January 23-25, 2026
Raleigh Convention Center
2026 Exhibitor Kit
Everything you need to "know before you show."
YOUR 2026 EXHIBITOR KIT WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
Everything you need to "know before you show." Please click on the drop down menu links below to view all the information for the show. Please note that this page is constantly being updated and for the best information, you should check back periodically.
Welcome to your Exhibitor Kit!
The drop down menus and info below will help you prepare for a successful event. As always, you can contact your show team for advice and answers to your questions. To get started, review the Exhibitor Kit Menus below and then complete any applicable forms and orders prior to their deadlines. Thanks for exhibiting with us and have a great show!
Watch this How-To Video Guide below on how to succeed in marketing your business at the home show!
GENERAL SHOW INFORMATION, MOVE-IN, & MOVE-OUT PROCEDURES
*VERY IMPORTANT TO READ EACH SECTION*
SHOW MANAGEMENT
Marketplace Events
2000 Auburn Drive Suite 200
Beachwood, OH 44122
Erin Calabritto, Show Manager
P: 919-674-0409
www.marketplaceevents.com
Marketplace Events is headquartered in Ohio, but our team is based in North Carolina!
SHOW VENUE
Raleigh Convention Center
500 South Salisbury St
Raleigh, NC 27601
P: 919-996-8500
ON-SITE SHOW OFFICE
CONTACT US
Click here to be directed to contact information for our show team!
| Friday | January 23, 2026 | 10:00am - 8:00pm |
| Saturday | January 24, 2026 | 10:00am - 8:00pm |
| Sunday | January 25, 2026 | 10:00am - 6:00pm |
| Exhibitors may enter the show two hours before opening on Friday and one hour before opening on Saturday and Sunday. | ||
- All accounts must be paid in full prior to move-in. No exceptions. Checks will not be accepted less than ten days prior to move-in.
- For safety reasons, no one under the age of 16 is permitted in the halls or dock areas during move-in/out.
- Do not park in Lot G. Lot G is the dirt lot located at the corner of W South St and S Dawson St for staging and marshaling only. You will see cars parked in this lot; however, they are not home show exhibitors. It is used by Raleigh Convention Center staff for parking. Vehicles parked in this lot without a permit will be towed at the vehicle owner’s expense. Refer to the parking section of this manual for paid lots around the venue where you may park vehicles.
- All exhibits must be show-ready on Thursday night. No move-in will be approved on Friday morning.
Move-In Dates & Times
Move-In Days & Times for the Downtown Raleigh Home Show is per Move-In Schedule and will depend on the size and location of your booth. Check back closer to the show for the Schedule and to find out what day and time you can move in.
NEW IN 2025: ALL EXHIBITORS MUST REVIEW:
We are no longer using “Lot G” at the corner of W South St and S Dawson St for move-in, move-out, or parking. That lot is closed for development and is off limits for our use from now on. Only RCC employees may use that lot at this time. Other vehicles will be towed.
For this show, we will be closing off a section of Lenoir St next to the Red Had Amphitheater to use as a marshaling lot. Use the Red Hat Amphitheater address below for GPS and look for the Home Show Check-In Signs to enter the lot from S McDowell St. We will have directional signage in the surrounding block to help usher your vehicles to the correct entrance. We will have staff checking you in and telling you where to stage your vehicles as you arrive, just like we always have.
If you need access to the loading dock or show floor for move-in or move-out, please GPS to the address below:
Red Hat Amphitheater
500 S McDowell St
Raleigh, NC
Entrance to new marshaling area: Corner of W Lenoir St and S McDowell St (look for Home Show Check-In signs and our staff)
Due to updated security procedures at the Raleigh Convention Center, not all vehicles will be allowed to enter the exhibit halls. In previous years, any vehicle could pull all the way up to a booth to unload—this changed in 2025, and we have a plan to assist you. This primarily affects those who drive personal or company vehicles with hand-carry items into the building for move-in and move-out.
Personal and company vehicles that have small, hand-carry, easily transportable items (i.e. boxes/bins, folding tables and chairs, small inventory, pop-up signage, etc.) are permitted to pull into the loading dock area, will be assigned an unloading spot against the wall, and provided with assistance as needed to unload your materials and transport them to your booth inside the exhibit hall (the show is covering the cost of labor provided by SES and a cart to help with this process). You will be asked to pull in, unload and transport your materials to your booth space with the help of SES and their carts, and then remove your vehicle immediately. You may return to set up your booth once your vehicle is out of the loading dock. Parking is located on street level outside the convention center at metered street spaces or paid lots and garages in the area—you may not park behind the Red Hat amphitheater inside the gate or on the ramp leading down to the loading dock. Your vehicle will be towed.
