Frequently Asked Questions - Exhibitors

Exhibitors FAQs

General Exhibiting Information

When and where is the Annual Meeting?

What are the exhibit hall hours?

What is the cost for exhibit space?

How can I apply for exhibit space?

When will exhibit space be assigned?

When is the full booth payment due?

When can I install/dismantle my booth?

Can I cancel my exhibit space?

What health and safety policies are in place to keep attendees and exhibitors safe?

Badges

How many badges does my company receive with a booth?

How can I exchange badges?

Will my badge admit me to scientific programming?

What are my options to distribute badges?

Can my badges be mailed to an exhibitor with an international address (outside the US)?

Can a select number of badges be mailed and the remaining badges picked up onsite?

Does the primary contact need to be changed if the primary contact will not be onsite to pick up the badges?

Where will Exhibitor Registration be located to pick-up badges?

How are name changes or badge exchanges handled?

How are name changes or badge exchanges handled if the badges were already mailed?

Can additional badges over an allotment be provided or sold?

Housing/Travel Information

How can I make hotel reservations?

Where can I find housing instructions and travel information for Las Vegas?

What if I get solicited to reserve hotel rooms through a different company?

How can I get a letter of invitation from AAOS for visa purposes?

Booth Construction

What is the height limit for my booth?

Can I hang signs from the ceiling?

Ordering Services

Marketing

General Exhibiting Information

When and where is the Annual Meeting?

The AAOS 2024 Annual Meeting takes place Monday - Friday, February 12 - 16, 2024, in San Francisco, California, at the Moscone Convention Center. The address is 747 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. Exhibit dates are Tuesday - Thursday, February 13 - 15, 2024.

What are the exhibit hall hours?

Tuesday, February 13 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 14 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 15 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.


What is the cost for exhibit space?

All exhibit space costs $39 per square foot. There is a $200 corner fee added on for each open corner on a linear booth (10' x 10', 10' x 20', 10' x 30').  The corner fee does not apply to island booths (20' x 20' and larger).

How can I apply for exhibit space?

Submit the application for exhibit space along with a 50% deposit of the booth fee. You can pay by credit card, check, or wire transfer. Credit card payments will be assessed a non-refundable 2.5% credit card surcharge. An application is not considered as received until the 50% deposit has been received by AAOS.

If your company has never exhibited at AAOS, you must first complete the Company Review Process before you can apply to exhibit. Once you have completed this process, you do not have to complete it again each year. Learn more about the Company Review Process here.

When will exhibit space be assigned?

All space assignments (island and linear) will be emailed to exhibitors on August 22, 2023. After that date, all booths will be assigned on a first-come first-serve basis. 

When is the full booth payment due?

Full booth payment is due on October 18, 2023.

When can I install/dismantle my booth?

Freeman, our general service contractor, assigns each exhibitor a target move-in date and time. This information can be found in the Exhibit Service Manual. Companies may begin dismantling at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 15.

Can I cancel my exhibit space?

All cancellation requests must be made in writing. Send an e-mail to exhibits@aaos.org. Requests to cancel or downsize exhibit space may incur a cancellation fee based on the date the request has been received by AAOS.

Date of Cancellation Notice Refund Amount Available
On or Before June 29, 2023 Full refund of fees paid
June 30, 2023 - October 19, 2023 AAOS retains 50% of exhibit space fees
On and After October 20, 2023 AAOS retains 100% of exhibit space fees


What health and safety policies are in place to keep attendees and exhibitors safe?

The health and safety of our attendees, exhibitors, partners, vendors, and staff is AAOS' highest priority. AAOS is currently working with the Moscone Convention Center to ensure that the AAOS 2024 Annual Meeting complies with all of California's requirements.

Badges

How many badges does my company receive with a booth?

Exhibitors will receive five complimentary badges per 100 square feet of exhibit space purchased. Exhibitor badge registration details are available here. No additional badges over the allotment will be provided or sold.

How can I exchange badges?

Exhibitors can physically exchange badges onsite but must present the actual badge to be switched to the new name. Badge exchanges are free of charge. Exchanged badges do not count against the allotment.

Will my badge admit me to scientific programming?

Yes, an exhibitor badge gives you access to all educational programs. You may also purchase tickets for programs that require a ticket purchase, such as Instructional Courses, on the day of the course, if it has not sold out. 

What are my options to distribute badges?

By Mail

  • December 14, 2023: Deadline to register badges to be mailed. Badges will be mailed on January 3, 2024, to the designated company contact.
  • After December 14, 2023: All badges or name changes made online must be picked up onsite at Exhibitor Registration.
  • If you wish to only have a select number of badges mailed, simply register those individuals before December 14 and return on or after January 3, 2024 to register your remaining booth staff.
  • For exhibitors outside the United States, badges will not be mailed and must be picked up on-site at Exhibitor Registration.

Pick-up by Designated Contact On-site

  • All the badges within a company's allotment can be picked up onsite at Exhibitor Registration by the primary contact. It is the responsibility of the primary contact to distribute these badges.

