eyewear and optical · Kansas City
Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027Booth costs, dates and deadlines: the Kansas City exhibitor guide
Midwest optometry in one weekend: Heart of America 2027 booths in Kansas City
- Event dates
- February 19–21, 2027
- Exhibit hall
- February 19–20, 2027 (Fri 2:45–7:15 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–2:15 p.m.; setup Fri 8 a.m.–2:15 p.m.)
- Venue
- Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center and Crown Center Exhibit Hall, Kansas City
4.9 client rating3,000+ exhibitorsIn business since 201510,000+ booths built
Quick answers
Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027 in 30 seconds
The short version for Heart of America Eye Care Congress exhibitors. Every figure here has its source further down the Heart of America Eye Care Congress page.
- When is Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027?
- February 19–21, 2027, at Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center and Crown Center Exhibit Hall, Kansas City.
- When is the Heart of America Eye Care Congress exhibit hall open?
- February 19–20, 2027, Fri 2:45–7:15 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–2:15 p.m.; setup Fri 8 a.m.–2:15 p.m.
- How much is booth space at Heart of America Eye Care Congress?
- $2,650 with a $250 non-refundable deposit, 2027 prospectus, paid to the organizer.
- How much is a 10×20 booth at Heart of America Eye Care Congress, all-in?
- $7,500 – $15,000 for a Purple rental in Kansas City: design, graphics, lighting, install and dismantle. Heart of America Eye Care Congress bills space and show services separately.
- At Heart of America Eye Care Congress, what is the next exhibitor deadline?
- Deposit deadline for preferential booth assignment ($250 per 10×10, $1,750 per 20×20): November 1, 2026.
Official Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027 links: Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027 floor planHeart of America Eye Care Congress 2027 exhibitor listHeart of America Eye Care Congress 2027 hotelsHeart of America Eye Care Congress 2027 booth space
The lookKansas City 2027
Midwest warmth. Since 1962.
The 66th Heart of America Eye Care Congress meets at Crown Center in Kansas City, February 19–21, 2027, exhibit hall February 19–20. 1,500+ attendees each year, per the Congress, with optometrists walking the hall between courses.
Everything about Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027 in one place
Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027 fact sheet
| Official name | 66th Annual Heart of America Eye Care Congress (HOAECC) 2027 |
|---|---|
| Event dates | February 19–21, 2027 |
| Exhibit hall dates | February 19–20, 2027 (Fri 2:45–7:15 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–2:15 p.m.; setup Fri 8 a.m.–2:15 p.m.) source |
| Venue | Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center and Crown Center Exhibit Hall 2345 McGee St, Kansas City, MO 64108 |
| Organizer | Heart of America Eye Care Congress (HOAECC) |
| Who attends | Optometrists, paraoptometrics, residents and optometry students from the Midwest member states |
| Booth space | $2,650 with a $250 non-refundable deposit, 2027 prospectus source |
| Next deadline | Deposit deadline for preferential booth assignment ($250 per 10×10, $1,750 per 20×20): November 1, 2026 source |
| Nearest airport | Kansas City International Airport (MCI) |
| Hotels | The Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center, booked through the Congress's reservation link Official hotel page → |
| Official website | hoaecc.org |
Official Heart of America Eye Care Congress resources
Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027 calendar
Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027 dates and deadlines
The Heart of America Eye Care Congress dates the organizer has published, in order, each linked to the page that states it. The next one is highlighted.
- Deposit deadline for preferential booth assignment ($250 per 10×10, $1,750 per 20×20)Exhibitors source
- Poster submissions closeResearchers and residents source
- Last day to cancel exhibit space for a refund less the depositExhibitors source
- Booth fees due in full; registration-packet inserts dueExhibitors source
- Booth assignments made by the exhibits directorsExhibitors source
- Setup 8 a.m.–2:15 p.m.; exhibit hall opens 2:45 p.m.Exhibitors and attendees source
- Exhibit hall 9 a.m.–2:15 p.m.; grand prize drawing at closeExhibitors and attendees source
- Final day of the Congress (education)Attendees source
01 Purple at Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027
Midwest optometry in one weekend: Heart of America 2027 booths in Kansas City
The Heart sells 10×10 booths and a few 20×20 islands, and optometrists walk the hall in short exclusive windows, so we make graphics and counters that tell your story in seconds. Setup is Friday morning only, in the Crown Center Exhibit Hall beside the Sheraton.
