The York Expo Center runs the York State Fair grounds at 334 Carlisle Ave all year. Show kits may say "York Fairgrounds", "York Expo Center" or name a building such as the UPMC Arena; they are all the same campus.
Exhibitor guide · York, PA · Updated
York Expo Center Exhibitor Guide
The York Expo Center is the year-round side of the York State Fair grounds on Carlisle Avenue: a 114,000 sq ft arena from 2003, an L-shaped Memorial Hall and a row of older halls, each with its own door size and ceiling. At the Keystone Farm Show in January, 400+ agribusinesses fill eight buildings and a heated tent, so the first question for any exhibitor here is which building you are in.
- 3,000+ exhibitors served
- 10,000+ booths built
- 2 days to a design brief
Photo: a Studebaker Drivers Club meet inside one of the fairgrounds halls. “Studebaker Drivers Club” by Hugo-90, CC BY 2.0. Source
Quick answers
What exhibitors ask about the York Expo Center
The Expo Center's largest building, opened in 2003 with 114,000 sq ft. It took the UPMC name under a 2023 naming-rights deal; older listings call it the Weis Markets Arena or the Expo Arena.
The Expo Center publishes no union labor rule for exhibitors. At the Keystone Farm Show, Great Lakes Expo Services is the decorator and exhibitors set up their own booths. Pennsylvania is not right-to-work, so check your show kit.
The Keystone Farm Show kit says its exhibit halls are not carpeted except Buildings 6 and 7. Carpet cannot be ordered for tent spaces or Building 2, so plan your flooring per building.
Floor plan & exhibit halls
York Expo Center floor plan: UPMC Arena, Memorial Hall and the older halls
The campus has no single convention hall. Most trade shows use the UPMC Arena or Memorial Hall; the biggest ones, like the Keystone Farm Show, run across eight numbered buildings and outdoor lots. Tap a building for its size and booth count.
Schematic. Widths are proportional to the floor areas the Expo Center publishes (clear span for the arena), not a site plan; the buildings are spread across the grounds. Building layouts are on yorkstatefair.com.
UPMC Arena
- 114,000 sq ft total
- 74,000 sq ft clear span
- 425 10×10 booths
Splits into two identical 37,000 sq ft spaces. Ceiling 24–30 ft, 5,500 seats, climate controlled, three loading docks with levelers and two 16′ × 16′ overhead doors. Building 1 ("Expo Arena") on the Keystone Farm Show map.
All Trans Memorial Hall West
- 29,264 sq ft
- 164 10×10 booths
- 16′ W × 14′ H door
480/208/110V hookups. The venue lists its ceiling as "20′x23′", so confirm the clear height. The York Home Show uses this hall.
All Trans Memorial Hall East
- 28,202 sq ft
- 164 10×10 booths
- 18–22 ft ceiling
16′ × 16′ overhead door, 480/208/110V hookups and three breakout rooms for 150 each. Joins Memorial Hall West through the lobby corridor for over 57,000 sq ft.
Old Main
- 17,248 sq ft
- 109 10×10 booths
- 12–15 ft ceiling
One oversized 16′ W × 14′ H door and 208/110V hookups. Divides into two rooms; climate controlled.
Horticultural Hall
- 13,000 sq ft
A loading door, restrooms, food service area and wireless internet. Home to the York International Photo & Postcard Expo.
2 × 37,000sq ft: the arena's clear span divides into two identical halves for two shows at once
480Vhookups listed in both Memorial Hall halls; Old Main lists 208/110V. Order through your show
10,000+sq ft in the two joined Banquet Centers for receptions and dinners, both partitionable
50+annual events and more than 750,000 visitors a year in the arena, per the 2023 naming announcement
87 acreson Carlisle Ave at the west end of downtown York, with outdoor lots that shows sell for equipment
Only at the York Expo Center
Which York Expo Center building? Doors, ceilings and power compared
Because a York show can be spread over several buildings, two booths at the same show can face very different load-ins. Before you design, find your building on the show map and check it against the venue's own specs below.