We are limiting vehicles that drive onto the show floor only to those large items that cannot be transported safely by cart (ex. box trucks, flat beds, trucks with trailers carrying things like landscaping materials, furniture, large/heavy display items like HVAC or window displays, granite, stone, cabinetry, etc).
Your move-in and move-out options are listed in the next section.
Your move-in and move-out options are listed below:
- Walk-In: Walk in from street level carrying items in your own wagon or cart, this is a quicker option for those who wish to avoid the traffic of the marshaling yard and dock.
- Dock Pass: Box trucks or trailers that need dock access for offloading, either forklift or wheel materials in from the dock to the exhibit halls
- Wall Pass: Personal and company vehicles carrying small, hand-carry, easily transportable items will be assigned a Wall Pass to park along the left side wall in the dock area. Look for the SES team in the bright blue vests. SES labor and carts will be stationed there to assist at no cost to exhibitors. Remove your vehicle immediately after unloading and return to continue setup. Please remember to pack any tools or equipment you may need so that it can be offloaded from your vehicle quickly as well.
- Floor Pass: Access to the exhibit halls (driving on to the show floor) will be limited to the following large vehicles with large payloads. In all cases, trucks permitted on the floor must unload and remove the vehicle within the standard 20-minute window. You may not park your vehicle and work out of it to set up. The following vehicles can get a Floor Pass: Semi trucks & trailers/flat bed trucks (ex. carrying landscaping materials, sheds, hot tubs), Box trucks (ex. furniture, heavy items like outdoor furniture, landscaping, HVAC systems, window displays) and Trucks with trailers (tools and equipment needed for setup, build-out booths, landscaping, heavy items, large display components)
Move-In Planning Checklist:
1. Refer to the Move-In Schedule above for your day and time for setup and drive-in access
2. GPS to the new marshaling area on corner of W Lenoir St and S McDowell St (look for Home Show Check-In signs and our staff)
3. Depending on your vehicle type and what you need to unload, you’ll be assigned a Dock Pass, Wall Pass, or Floor Pass to unload in the appropriate area
4. Remove vehicle once unloaded, park in one of the paid lots around the convention center (open air or garage), and return to continue setup
5. Move-out will be conducted similarly, but there are no assigned times (instructions will be dropped in your booth for move-out reminders on Saturday evening)
Marshalling Yard Map
Move-Out Dates & Times
| Sunday | January 25, 2026 | 6:01pm - 10:00pm |
| Monday | January 26, 2026 | 8:00am – NOON |
Do not break down your booth prior to 6:00pm. Breaking down your booth while the show is still open is a serious safety concern for attendees and extremely discourteous to your neighboring exhibitors trying to conduct business. Dismantling your booth prior to show close at 6:00pm on Sunday is strictly prohibited and may result in your company being prevented from exhibiting in future shows with Marketplace Events.
You must clean up and clear out everything that came in with you and dispose of all trash properly—if you have questions about disposal of large items, crates, or boxes, see the Southern Exhibition Service Desk at the front wall of Hall A or call/text MPE Show Manager Erin Calabritto during business hours at (386) 334-1713.
If you leave behind anything that requires cleanup by show management or any exhibits left past the end of move-out at 12:00pm Monday, you may be charged a cleaning fee starting at $500. This includes any stone, lumber, mulch, pallets, etc or debris left in the stone cutting area.
Move-Out Procedures and What to Expect:
- The rollup doors to the loading dock will not open until all QR codes have been removed from the aisle carpet and aisle carpet is rolled up (approximately 45 minutes after the close of the show.) To expedite this process, please keep all equipment and materials off the aisle carpet as you break down your booth.
- Once all aisle carpet is rolled, the loading dock doors will open. The easiest way to move-out is to avoid the loading dock altogether and carry or cart your items to your vehicle (if possible). There are street-level parking spaces and nearby paid lots around the RCC on McDowell St and Cabarrus St. Bring a cart or hand carry items to the consumer elevators/escalators in the exhibit hall and exit to the street from the McDowell/Cabarrus doors. If this is not possible:
- The next easiest way is to breakdown and completely pack your display. Once this is accomplished, visit the Southern Exhibition Services (SES) desk at the front wall of the exhibit hall to obtain a dock pass. A representative from SES will visually confirm that your exhibit space is ready to go and will issue a dock pass/wall pass/floor pass. Do not ask for a pass before your booth is completely ready to go. Large, constructed booths (landscapers, sheds, hot tubs, etc) may ask for a dock pass or floor pass when you have a trailer load ready to go.