- Feb 19–21 · Crown Center KC
- 1,500+ attendees a year
- 10×10 for $2,650 in 2027
What makes Heart of America Eye Care Congress different, and how we build for it
The Heart of America Eye Care Congress has met in Kansas City since its first Congress at the Presidents Hotel in 1962, and the 2027 meeting is its 66th.It is an education congress first: doctors and paraoptometrics earn continuing education credits on separate Doctor and Para grids, then come into the Crown Center Exhibit Hall during exclusive windows built into the schedule. The Congress keeps the hall busy with more than $10,000 in prize drawings, a Friday Craft Beer Tour among the booths, the Doctors and Paras Meet and Greet and a Saturday luncheon and dessert bar. Only companies whose products relate directly to optometry are accepted, so every neighbor in the hall sells to the same doctor.
They visit in the exclusive doctor windows between courses and want to see a device, a lens or a frame line and leave with a next step, a demo date or a rep's card.
They have their own exhibit hall hour on Saturday morning and handle ordering, insurance and frame boards back at the practice, so practical tools and clear price sheets win them.
Students from schools such as the UM-St. Louis College of Optometry walk the hall looking for first jobs and practice partners, and remember the companies that took time to explain the technology.
Your team in Kansas City
From our two shops to the Heart of America Eye Care Congress floor
We build in our own production shop in Fishkill, NY, and our Las Vegas hub, ship to the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center and Crown Center Exhibit Hall, and install with our own project manager on the floor and vetted local labor. Builds take a predictable 30 to 45 days, with secure storage and pre-show QA.
When your team gets to Kansas City, the booth is lit and stocked. You just show up.
Inside Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027
Rules that shape your Heart of America Eye Care Congress booth
The Heart's board approves only companies whose products or services relate directly to optometry and rejects cosmetic products unrelated to it; first-time exhibitors send their website and literature. We build your booth copy around the clinical or practice use the board expects to see.
Exhibits directors assign every booth by January 10, 2027, ranking sponsors first, then longevity and payment dates, and the floor plan does not show open spaces. We design graphics that work in any position and finalize placement once your number arrives.
Booth fees cover drape, a sign and five badges; tables, chairs, trash cans and carpet are purchased separately through George Fern. We size counters and table throws to George Fern's standard pieces so the booth looks finished.
Exhibit booth setup runs Friday, February 19, 2027 from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., followed by the exhibitor welcome meeting and a 2:45 p.m. grand opening. We pack tool-free kits and walk your team through the setup in advance.
Programs worth planning for
The Congress accepts research and case posters from October 1 to November 15, 2026, with a call for posters PDF and an online poster gallery for the 2027 meeting.
Diamond to Bronze sponsor levels plus program and supporting sponsorships; sponsors get booth priority, and Bronze and above qualify for the 300 aisle.
The Craft Beer Tour in the exhibit hall on Friday, Friday night music at Spectators, the Presidential Reception and the Saturday luncheon, which bring doctors back to the floor.
Heart of America is the Midwest's optometry congress with a two-day 10×10 exhibit hall; choose it over Vision Expo when your buyers are independent Midwest ODs and their staff, and pair it with SECO for the Southeast. Compare all the eyewear and optical shows we build for →
Who exhibits at Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027
Companies on the 2027 HOAECC exhibitor list. See the full list
- Optos, Inc.
- Topcon Healthcare
- Icare
- Visionix
- Phelcom Technologies
- OCuSOFT Inc.
- Vital Tears
- DEG Medical | Dry Eye Guys | MiBo Medical Group
- OGI by The Optical Foundry
- Optikam Tech Inc
- Valley Contax
- IDOC
- ODs on Finance LLC
- Optometric Architects
- VSP Vision
- UM-St. Louis College of Optometry
eyewear and optical at Heart of America Eye Care Congress
The industry behind Heart of America Eye Care Congress, in pictures
02 Booths & pricing for Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027
Popular booth sizes at Heart of America Eye Care Congress
The Heart sells two sizes: a 10×10 at $2,650 and a limited number of 20×20 islands at $13,250 (2027 prospectus), assigned by the exhibits directors rather than chosen online. We do not build oversized structures here; we make a 10×10 backwall graphic, a lit counter and a demo table, or a light island kit for the 20×20.
