource Center (the 2026 cycle closed them on April 22).
- April to mid-May 2027Production in Fishkill, NY over 30 to 45 days; graphics printed after your medical and regulatory sign-off.
- About 3 weeks before move-inCrates ship to the Freeman advance warehouse; hanging sign materials go early, since in 2026 they were due there by May 15.
- June 4–8, 2027ASCO 2027; the exhibit hall runs June 5–7, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and we dismantle after the Monday close.
Purple's planning timeline for ASCO. We confirm the official move-in, freight target and order deadlines for McCormick Place against your booth when you book; they come from your exhibitor kit and assigned schedule.
Print the ASCO budget & deadline sheetTravel to ASCO 2027
Getting to ASCO 2027: airport, hotels and parking
Fly in
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) or O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Park
McCormick Place Lot A, off Martin Luther King Drive, holds 2,100 cars
Travel facts from mccormickplace.com.
ASCO by the numbers
ASCO year by year
How ASCO 2027 compares with other pharma and biotech shows
The pharma and biotech shows closest to ASCO 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCT Annual MeetingSociety for Clinical Trials (SCT) | May 16–19, 2027 | Chicago, IL | – |
| Bio-IT WorldCambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI) | May 18–20, 2027 | Boston, MA | 2,300+ attendees · 150+ exhibitors (2024) |
| ISPORISPOR | May 23–26, 2027 | Denver, CO | Nearly 4,500 attendees (2026) |
| CPHI AmericasInforma Markets (CPHI) | May 25–26, 2027 | Miami Beach, FL | 2,600+ attendees · 270+ exhibitors (2026) |
| ASCOAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) | June 4–8, 2027 | Chicago, IL | 45,700 total registrations attendees (2026) |
| ASMSAmerican Society for Mass Spectrometry (ASMS) | June 6–10, 2027 | Houston, TX | – |
| BIOBiotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) | June 7–10, 2027 | Philadelphia, PA | 21,600 registrants attendees · 1,650+ exhibitors (2025) |
| ASHP Pharmacy FuturesAmerican Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP); exhibits managed by SPARGO | June 12–16, 2027 | Seattle, WA | 20:1 attendees per exhibitor, ASHP 2027 figure |
| ASM MicrobeAmerican Society for Microbiology (ASM) | June 22–25, 2027 | Chicago, IL | 4,800+ in the hall attendees (2026) |
| McKesson ideaShareMcKesson Corporation (with Health Mart and Health Mart Atlas) | June 24–27, 2027 | Las Vegas, NV | 200+ exhibitors (2026) |
ASCO exhibitor questions
Questions exhibitors ask us before ASCO
How much does a booth at ASCO 2027 cost?
Two bills meet here. ASCO charges $106 per square foot inline and $121 for islands in 2027, so a 20×30 island is $72,600 in space before a single wall goes up. Our side: a 10×20 rental runs $7,500 to $15,000 and a 20×30 custom island $75,000 to $175,000; meeting rooms and hanging signs move the number.
How do we book exhibit space at ASCO 2027, and when is it paid?
SPARGO, Inc. sells ASCO's exhibit space and meeting rooms. Contracts signed after August 26, 2026 pay half with the application and the balance by January 27, 2027; from that date payment is due in full and cancellations earn no refund. ASCO issues no badges and allows no setup for any company with an open balance.
Can we rent a booth for ASCO, and what does a rental include?
A Purple rental for ASCO covers the frame, fabric graphics sized to the 8-foot back half, LED lighting, a low front counter, lockable storage for literature and AV, plus flooring, since ASCO allows no bare floor. One fixed proposal also covers freight, setup and teardown, and the structure returns to us after Chicago.
What can we give away or serve in our ASCO booth?
Commercial exhibitors follow PhRMA Code standards: giveaways worth under $10, mainly educational, no pens or other reminder items, no tote bags, and no product samples from pharmaceutical companies (2026 rules). Food of minimal value needs ASCO's approval on the Booth Activity Request and must come from OVG Hospitality. Alcohol is not allowed in the hall.
How tall can our ASCO booth be?
Inline walls may reach 8 feet only on the back half of the space, with 4 feet the limit toward the aisle, and inlines get no hanging signs. Islands stop at 20 feet, sign included, and any island of 400 square feet or more needs ASCO's approval of a scaled floor plan and elevation (2026 rules).