| Building | What it means for your exhibit |
|---|---|
| UPMC Arena · 24–30 ft | The only building with loading docks: three, with levelers, plus two 16′ × 16′ drive-in doors. Best for tall booths, hanging signs and machines |
| Memorial Hall East · 18–22 ft | A 16′ × 16′ door and 480/208/110V power. Good for equipment that needs three-phase power; confirm the voltage with your show |
| Memorial Hall West · see note | The door is 16′ W but only 14′ H. The venue's ceiling figure reads "20′x23′", so get the clear height before you build tall |
| Old Main · 12–15 ft | The lowest ceiling on the list. Keep backwalls and towers well under 12 ft and check that equipment clears the 14 ft door |
| Horticultural Hall · 13,000 sq ft | A single loading door and no published ceiling or power figures. Ask the Expo Center before planning anything heavy |
| Heated tent and outdoor lots | At the Keystone Farm Show, outdoor space starts at 20 × 40 ft and carpet cannot be ordered for tent spaces. Plan for January ground and weather |
Sources: York State Fair / York Expo Center rental pages and Memorial Hall sheet; Keystone Farm Show 2027 kit and 2026 decorator kit (Lee Trade Shows, Great Lakes Expo Services). Shows set their own booth height limits, often lower than the ceilings above.
Insider tips
York Expo Center exhibitor tips: what experienced teams do
Ask for the arena if you build tall
The UPMC Arena has 24–30 ft ceilings; Old Main has 12–15 ft. If your booth or machine is tall, ask show management for an arena space when you book, not after the floor plan is set.
Ship direct, on the right day
At the 2026 Keystone show, direct shipments during move-in carried no handling charge, while advance freight cost $90/cwt and late advance freight was refused. Book a carrier that will deliver inside the move-in window.
Measure for a 14 ft door
Memorial Hall West and Old Main load through doors 16′ wide but only 14′ high. Measure loaded height on the trailer, or ask to be placed in a building with a 16′ × 16′ door.
Wrap your empties for January
Under fire marshal rules, empty containers may be stored outdoors. For a January show, shrink-wrap skids ($25 each from the 2026 decorator) or use crates that can sit in snow.
Bring flooring for most buildings
Keystone halls are bare except Buildings 6 and 7, and carpet cannot be ordered for tents or Building 2. A 9′ × 10′ carpet was $121 in advance in 2026; plan your own flooring for the tent.
Need 480V? Ask for Memorial Hall
Memorial Hall is the only building whose published specs list 480V hookups. If your equipment runs on high voltage, confirm the drop with your show before you are placed elsewhere.
Loading & move-in
York Expo Center loading dock and freight
Get directions to York Expo Center →
- Three docks, all at the arenaThe UPMC Arena has three loading docks with levelers and two 16′ × 16′ overhead doors. The other halls load through single overhead doors of 16′ wide by 14′ or 16′ high.
- Move-in times come from your showFor the Keystone Farm Show, show management contacts each exhibitor with a move-in date and time. Plan your truck around that slot, not the building's hours.
- Direct freight only during move-inIn the 2026 Keystone decorator kit, direct shipments were received only during the move-in period; anything arriving earlier was refused and sent back to the local terminal.
- Do not ship to the buildingA 2019 York Expo exhibitor policy for another show told exhibitors that shipments sent to the York Expo Center would be refused. Ship through your show's decorator or bring it yourself.
- Room for trucks and trailersTrade press described the grounds as surrounded by large parking lots where buyers can bring a truck and trailer. Ask your show where exhibitor trailers park.
- Day −60Check your building on the show map against the door and ceiling specs. Get written approval for anything over 8 ft.
- Day −30If you bring your own installer, file the exhibitor-appointed contractor form and the contractor's insurance certificate.
- Day −21Advance-warehouse deadline. For the January 2026 Keystone show it was December 15, and late advance freight was refused.
- Day −1Move in during your assigned slot. Purple ships to York and coordinates crews and freight for the Expo Center.
- Day 0Show opens. Keystone Farm Show 2027 runs Tuesday and Wednesday 9–4, Thursday 9–3.
- Show closeKeystone move-out ran 3–8 pm on closing day in 2026. Empty crates may be stored outdoors under fire marshal rules, so wrap them.