Product demos, two-person teams
Shown: a Purple inline booth for Tipmed
See 10×20 rental booths →
Multiple product lines, a small meeting nook
Shown: a Purple inline booth for MedaCure
See 10×30 rental booths →
Hanging sign, open floor plan, lounge
Shown: AMRAD Medical, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×20 rental booths →
Demo stations plus private meetings
Shown: Pixee, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×30 rental booths →In Purple's Heart of America Eye Care Congress price
- Your design and 3D rendering, revised until it is right for Heart of America Eye Care Congress
- The structure, printed graphics, counters and storage your Heart of America Eye Care Congress plan specifies
- Lighting and power distribution inside your Heart of America Eye Care Congress booth
- Installation and dismantle at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center and Crown Center Exhibit Hall, with our project manager on the floor
- Each service order and deadline in the Heart of America Eye Care Congress exhibitor kit, tracked for you
Paid to Heart of America Eye Care Congress and its contractor
- Exhibit space (paid to Heart of America Eye Care Congress)
- Drayage, or material handling, when it is not in the Heart of America Eye Care Congress space rate
- Electrical, internet and rigging orders for Heart of America Eye Care Congress
- Booth cleaning and whatever union labor the Heart of America Eye Care Congress venue requires
Rates to plan with for Heart of America Eye Care Congress:
- Booth space, 10×10 $2,650 with a $250 non-refundable deposit, 2027 prospectus source
- Booth space, 20×20 island $13,250 with a $1,750 non-refundable deposit, 2027 prospectus source
- Late payment $250 administrative fee after January 9, 2027; $500 if paid after the Congress source
- Registration packet insert $400 for exhibitors, $1,000 for non-exhibitors, per one-page ad, 2027 source
Every one of these is estimated on your proposal, so you see the full Heart of America Eye Care Congress total on paper before you sign.
All-in 2026 rental ranges: design, structure, graphics, installation and dismantle are included, and custom Heart of America Eye Care Congress builds are quoted per project. Get an exact number for Heart of America Eye Care Congress with the booth cost calculator or the 2026 booth cost guide.
Tell us your Heart of America Eye Care Congress booth size and what the space has to do. A reply within one business day, then a Heart of America Eye Care Congress rendering and fixed proposal, usually within a week. No charge.
03 Built by Purple
Purple booths we designed, built and installed
Case study · French Avenue
French Avenue at a fragrance and beauty trade show
A premium fragrance environment built around discovery, with a flow designed for real conversations and product sampling.
French Avenue's booth turned a small space into a place for discovery and real conversation; a Heart of America 10×10 has the same job with Midwest optometrists in short exclusive hours.
Read the French Avenue case study All case studies →“If you’re looking for a trade show booth expert who shows up and gets the job done right, Purple Exhibits is the real deal.”
Magdalena Kulisz, Service Manager, Miss Immigrant USA · read more client reviews
Trusted by exhibitors including
04 Designing for frame, lens, contact lens, diagnostic equipment and practice-service companies selling to optometrists at Heart of America Eye Care Congress
Four things we get right for Heart of America Eye Care Congress exhibitors
1Built for exclusive-hour bursts
The Heart opens its hall in windows: ODs, paras and students from 2:45 to 4 p.m. and 5:45 to 7:15 p.m. on Friday, then separate para and OD hours on Saturday. Traffic arrives in waves, so the counter has to explain the product in one glance and let two reps work side by side.
2Everything rides in with your team
Setup runs only from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Friday, February 19, before the 2:15 exhibitor welcome meeting. We pack the backwall graphic, counter and lights in soft cases with tool-free frames and lighting that plugs into one power strip, so two people finish well before the grand opening.
3Rent the furniture, bring the brand
The booth fee covers drape, a sign and five badges but not tables, chairs, trash cans or carpet, which come from George Fern. We size the graphics and counter to a standard 6-foot table and a George Fern carpet, so the rented pieces look like part of your booth.
4A demo a doctor can try
Optometrists at the Heart came to see equipment in person; the Congress president says a doctor may find a device fits the practice better than expected once they see it. We give a single device a lit plinth at seated height and a screen behind it showing the clinical output.
Concept rendering
Every Heart of America Eye Care Congress proposal includes a rendering like this
You see your Heart of America Eye Care Congress booth in 3D before we cut a single panel: layout, graphics, lighting and product positions, revised until it is right. Pictured: a Purple concept for Acknit Industries Limited.
Start my Heart of America Eye Care Congress conceptFloor at a glance
Where you could be at Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027
The Heart's exhibit floor is the Crown Center Exhibit Hall beside the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center, laid out in numbered aisles of 10×10 booths with a few 20×20 islands and an exhibitor lounge.
Inline aisles (100 to 500 rows)
Rows of 10×10 booths with drape and a sign, assigned by the exhibits directors; the floor plan does not show which spaces are open.
Our advice Plan graphics for any position; we finalize placement on the backwall once you get your number around January 10.