- Once you have your dock pass/wall pass/floor pass, all vehicles report to the new Lenoir St staging area (same lot as you reported to at move-in on Lenoir St with the entrance on McDowell St, look for Home Show Check-In signs and our staff) to be held in the staging lot until dock space or aisle space becomes available. Dock passes from move-in are not valid for move-out.
- With your cooperation, we will try to expedite the move-out process and make it as easy as possible for everyone. We also must take into consideration safety on the show floor, maintain clear city streets, and avoid staging lot and traffic congestion. If we all work together, we can make the moveout run as smooth as possible for everyone!
BOOTH INFORMATION, FOOD & BEVERAGE INFORMATION, & UTILITIES
Feel free to contact your Exhibit Sales Representative or any member of our show team here.
Show Office: The show office is located in room #206 of the Raleigh Convention Center on the mezzanine level (take the escalators up from the show floor and look for our sign).
Decorator Service Desk: The Southern Exhibition Services (SES) service desk is located on the front wall of the exhibit hall for assistance with cart use, flooring or furniture rental, forklift service, shipping and drayage, labor, dock passes and more.
Utilities (Electrical/Water/Internet): The Raleigh Convention Center Utilities service desk is located on the front wall of the exhibit hall during move-in for assistance with electrical, water/drainage, telephone and internet orders.
The Raleigh Convention Center is happy to provide utilities and services at prevailing rates. Current rate sheets for labor, equipment rental and services are available on request. For safety reasons, RCC personnel must perform installation of all utility services.
Please submit all service order forms with full payment enclosed to the RCC. They cannot provide the service until payment is received. To receive the lower advance rate, your forms must be received two weeks prior to your first scheduled move-in day. Please click here for the utilities forms.
Main: 919-996-8500
Fax: 919-996-8526
Internet Assistance: 919-996-8652
IMPORTANT NOTE: Wifi is available at no cost throughout the convention center; however, if you require internet service to stream or transact business, we recommend ordering dedicated internet service through the facility.
All food sampling must be approved by Centerplate, The Official Caterer of the Raleigh Convention Center, prior to the show. Food & Beverage sampling is limited to 2 oz. A written description that outlines the product and portion size to be sampled shall be submitted in advance to Centerplate. Approval of sampling arrangements will be provided to the company or organization in writing from Centerplate.
The Raleigh Convention Center holds and maintains a full-service liquor license and abides by all rules and regulations set forth by the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. Outside alcoholic beverage sales, sampling, and consumption are prohibited.
Inline exhibit booths will have an 8' high draped back wall. Island booths may request one 10’ wide section of 8’ high drape, if desired. End cap booths will have a 10’ wide section of 8’ high back drape centered on the back wall. A 3’ high drape divider will separate inline booths (not open sides). The drape color is black. Additional drape can be rented through SES at the exhibitor’s expense. Flooring, tables, chairs, parking and utilities are not included with the cost of your exhibit booth.
Flooring
Flooring is not included in the cost of your exhibit booth. It is mandatory that all booths have clean, professional looking, safely installed flooring that covers 100% of the booth’s square footage. You may rent carpet through the show decorator or purchase your own flooring. Many exhibitors purchase the rolled commercial carpet from Home Depot or Lowe’s and have it cut to size. Foam flooring tiles are also a popular option as they add cushioning for standing and install and store easily. The only kind of tape you may use to secure your flooring to the convention center concrete floor is double-side carpet tape. Any other kind of adhesive may result in damage and a cleaning fee starting at $500. If you need carpet tape, see the show office or SES service desk.
Table Skirting
It is mandatory that all tables are properly skirted (this excludes finished furniture). Skirting must go from the edge of the table to the floor on all visible sides. All skirting must be wrinkle-free and neat. Use of plastic tablecloths, sheets, shower curtains or any type of makeshift tablecloths is not permitted.
Inventory
All inventory and personal items must be stored completely out of sight. Your booth should look professional and inviting to the attendee.
Staffing Your Booth
All exhibitors are expected to be in their booths during all published show hours, as we do receive consumer complaints about un-manned displays. Our visitors pay an entrance fee and expect to be able to do business with our exhibitors at any time during show hours. If you are in violation of this rule, your company may not be permitted to exhibit with us in the future. Working in the aisles or distributing brochures, etc. from any other area other than your booth is prohibited. All activity must take place inside your contracted space.
Booth Guidelines
Exhibitors are allowed to build their booth to the maximum height of 8 feet. This includes back wall and sidewalls. If your display includes a sign attached to the back wall, you must get approval from show management and the following rules apply:
- Total height of sign must not extend higher than 2’ from the top of the 8’ drape line (10’ high maximum)
- Sign must be single sided
- Professionally finished on all visible sides (as a courtesy to your neighboring booths)
- No PVC pipe allowed
- Tents and canopies are strictly prohibited—do not set them up; you will be required to take them down. The only exception you may see is if canopies or tents are the exhibitor’s actual product.
