Exhibit Dates & Hours 

Exhibition: 
Thursday, March 4 – Saturday, March 6, 2027 

• Thursday, March 4:  10 AM – 5 PM
• Friday, March 5:  10 AM – 5 PM
• Saturday, March 6:  10 AM – 1 PM

Indoor exhibitors will have access to the exhibit hall beginning at 7:30 AM on Thursday, March 4, and at 8 AM on Friday, March 5 and Saturday, March 6. Outdoor exhibitors will have access to the Outdoor Burn exhibit area beginning at 7:30 AM daily, March 4–6.

Show hours are subject to change.

Location 

Music City Center

• Indoor Exhibits: Level 3
• Outdoor Exhibits: Marty Dickens Terrace

Material Handling Notice 

All advance shipments received at the official general service contractor’s warehouse, as well as shipments received onsite or driven to the convention center and/or Outdoor Burn exhibit area, are subject to material handling fees charged by the official general service contractor, Freeman.

Exhibit materials that can be hand-carried in one trip from a legally parked vehicle by the exhibitor will not incur material handling fees. Dollies, hand trucks, and other wheeled carts are not permitted for hand-carried items.

• Cars, mini-vans, small pickup trucks, full-size vans, and large pickup trucks requiring dock access will be unloaded for a per-vehicle fee.
• Vehicles larger than a large pickup truck, including vehicles with trailers, must unload at the main dock and will be charged the published material handling rates according to freight weight.

Booth Set-Up 

Advance shipments to the warehouse will be delivered to the convention center or Outdoor Burn area prior to the first published set-up time and will be available during regular set-up hours. 

Set-Up Hours: 8 AM – 5 PM, daily 

Exhibitors who need access beyond published hours must request and receive an approved late-stay pass. Reentry is not permitted after leaving the building.

• All booths must be fully set up and ready for inspection by 5 PM on Wednesday, March 3.
• Items left in aisles after 5 PM may be removed by the general service contractor, Freeman, to allow aisle carpet installation.
• No set-up will be permitted on Thursday, March 4.

Outdoor Exhibits 

• Targeted move-in for direct shipments begins Monday, March 1.
• Booth installation for warehouse shipments also begins Monday, March 1.
• Trailers and/or vehicles are not permitted on the Marty Dickens Terrace.

Refer to the Target Floor Plan in the online Exhibitor Service Manual for your assigned target show-site delivery date and time. Exhibitors who miss their target delivery date may be required to relocate and/or pay off-target material handling charges.

Indoor Exhibits 

• Linear booths include:
  • 8′ high back drape
  • 3′ high side dividers
  • Identification sign with company name and booth number
• Booths larger than 300 sq. ft. will not automatically receive booth signage.
• Side dividers are not installed on open corners unless requested.
• First-night vacuuming is included.
• The exhibit hall is not carpeted. Exhibitors must provide flooring. Booths without floor covering will have carpeting installed by the general service contractor, Freeman, and charged at onsite rates.
• Aisles will be carpeted in black/grey “Tuxedo” carpet.
• Early move-in may be available beginning Sunday, February 28 for a limited number of exhibitors delivering directly to show site. Early move-in is not available for warehouse shipments.
• Early move-in may incur additional weekend or overtime fees for material handling and other labor services.
• Targeted move-in for direct shipments begins Monday, March 1.
• Booth installation for warehouse shipments also begins Monday, March 1.

Booth Tear-Down 

Dismantling begins: Saturday, March 6 at 1 PM 
Crates from storage will begin returning as soon as possible and no later than 7 PM on Saturday.

⚠️ Do not leave your booth unattended or unsecured during this time. 

Tear-Down Access: 

• Saturday, March 6: 1 PM – 9 PM
• Sunday, March 7:  8 AM – 5 PM
• Monday, March 8:  8 AM – 12 PM
  (Carriers must check in by 10 AM.)

For All Exhibitors

• Early tear-down before 1 PM on Saturday, March 6 is prohibited and subject to penalties.
• Saturday and Sunday move-outs are subject to overtime material handling charges from our general service contractor, Freeman.
• Weekday services after 4:30 PM are also subject to overtime rates.
• Exhibitors remaining past designated hours must have an approved pass and will not be readmitted after leaving.

Important: 
Do not remove items that do not belong to your company. Unauthorized removal of property may be treated as theft and reported to security. Certain areas of the facility and show floor may be monitored and recorded. 

Any exhibits remaining after published move-out deadlines may be dismantled, packed, and shipped by Freeman at the exhibitor’s expense.

Safeguarding Exhibits 

• Security monitoring begins Monday, March 1 at 8 AM and ends no later than Monday, March 8 at 12 PM.
• Exhibitors are responsible for securing their booth and belongings. HPBA Show Management is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
• Small or valuable items should be secured or removed daily.
• Individual booth security may be arranged through the Exhibitor Service Manual.

Equipment Removal Passes

Equipment removal passes are required for items removed from the exhibit hall and may be obtained from:

• Freeman Exhibitor Service Desk
• HPBA Member Services Booth
• Badge Registration Desk

Exhibitor Appointed Contractors must be registered in advance using the EAC Form. Special set-up/tear-down passes will be issued onsite. 

Badge Pick-Up 

All exhibitor personnel must register for badges to access the exhibit hall.

• Badge pick-up begins Wednesday, March 3 at 7:30 AM.
• Refer to your badge confirmation email for instructions.
• Registration details will be available at www.hpbexpo.com – EXHIBIT.

Exhibitor personnel can access the exhibit hall for set-up prior to badge pick-up by obtaining wristbands from event security stationed in front of the main exhibit hall entrance.

Exhibitor Appointed Contractors (EACs) must be registered in advance using the EAC Form. Special set-up and tear-down passes will be issued onsite.

Policies 

The complete list of policies is available at: HPBExpo Policies.

Exhibitors are responsible for reading and complying with the Trade Show Rules & Regulations included in the Exhibit Space Contract and available on the Apply to Exhibit page.

Key Reminders: 

• Do not share exhibitor badges with non-employees or non-family members.
• Photography of another exhibitor’s booth or products requires permission.
• Children under 12 are not permitted on the show floor.
• Submit an Ancillary Meeting & Event Request Form for any Expo-related event.
• Alcoholic beverages may only be served after 12 PM by licensed caterers. A Variance Request Form is required.
• Respect booth boundaries and conduct business professionally and ethically. Report violations to security or HPBA staff.

The complete list of policies is available at: www.hpbexpo.com/show-info/policies.
Exhibitors are responsible for reading and understanding the Trade Show Rules & Regulations, part of the signed Exhibit Space Contract.

HPBA & HPBExpo List Solicitation Warning 

HPBA does not sell or authorize the sale of attendee lists. Any company offering attendee lists is unaffiliated with HPBExpo and is likely fraudulent. Please disregard these solicitations and do not submit payment or information to these companies.

Booth Payments

By Check
Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association
PO Box 412397
Boston, MA 02241-2397

By Credit Card Online:
www.hpba.org

Credit card payments made through the HPBA member portal may be subject to a 2.4% processing fee where permitted by law. This fee does not apply to debit card transactions.

Electronic Payments

Contact HPBA to confirm details for wire transfers, ACH, or EFT

Who to Contact

Questions about exhibiting, booth payments, or policies?
Contact HPBA Show Management

HPBA is committed to providing an outstanding exhibitor experience. Show management partners with exhibitors to protect the show’s integrity and enforce anti-suitcasing policies. View the full Suitcasing Policy for more information.