300 aisle
Booths on the 300 aisle are reserved for Bronze-level sponsors and above, per the 2027 prospectus.
Our advice If you sponsor, we match the sponsor banner and the booth graphics so doctors connect the two.
20×20 islands and exhibitor lounge
A limited number of 20×20 islands sit among the rows; the 2026 sample plan shows the exhibitor lounge along one wall.
Our advice An island here is open on four sides, so we keep the kit low and readable from every aisle.
05 Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center and Crown Center Exhibit Hall · Kansas City
Logistics for Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027, handled
Heart of America runs in the Crown Center Exhibit Hall next to the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center, and the exhibit floor exists for one Friday afternoon and one Saturday morning. Booth setup is Friday, February 19 from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., and a security officer stays in the hall from setup through teardown. Booths are assigned by the exhibits directors by January 10, 2027, with the 300 aisle reserved for Bronze-level sponsors and above. Furniture and carpet come from George Fern. We pack light kits that ship to your team or ride in a rep's car, and we brief your reps on the setup before they leave.
What Purple handles
- 10×10 backwall graphics sized to the Congress drape
- Lit counters and demo plinths for frames and devices
- Light island kits for the 20×20 booths
- George Fern furniture and carpet orders
- Soft-case packing for a Friday-morning setup
- Storage and reuse for SECO and Vision Expo the same spring
Your Heart of America Eye Care Congress timeline, from move-in back
Booth fees due in full: January 9, 2027. Fees paid after January 9 carry a $250 administrative fee, and booths are assigned the next day, so send us your graphics brief by early December 2026.
Design sign-off for Heart of America Eye Care Congress is due by early December 2026.
- Early December 2026Design sign-off for the backwall graphic, counter and any island kit; send your booth size and whether you sponsor.
- January 9, 2027Booth fees due in full to avoid the $250 administrative fee; registration-packet inserts due the same day.
- January 10, 2027Exhibits directors assign booths; we place your graphics against the actual neighbors and aisle.
- Early February 2027Kit packed, tested and shipped to your team or the hotel; George Fern furniture and carpet ordered.
- February 19, 2027Setup from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., exhibitor welcome meeting at 2:15, hall opens at 2:45 p.m.
- February 20, 2027Second hall day from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., grand prize drawing at the close, then teardown and the kit returns to storage.
Purple's planning timeline for Heart of America Eye Care Congress. Official move-in, freight target and order deadlines for Heart of America Eye Care Congress come from your exhibitor kit and assigned schedule; we confirm them against your booth when you book.
Print the Heart of America Eye Care Congress budget & deadline sheetTravel to Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027
Getting to Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027: airport and hotels
Fly in
Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
Stay
The Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center, booked through the Congress's reservation link
Find the venue
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center and Crown Center Exhibit Hall
2345 McGee St, Kansas City, MO 64108
Travel facts from hoaecc.org.
Heart of America Eye Care Congress by the numbers
Heart of America Eye Care Congress year by year
How Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027 compares with other eyewear and optical shows
The eyewear and optical shows closest to Heart of America Eye Care Congress on the calendar, with the latest size each organizer has published. Each name other than Heart of America Eye Care Congress opens our exhibitor guide for that show.
| Show | Dates | City | Latest published size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart of America Eye Care CongressHeart of America Eye Care Congress (HOAECC) | February 19–21, 2027 | Kansas City, MO | – |
| SECOSECO International | March 3–7, 2027 | Atlanta, GA | – |
| LOFT New YorkLoft Eyewear Events Corp. | March 4–6, 2027 | New York, NY | – |
| EYECONEYECON Show (founder and creative director Tarrence Lackran) | March 5–7, 2027 | New York, NY | – |
| Vision ExpoRX and The Vision Council (co-owners) | March 10–13, 2027 | Las Vegas, NV | 8,000+ attendees · 350+ exhibitors (2026) |
| N.E.O.S.North East Optical Show | April 17–18, 2027 | Providence, RI | – |
Heart of America Eye Care Congress exhibitor questions
Questions exhibitors ask us before Heart of America Eye Care Congress
When is the Heart of America Eye Care Congress 2027?
The 66th Heart of America Eye Care Congress runs Friday, February 19 to Sunday, February 21, 2027 in Kansas City. The exhibit hall is open Friday from 2:45 to 7:15 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.; Sunday is education only.
Where is Heart of America 2027 held?
The Congress meets at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center and the Crown Center Exhibit Hall, 2345 McGee St, Kansas City, Missouri. The Sheraton is also the official hotel, booked through the Congress's own reservation link.