Labor & building rules
York Expo Center labor rules: what your team can do itself
The Expo Center is run by the York County Agricultural Society and rents its buildings to show producers. It publishes no exhibitor labor rule, so your show's decorator and contract decide. The details below come from the Keystone Farm Show 2027 kit and contract and the 2026 Great Lakes Expo Services decorator kit; Pennsylvania is not a right-to-work state, and other shows may set different rules.
✓Your own staff
- Set up and dismantle your own booth on the show's schedule; decorator labor is optional
- Drive in and place your own equipment
- Use the show's fork truck at no charge (a charge applies if you use it to assemble equipment)
- Hire your own installer with an exhibitor-appointed contractor form
- Ship direct to the show during move-in at no material-handling charge (2026 kit)
●Show contractor services
- Decorator: Great Lakes Expo Services, the show's exclusive service contractor
- Labor: $80/hr straight time, $120 overtime, $160 double time, 1-hour minimum
- Supervised install: hourly rate plus 30%, minimum $30
- Advance warehouse: $90/cwt, 200 lb minimum
- Electricity at extra cost: if you plug in, you are charged
!Watch for
- Built displays over 8 ft need written permission; perimeter backdrops can reach 12 ft
- Display machines: battery leads off, tanks emptied and locked or taped, keys out
- Flame-proofed materials only
- Insurance: $1M/$2M general liability, workers' comp and $1M auto, naming the show producer
- Fork truck after noon on the Friday after the show is billed hourly
- No refunds on space cancelled within 90 days
Free tool
York Expo Center drayage cost estimator
Planning numbers at about $90 per hundredweight, the advance-warehouse rate in the 2026 Keystone Farm Show decorator kit (200 lb minimum, +$35/cwt for overtime handling). At that show, direct shipments delivered during move-in carried no material-handling charge, so check your own kit before you pick a route. See all venues on the drayage rates page.
Estimated drayage
$1,350
Cut this with a lighter booth
The calendar
York Expo Center trade shows 2026–2027
York's business shows are agriculture and manufacturing, alongside home, collector and vintage shows that fill the halls most weekends. Dates are from the Expo Center's event pages or the organizer; confirm each one before you book freight.
Central PA Manufacturing Expo (MX2026)
Manufacturing and supply chain · MASCPA · Memorial Hall East and West · 2026
York Home Show
Home improvement, consumer · Memorial Hall West · 2026
York International Photo & Postcard Expo
75+ dealers · Horticultural Hall · 2026
Keystone Farm Show
Farm equipment and services · Lee Publications · 400+ agribusinesses · 2027
Potomac Vintage Riders Swap Meet
Vintage off-road motorcycles, parts and apparel · UPMC Arena · 2027
Held here earlier in fall 2026: the TCA York Train Fair (October). The York State Fair itself runs in late July and early August, when the buildings are used for the fair.
Where to stay & getting there
Hotels near the York Expo Center
About 1.3 mi
La Quinta Inn & Suites York
1405 Kenneth Rd, northwest of the grounds. There are no hotels on the Expo Center campus.
About 1.4 mi
Best Western Inn York
1415 Kenneth Rd, next to the La Quinta.
Downtown
The Yorktowne Hotel
The Yorktowne Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, in downtown York. The Expo Center sits at the west end of downtown.
Local bus
rabbittransit
York County's bus system runs direct service to the York Expo Center, useful for booth staff without a car.
Roughly 30 mi
Harrisburg International (MDT)
The nearest airport with scheduled flights, up I-83. York Airport on US 30 is general aviation only.
The grounds
From a 1765 charter fair to a year-round expo campus
The York State Fair calls itself America's first fair. The fair has used this Carlisle Avenue land since 1888, and its year-round halls now carry the York Expo Center name.
- 1765Thomas Penn grants York a charter to hold fairs, eleven years before independence. The fair's history page calls it America's first fair.
- 1888The York County Agricultural Society moves the fair to a 73-acre site, the land that grew into today's York Expo Center property.
- 1950sMemorial Hall is built as the fair's first all-weather, year-round exhibition building. It is expanded in 1995, more than doubling in size.
- 2003The arena opens with 114,000 sq ft of year-round exhibit space.
- 2018The board moves the fair to late July and early August and renames it the York State Fair.