- Side walls must be completely finished on BOTH sides. No logos, exposed wires, frames, wood must be exposed for the public or your neighbor to see.
If you plan on having a vehicle in your booth as part of your display, please contact Show Management for approval and move-in instructions prior to bringing the vehicle onto the show floor.
- Visqueen must be put down on the floor before the vehicle is driven into place.
- All vehicles must have a locking gas cap or gas cap sealed with tape and no more than 1/4 tank of gas in the vehicle (1/8 of a tank for large vehicles).
- A set of keys must be left with Show Management for the duration of the show.
- All vehicle batteries must be disconnected and cables taped.
- Metal-wheeled carts are not permitted on the stone floors.
- Bicycles and carts are allowed only on the Exhibit Hall floor and in service corridors.
- Exhibitors may not distribute stickers, decals, advertisements or similar items with adhesive backing in the building.
- Canned string, serpentine spray (e.g. Silly String), or similar products may not be used in the building.
- Glitter and confetti may not be used in the building.
- The use of helium-filled balloons or Mylar balloons is not allowed in the building.
- Only RCC personnel may move plants, lobby furniture and other RCC equipment in the public areas.
- No decorations or signage may be attached to the building walls, ceilings, columns, windows or other painted surfaces using nails, tacks, screws, wire, adhesive tape, etc.
- Sand, gravel, dirt, mulch and other loose materials may not be brought into the building without prior approval of RCC management.
- Brick, stone and other similar materials may not be cut on the premises unless a vacuum is used to prevent dust and debris from entering the air or remaining on the floor. These materials may not be glued or otherwise adhered to the facility floor.
- Holes may not be drilled, cored or punched in the building without prior written approval from your RCC Event Manager.
- Painting or applying any covering to the walls, ceilings, floors or other areas of the Convention Center, its furnishings or fixtures is not permitted.
- Spray painting, touch-up painting or use of cleaning materials (e.g. Armor All) on equipment may be done only after the exhibitor has provided adequate protection for surrounding surfaces. Exhibitors who fail to provide the protection are billed for cleanup at prevailing rates with a one-hour minimum. No painting will be permitted in any carpeted area — no exceptions.
- Drains are intended for water and sanitary waste only. Dumping of paints, food or chemical waste into sinks, toilets or other drains is strictly prohibited.
GENERAL INFORMATION & TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Exhibitor badges are NOT mailed out prior to the show. Badges can be picked up in the Show Office in room #206 during move-in and show hours. Badge holders are provided. Exhibitors will not be allowed access to the show floor during show days without showing a badge.
Six (6) exhibitor badges are provided for each 100 sq. ft. of space purchased, with a maximum allotment of 24 badges per company. If you have different staff members working your booth on different days, you are encouraged to drop off your badge each night in the Show Office (room #206), so that your company does not run out of badges during the show.
Exhibitor Badges must not be used as admission passes for guests and may not be left at Will Call for attendees. Please use your complimentary Exhibitor Tickets to invite guests to the show.
Each exhibitor will receive one custom complimentary ticket link by email three weeks prior to the show to send to customers, prospects, friends, and family you wish to invite. The link can be used up to 40 times, up to four tickets per transaction. Ticket links will be emailed to the primary contact email address on file. All you have to do is send your guests the link—they do the rest! Once they click the link, tickets will be sent to their email and they can print or simply show the QR code on their phone at the show entrance. Your guests will be sent a confirmation and a reminder email with helpful info on dates/times, parking, and show features.
Your guests can opt-in (not required) to receive future communications such as show reminders and ticketing discounts from Marketplace Events regarding our events in Raleigh, NC. We never sell or share their information at any time with anyone—any call or email you receive regarding the sale of “home show attendee information” or “attendee lists” for our events is a common scam.
Printed tickets are not mailed out. A limited number of printed tickets are available to pick up during move-in in the Show Office on a first come, first serve basis.
These complimentary tickets are not permitted to be distributed at the show entrance.
If you need to leave tickets for a guest at Will Call, please prepare individually marked envelopes with your guest’s first and last name on the front and the number of tickets needed (we have a limited number of envelopes at Will Call if needed). They will be filed by last name at Will Call in the Show Office for guests to pick up (tell guests to look for Show Office sign near show entrance).
IMPORTANT NOTE: Exhibitor Badges must not be used as admission passes for guests and may not be left at Will Call for attendees. Please use your complimentary Exhibitor Ticket link to invite guests to the show.