How much does a booth at HOAECC cost?
The 2027 prospectus prices a 10×10 booth at $2,650 with a $250 deposit and a 20×20 island at $13,250 with a $1,750 deposit; the exhibitor welcome page lists $2,600 and $10,000. Payment in full is due before January 9, 2027, and a $250 administrative fee applies after that.
What is included with a Heart of America booth?
Each booth includes drape, a sign, five exhibitor badges (more at $50 each), an exhibitor portal listing, a security officer in the hall from setup through teardown, Craft Beer Tour tickets and two Saturday lunch tickets. Tables, chairs, trash cans and carpet are ordered from George Fern.
How are booths assigned at the Heart?
Booths are assigned by the exhibits directors by January 10, 2027, not picked online. Priority goes to Public and Professional Relations fund or speaker sponsors, then exhibiting longevity and payment dates for deposits received before November 1, 2026; the 300 aisle is held for Bronze-level sponsors and above.
Who can exhibit at Heart of America?
The board accepts only companies whose products or services relate directly to optometry, and it states that cosmetic products and services unrelated to optometry will not be accepted. First-time exhibitors must send their website and literature for every product they plan to show.
How many people attend the Heart of America Eye Care Congress?
More than 1,500 attendees come each year, per the Congress, and its exhibit hall draws over 1,400 optometrists and paraoptometrics. The Congress calls it the largest optometric exhibit hall in the Midwest and offers more than $10,000 in prizes to keep doctors on the floor.
Who exhibits at Heart of America?
The 2027 list includes diagnostic makers such as Optos, Topcon Healthcare, Icare and Visionix, practice services such as IDOC and ODs on Finance, frame and lens companies such as OGI by The Optical Foundry and Optikam Tech, and VSP Vision. 2026 exhibiting sponsors included Alcon, CooperVision, Bausch & Lomb and Hoya.
What is the cancellation policy for HOAECC exhibitors?
Deposits of $250 per 10×10 or $1,750 per 20×20 are non-refundable. Cancel by November 30 for a refund of other payments, from December 1 to 31 with a 25% processing fee, and from January 1 there is no refund, per the exhibitor rules.
Is Heart of America open to the public?
The Heart is a registered continuing education meeting for optometrists, paraoptometrics, residents and students, and the exhibit hall has exclusive hours for those groups. It is run by its own board of optometrists, led by president Jeff Gamble, OD.
Can Purple build a booth for Heart of America?
We build what the Congress sells: graphics and a counter kit for its 10×10 booth, or a 20×20 island kit, light enough to set up between 8 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. on the Friday. We pack it in cases a rep can manage and store it between shows.
Can we reuse a Heart of America display at other optometry meetings?
The same 10×10 graphics and counters travel well to SECO in Atlanta less than two weeks later and to state association meetings. For Vision Expo in Las Vegas in March 2027, the graphics can wrap a larger 10×20 inline we build around them.
When are Heart of America posters due?
Poster submissions for the 2027 Congress are open from October 1 to November 15, 2026, per the Congress home page. Exhibitors who sponsor research or residents can point them to the call for posters PDF on hoaecc.org.
Before you sign for Heart of America Eye Care Congress
Five questions to ask any exhibit builder for Heart of America Eye Care Congress:
- Will the proposal show every Heart of America Eye Care Congress fee, including show contractor charges?
- Who builds the Heart of America Eye Care Congress booth: your own shop or a subcontractor?
- Will your project manager be on the floor for install and dismantle?
- For Heart of America Eye Care Congress, what is in the rental and what is billed by the show?
- Once Heart of America Eye Care Congress closes, where does the booth go and what does storage cost?
Common situations
Already own a booth? Your existing booth gets refreshed graphics and repairs, then we ship it to Kansas City, install it and store it between shows. You keep the structure you paid for and bring it to Heart of America Eye Care Congress.
Exhibiting from outside the US? We are your team on the ground at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center and Crown Center Exhibit Hall: 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? With a rental, your graphics can be ready in two to three weeks. We tell you on the first call what is realistic before Heart of America Eye Care Congress.
Get a proposal
Tell us about your Heart of America Eye Care Congress booth
What happens next
- Within one business day we write back to ask about your products, your goals for Heart of America Eye Care Congress and your footprint.
- You get a concept rendering and a fixed proposal for Heart of America Eye Care Congress, usually within a week. No fee left off: every Heart of America Eye Care Congress cost is listed upfront, on paper.
- We build in 30–45 days, ship to the advance warehouse and install before the hall opens.