Power Supply at Trade Shows

Quick answer: Electricity at a trade show is limited and tightly controlled. Every venue sets its own rules, outlets are often in inconvenient places, and some venues restrict lights that run hot. Check the rules for your show and pack extra power strips and extension cords.

When you are trying to cram over one thousand exhibitors into a single room, electricity becomes a scarce commodity. Each exhibitor wants their display to be the biggest and brightest, so this article aims to provide helpful tips on electricity use and power supply at trade shows.

Are the rules the same at every venue?

No. There are no steadfast rules that convention centers abide by when hosting trade shows with regards to electrical power. Each convention center has its own specific set of guidelines that it imposes on the exhibitors. Because of its sheer size, the Las Vegas Convention Center is probably the most strict of all the popular trade show venues, and lights that run hot are restricted there because of strict fire prevention regulations.

Every trade show light we sell is LED. LED trade show lights use very little power and run cool.

How do I get power to my booth?

Access to electricity is usually tightly controlled at trade shows. Each exhibitor is assigned a certain set of outlets that they are limited to, and they are often in inconvenient locations. For this reason, it is a good idea to have extra power strips and extension cords on hand. If you desperately need another outlet, your neighboring exhibitors will often be kind enough to allow you to use one of theirs, but we would not recommend that you depend on such generosity.

Generally speaking, trade show coordinators work hard to make sure that everyone at the trade show has adequate access to electrical power, but it never hurts to be prepared.