Paid parking is available in the parking garages and open air lots surrounding the convention center. Please refer to the parking map linked on our Exhibitor Kit for locations. Box trucks, trailers, and oversized vehicles may not be permitted in the parking garages can find parking in paid open air lots. Do not park in Lot G at any time (the lot at the corner of W South St and S Dawson St). It is reserved for RCC employees only; unauthorized vehicles will be towed at owner’s expense.
DISCOUNTED EXHIBITOR PARKING
We have negotiated discounted parking for show days (Friday 1/23, Saturday 1/24, and Sunday 1/25) near the Raleigh Convention Center at the One City Plaza Garage located at 454 S. Wilmington St. If you are parking a vehicle that will fit in a garage and wish to purchase discounted parking at a rate of $8 per day, please use the link below to prepay for your chosen days. Spaces are limited, first come first serve and the discount is not available on-site (prepaid only).
Check back soon for the link to be directed to their website to prepay online.
Join the fun with our Social Butterfly Contest! Enter to win lunch for your team at concessions on Sunday, January 25, 2026 by being a social media superstar! Follow the guidelines below to be considered:
Post about the show early and often in photos, stories, and reels! Tag the show's social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram AND use our official event hashtags! We want to SEE and SHARE your posts with attendees. A winner will be chosen by show management and announced on Saturday, January 24, 2026.
Show Official Hashtags: #RaleighHomeShow #DowntownRaleighHomeShow
Check back closer to the show for the Social Media Marketing Kit including promo images you can post!
Check back closer to the show to go to our Facebook Event for 2026!*
Click here for a quick video on tips for using social media at the show!
*In efforts to protect potential joint customers from fraudulent events and scammers, we request that you do not create your own Facebook Event. This helps us manage ticket sales for the event, and ensures that our team are available to support both exhibitors and potential attendees with any questions, comments, or concerns that they have. Please feel free to reach out to your show manager or show marketing manager with your companies’ Facebook page and we can add you as a co-host to the official event.
Enhancing your listing is a simple but powerful way to increase your visibility and connect with more attendees. While your basic listing is already live, upgrading it with visuals, promotional offers, and company details helps your company stand out at no additional cost. Included with your booth space, an enhanced listing allows you to showcase your products or services, highlight what makes your company unique, and attract more qualified leads. Within 24 hours, you’ll receive an email with a link to edit your listing. You can update it as often as you'd like through the end of the show, and your listing will remain active for as long as you're exhibiting.
As part of your Exhibitor Listing Package, a unique QR code floor decal will be installed on the aisle in front of your booth. Attendees can scan the QR code to save your company information! The QR Code Program is an innovative way to boost leads generated onsite at the show. Click here for a video on how it works!
Learn more about the benefits of creating your enhanced listing.
Go from Basic to Enhanced!
Service Animal Policy
We are committed to accessibility and welcome Service Animals on our show sites, subject to the following guidelines. These guidelines are in place to ensure everyone's safety and comfort. If you have any questions about whether your animal will be permitted on-site, please email the Show Manager prior to move-in.
- Eligibility. Service Animals are generally permitted at our shows. Under the ADA regulations, a Service Animal is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with disabilities. To bring a dog on-site, the dog owner must be willing to answer the following questions:
- Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and
- What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
- Limitations. Emotional support animals are not necessarily “Service Animals.” While an animal might provide comfort and emotional support for its owner, we are unable to permit the animal on the show site if it does not meet the criteria above.
- Behavior Expectations. Individuals who use Service Animals must always retain control of their animals and should keep them on a leash or harness while on-site. If a Service Animal is required to be off-leash due to the nature of the disability, this will need to be cleared with the Show Manager. Further, Service Animals must be housebroken and are required to behave and not bark, growl, jump on, or lunge at others. MPE may take corrective action if the Service Animal is not behaving appropriately, up to and including the removal of the service animal from the show.
Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and accessible show site environment.
Effective January 1, 2024. Marketplace Events (MPE) acceptability standards do not permit political candidates, parties or other groups promoting issues or ballot initiatives to participate as exhibitors. In addition, the display or sale of any products or services that are political/partisan in nature or that can be interpreted to promote, incite, or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual, or religious intolerance are prohibited. MPE’s judgment in applying these standards will be final.
MPE shows are welcoming environments built solely to encourage face-to-face commerce. Creating respectful, safe marketplaces where our attendees and exhibitors can come together to learn, shop, compare pricing and do business together is our highest priority. MPE maintains these policies to ensure hospitable experiences for all attendees and exhibitors.
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