- 2023UPMC becomes the arena's naming-rights sponsor, announced in June.
FAQ
York Expo Center FAQ for exhibitors
Where is the York Expo Center?
At 334 Carlisle Ave, York, PA 17404, at the west end of downtown York on the York State Fair grounds. Most of the 87-acre property is in West Manchester Township, with small parcels in West York and the City of York.
How big is the UPMC Arena?
114,000 sq ft in total, with 74,000 sq ft of clear-span floor that divides into two 37,000 sq ft spaces. It fits 425 10×10 booths, seats 5,500 and has a 24–30 ft ceiling.
Does the York Expo Center have loading docks?
The UPMC Arena has three loading docks with levelers and two 16′ × 16′ overhead doors. Memorial Hall East has a 16′ × 16′ door, and Memorial Hall West and Old Main have 16′ W × 14′ H doors. Your show assigns move-in times.
Is the York Expo Center union?
The Expo Center publishes no union labor rule for exhibitors. Shows such as the Keystone Farm Show use a decorator (Great Lakes Expo Services) and let exhibitors set up themselves. Pennsylvania is not a right-to-work state and show contracts defer to any union requirement a facility or contractor imposes, so check your show kit.
How much is drayage at the York Expo Center?
Plan about $90 per hundredweight for advance-warehouse freight, the 2026 Keystone Farm Show decorator rate with a 200 lb minimum. At that show, direct shipments received during move-in had no material-handling charge. Your show's decorator sets the actual rates.
What is the ceiling height?
24–30 ft in the UPMC Arena, 18–22 ft in Memorial Hall East and 12–15 ft in Old Main. The venue lists Memorial Hall West as "20′x23′", so confirm its clear height. Shows like the Keystone Farm Show cap built displays at 8 ft without written permission.
Can I ship freight directly to the Expo Center?
Only through your show's arrangements. Decorator kits accept direct shipments only during move-in, and a 2019 York Expo exhibitor policy for another show said shipments sent to the Expo Center itself would be refused. Use the decorator's labels and dates.
Is the UPMC Arena the same as the Weis Markets Arena?
Yes. The arena opened in 2003 and took the UPMC name under a naming-rights sponsorship announced in June 2023. Older listings and show maps call it the Weis Markets Arena or the Expo Arena.
What trade shows are held at the York Expo Center?
The Keystone Farm Show (January 5–7, 2027, 400+ agribusinesses across eight buildings) and the Central PA Manufacturing Expo (November 5, 2026, in Memorial Hall) are the main business shows, alongside home, collector and vintage shows.
Exhibiting in York?
Tell us your building number and we will design to its door.
Send the show, your building and booth number, and whether you ship direct or through the warehouse. Within two business days you get a booth design that fits that building's ceiling and door, a freight plan for the move-in window, and a setup plan for bare floors. We ship and install from New York.
Compare venues
York Expo Center vs other trade-show halls within a day's drive of New York
How the York Expo Center stacks up against other trade-show halls within a day's drive of New York. Drayage figures are Purple planning rates, not published tariffs.