Can our own staff set up our booth at McCormick Place?
Since the 2010 MPEA reforms, employees of your own company may assemble the exhibit using their own tools. Freight beyond a hand carry still moves through Freeman as drayage, and at ASCO only Freeman hangs signs and runs electrical. An outside builder must file ASCO's EAC notice and work only inside your booth.
What does drayage cost at McCormick Place for ASCO, and who pays it?
The exhibitor pays it, billed by weight through Freeman at the rate in ASCO's exhibitor service manual. We budget McCormick Place freight at close to $210 for every 100 pounds in 2026 and 2027, charged on at least 200 pounds per shipment, and late or off-target freight costs 25 to 35 percent more. We put your estimate on the proposal as its own line.
Can we reuse our ASCO booth at other oncology meetings?
We build ASCO booths in modules so the indication walls and counters travel to the AACR Annual Meeting, the ONS Congress or SITC with new graphics and fresh safety information. We store the kit between meetings and resize the island or split it into inlines to match each society's rules.
Do you handle Freeman orders and the EAC form for ASCO?
We do both. We file the Exhibitor Appointed Contractor notice and our liability certificate through ASCO's Exhibitor Resource Center, then order Freeman rigging, electrical, porter service and material handling, plus the Booth Rendering drawings for larger islands. You stay copied on each order, and your team handles badges and hotel rooms with SPARGO.
When is ASCO 2027?
The 2027 ASCO Annual Meeting runs Friday, June 4 to Tuesday, June 8, 2027 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The exhibit hall is open the three middle days, and Tuesday is a move-out day: ASCO's meeting room contract notes that no meetings are permitted on June 8.
When is the exhibit hall open at ASCO 2027?
Saturday June 5, Sunday June 6 and Monday June 7, 2027, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on all three days, according to ASCO's exhibit sales site. Exhibitors agree to staff the booth through every open hour and not to tear down early, so dismantle starts after the Monday close.
Where is ASCO 2027 held?
At McCormick Place, 2301 S King Drive in Chicago. ASCO's 2027 meeting map places the exhibits, posters, food service and Industry Expert Theater in the South Building, and SPARGO sells exhibitor meeting rooms in the East Building on Level 2, the North Building on Level 1 and the West Building on Levels 1 and 4. The Hyatt Regency McCormick Place adjoins the campus.
How many people attend ASCO?
ASCO counted 45,700 total registrations for the 2026 Annual Meeting, including 36,600 professionals, 13,825 of them international, and 7,350 exhibitor registrants. For 2027 its exhibit sales site promises a reach of more than 34,000 health care professionals and expects over 500 organizations to exhibit.
Who organizes the ASCO Annual Meeting?
The American Society of Clinical Oncology, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, runs the meeting. SPARGO, Inc. manages exhibit sales, exhibit operations, registration and exhibitor hotel reservations, Freeman is the general services contractor, and Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, handles support opportunities.
Before you sign for ASCO
Five things to ask every builder quoting ASCO:
- Will the proposal show every ASCO fee, including show contractor charges?
- Does your own shop build the booth, or do you subcontract it?
- Does your project manager stay on the floor through install and dismantle in Chicago?
- What exactly is in the rental, and what does ASCO bill?
- Once ASCO closes, where does the booth go and what does storage cost?
Common situations
Already own a booth? Bring it: we refresh the graphics, repair what is worn, ship it, install it at ASCO and store it until the next show. You keep the structure you paid for and bring it to ASCO.
Exhibiting from outside the US? We are your team on the ground at McCormick Place: freight to the advance warehouse, show-service orders, installation and storage, with one project manager on your emails in your time zone.
Short on time? Rentals with your graphics can be ready in two to three weeks. You will know on the first call what is realistic for your ASCO date.
Get a proposal
Tell us about your ASCO booth
What happens next
- We reply within one business day with questions about your products, goals and footprint.
- Usually within a week, you receive a concept rendering and a fixed ASCO proposal. Every fee on paper upfront, in full, for your ASCO booth.
- Production runs 30–45 days, then we ship to the advance warehouse and install before the ASCO hall opens.