The Utility Expo 2027 · Budget & deadline sheet
October 5–7, 2027 · Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, KY
October 5–7, 2027 · Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, KY
Booth price tiers (all-in, 2026 ranges)
| Footprint | Rental with your graphics | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| 10×20 inline | $7,500 – $15,000 | $15,000 – $45,000 |
| 10×30 inline | $12,000 – $22,000 | $25,000 – $65,000 |
| 20×20 island | $16,000 – $40,000 | $50,000 – $120,000 |
| 20×30+ island | $25,000 – $55,000 | $75,000 – $175,000 |
Includes design, structure, graphics, installation and dismantle. A custom-built booth runs roughly $100 to $250 per square foot depending on finish level. A rental of the same footprint usually lands at 35 to 50 percent of the purchase price for one show.
Billed by the show
- Exhibit space (paid to Association of Equipment Manufacturers)
- Material handling / drayage, if the The Utility Expo space rate leaves it out
- Electrical service, internet and rigging at the Kentucky Exposition Center
- Booth cleaning, and union labor where the Kentucky Exposition Center requires it
Published rates:
- Indoor space: $22.00 per sq ft AEM member, $31.50 non-member, 2027 rates
- Outdoor space: $3.40 per sq ft member up to 10,000 sq ft, $2.80 above; $5.90 non-member, 2027
- Outdoor minimum: 1,200 sq ft, 2027
- Drayage: About $125 per cwt, 200 lb minimum, 2026–27 planning figure
Key dates
- Final 50 percent booth space payment due to AEM: May 28, 2027
- Design sign-off with Purple: Late spring 2027
- Now to January 2027: Priority hotel phases run through the January 12, 2027 credit card guarantee; we plan footprints for the lot or hall you are assigned.
- Spring 2027: The Exhibitor Resource Center opens in March; design sign-off with machine heights, weights and power fixed.
- May 28, 2027: Final 50 percent space payment due to AEM; floor plans, rigging plots and boom heights prepared for filing.
- July to August 2027: Production in Fishkill, NY over 30 to 45 days: tents, decks, fencing, graphics and counters built and test-fitted.
- Move-in in the days before October 5, 2027: Outdoor lots and indoor halls on their target dates; our project manager and vetted local labor install.
- October 5–7, 2027: Show days, then dismantle after the 2 p.m. Thursday close and freight to storage or your next show.
Purple planning timeline; confirm official dates against your exhibitor kit.
Checklist
- Note your 2027 priority points and appointment slot from AEM's letter
- Book staff rooms in your Maritz priority hotel phase before it closes
- List each machine with weight, footprint and full boom or mast height
- Pay AEM's final 50 percent by May 28, 2027
- Decide which machines run demos and add them to the Demo Scheduler
- Send logos, product photography and spec sheets to Purple
- Plan staff rotations for three days that close at 2 p.m. Thursday
- Pack rain gear and ground cover for an outdoor lot in October
All fees listed upfront, in full, on paper, before The Utility Expo. Questions or a fixed proposal: (800) 994-8030 · info@purpleexhibits.com · purpleexhibits.com/shows/the-utility-expo/