| Venue | Type | Largest space | Ceiling | Labor | Drayage (plan) | Airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| York Expo CenterThis guide | Fairgrounds | 114,000 sq ft UPMC Arena (74,000 clear span) | 24–30 ft arena · 12–22 ft other halls | Show contractor · check kit | ≈ $90/cwt | MDT · roughly 30 mi |
| Atlantic Union Bank Convention CenterRaleigh | Convention center | 146,843 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–C | 47 ft listed max | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $110/cwt | RDU · 18 min drive |
| Baird CenterMilwaukee | Convention center | 300,275 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–E | 30 ft | Right-to-work · in-house utilities | ≈ $115/cwt | MKE · 8 mi |
| Bayfront Convention CenterErie | Convention center | 28,800 sq ft Great Hall · 160 booths | 23 ft (Great Hall) | No venue union rule · check kit | ≈ $50/cwt | ERI · about 6.5 mi |
| Birmingham-Jefferson Convention ComplexBirmingham | Convention center | 92,234 sq ft East Halls 1–3 · 473 booths | 30 ft East · 25 ft 10 in North · 20 ft South | Right-to-work | ≈ $100/cwt | BHM · 4.5 mi |
| Charleston Area Convention CenterNorth Charleston | Convention center | 76,960 sq ft, Halls A–C | 30 ft to beams | Right-to-work | ≈ $100/cwt | CHS · 2 mi |
| DeVos PlaceGrand Rapids | Convention center | 162,000 sq ft column-free hall, A–C | 37–72 ft (hall) · 28 ft (ballroom) | Self-unload · IATSE 26 stagehands | ≈ $125/cwt | GRR · 13 mi |
| Eastern States ExpositionWest Springfield | Fairgrounds | 129,400 sq ft Mallary Complex · 123,000 sq ft BLC | — | Check show kit | ≈ $125/cwt | BDL · about 25–40 min |
| Greater Richmond Convention CenterRichmond | Convention center | 178,159 sq ft · Exhibit Hall A–D | 35 ft | Right-to-work · non-union | ≈ $110/cwt | RIC · ~15 min |
| Greenville Convention CenterGreenville | Convention center | 125,000 sq ft Hall 1 (280,000 total) | 10–22 ft Hall 1 · 19–22 ft Hall 2 | Right-to-work | ≈ $105/cwt | GSP · 12 mi |
| Hershey Lodge & Convention CenterHershey | Resort ballrooms | 32,004 sq ft Great American Hall | 22 ft (Great American Hall) | In-house decorator · check kit | ≈ $50/cwt | MDT · ~20 min |
| Joseph S. Koury Convention CenterGreensboro | Hotel ballrooms | 40,000 sq ft Guilford Ballroom | 32 ft Guilford · 18 ft Imperial | Right-to-work | ≈ $95/cwt | GSO · ~12 mi |
| Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Pocono MountainsPocono Manor | Resort ballrooms | 38,000 sq ft Kilimanjaro Ballroom | 16–25 ft | Not right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $120/cwt | AVP · ≈40 mi |
| New York State Fairgrounds Exposition CenterSyracuse | Fairgrounds | 110,000 sq ft clear span, Exposition Center | 60 ft truss height | Show contractor · check kit | ≈ $95/cwt | SYR · about 10 mi |
| Philadelphia Marriott DowntownPhiladelphia | Hotel ballrooms | 34,300 sq ft Grand Ballroom · 31,962 sq ft Franklin Hall | 10.5 ft Franklin Hall · 22 ft ballroom | Union · check kit | ≈ $170/cwt | PHL · SEPTA to Jefferson Station |
| Vandalia Health CenterCharleston | Convention center | 50,086 sq ft Grand Hall · up to 256 booths | — | Right-to-work | ≈ $100/cwt | CRW · about 5 min |
| Vibe Credit Union ShowplaceNovi | Expo center | 305,000± sq ft, Halls A–C + Event Center | 24 ft clear (A–C) · 40+ ft (Event Center) | No venue union rule · check kit | ≈ $95/cwt | DTW · about 20 min |
| Virginia Beach Convention CenterVirginia Beach | Convention center | 150,012 sq ft · Halls A–D | 40 ft | Right-to-work | ≈ $100/cwt | ORF · 20 min |
Nearby guides
Other trade-show halls in south-central Pennsylvania and Maryland
Pennsylvania Farm Show ComplexHarrisburg, PA
Lancaster County Convention CenterLancaster, PA
Hershey Lodge Convention CenterHershey, PA
Baltimore Convention CenterBaltimore, MD
Greater Philadelphia Expo CenterOaks, PA
Written by the Purple Exhibits team. Reviewed for the 2026–2027 season. Figures marked for verification are being confirmed with the venue. Sources: York State Fair / York Expo Center rental pages for the UPMC Arena, All Trans Memorial Hall and Old Main, the Memorial Hall information sheet, history page and event pages (yorkstatefair.com); Central Penn Business Journal (2023 arena naming); Lee Publications Keystone Farm Show 2027 kit, contract and map; Great Lakes Expo Services 2026 Keystone Farm Show decorator kit; a 2019 York Expo exhibitor information policy; Woodworking Network (2017); PA 211 (York County Agricultural Society listing); Business View Magazine (2023 profile); hotel and transit listings.