Express Badge Pick-up On-site

  • Express Badge Pick-up allows each individual booth personnel to pick up their own badge onsite at Exhibitor Registration by scanning a barcode or searching by last name.
    • During the registration process provide the email address of each individual being registered and a confirmation with a barcode will be sent on February 6, 2024.
    • If you wish to distribute/forward these confirmations to your booth personnel, provide your email address for each individual and on February 6, 2024, the confirmation with the barcode for those individuals will be sent to your email address.

Can my badges be mailed to an exhibitor with an international address (outside the US)?

Any exhibitor with an international address must pick-up their badges onsite. Only exhibitors with an US address will be mailed.

Can a select number of badges be mailed and the remaining badges picked up onsite?

If you wish to only have a select number of badges mailed, simply register those individuals before December 14, 2023 and return on or after January 3, 2024 to register your remaining booth staff.

Does the primary contact need to be changed if the primary contact will not be onsite to pick up the badges?

The main contact will not need to be changed. Any company representative may pick up the badges as long as that individual is registered, has a photo ID, and provides their name and on-site phone number. This phone number will be provided to any of the company’s representatives that visits onsite Exhibitor Registration after the badges have been picked up. 

Where will Exhibitor Registration be located to pick-up badges?

Exhibitor Registration will be located in the South Building Lobby of The Moscone Center, 747 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103.

How are name changes or badge exchanges handled?

All name changes and/or badge exchanges are complimentary and can be made online.  Under Booth Staff Roster on the Home/Register Staff page select the trash can icon next to the name to be changed or exchanged. This will remove the name, then select "Add new Booth Personnel" button to add the new name. For any name change/correction made to a badge already printed, the original badge must be turned in onsite at Exhibitor Registration to pick up the new badge.

How are name changes or badge exchanges handled if the badges were already mailed?

For any name change/correction made to a badge already printed, the original badge must be turned in onsite at Exhibitor Registration to pick up the new badge.

Can additional badges over an allotment be provided or sold?

Exhibitors may register a maximum of five representatives for each 100 square feet of exhibit booth space. There will be no additional badges provided or sold over this allotment. This limit was requested by our membership in an effort to limit the total number of exhibitor representatives that may be on the exhibit hall floor at any one time.

Housing/Travel Information

How can I make hotel reservations?

Hotel rooms must be reserved through our housing vendor, onPeak.

To make housing reservations, visit -  https://compass.onpeak.com/e/012607346/0#hotels  

Where can I find housing instructions and travel information for San Francisco?

You can find all details regarding exhibitor hotel reservations, including the list of and map of the local hotels, here.

What if I get solicited to reserve hotel rooms through a different company?

AAOS has designated onPeak as the ONLY official housing and registration provider for the 2024 Annual Meeting. Any other agency attempting to present themselves as an official partner of AAOS is doing so fraudulently. Use of any other agency, or booking through a hotel directly will result in a loss of priority points for the 2025 Annual Meeting.

How can I get a letter of invitation from AAOS for visa purposes?

International exhibitors that require visas to travel to the United States can request invitation letters from AAOS. These letters do not guarantee that visas will be approved, but can be presented with your visa application process and may be required by the U.S. consulate in some countries. Click here to request an official AAOS invitation letter.

Booth Construction

What is the height limit for my booth?

  • Linear booths: 8 feet

  • Island booths: Varies by hall. Please refer to the legend in the navigation bar of the floorplan linked here

Can I hang signs from the ceiling?

Hanging signs are only available for island booths and must not extend beyond the perimeter of assigned booth space. The maximum suspended height limit varies by the hall. For detailed information regarding height limits, please refer to the legend in the navigation bar of the floorplan linked here. In linear booths, signs, decoration and equipment may not rise above the 8-foot back wall or be placed outside the booth space.

Ordering Services

Who are the official contractors for the AAOS Annual Meeting?

Freeman is our official general services contractor. You can find the list of all of the official contractors, including Freeman, and all of their contact information in the Service Contractors Directory.

How do I order carpet, electricity, furniture, A/V equipment, booth packages, etc.?

Booth services such as these can be ordered through Freeman, our general services contractor, from the Exhibitor Service Manual.

How do I order other services such as catering, internet, and lead retrieval?

These orders can be made through our other official vendors. Information and ordering forms are included in the Exhibitor Service Manual.

How do I ship my booth materials to San Francisco?

Our official air/van freight vendor is ELITeXPO. However, you may use any shipping company of your choice. You can find information about shipping with ELITeXPO, shipping labels, and international freight/customs information in the Exhibit Service Manual. 

Marketing

How can I promote my booth to attendees?

AAOS offers a wide range of promotional and advertising opportunities to suit any exhibitor's budget and goals. Take time now to carefully review this array of opportunities to maximize your company's visibility and exhibit investment. In addition, AAOS welcomes the opportunity to develop customized opportunities with you.

Are there speaking sessions available for exhibitors?

AAOS offers four types of surgeon engagement opportunities to exhibiting companies. Fees for each type of opportunity vary, and timeslots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. They include:

How can I purchase the attendee list?

Attendee lists are available for purchase only by exhibiting companies. Complete pre-registration and post-meeting attendee lists are available, as are lists for specific specialties. Data in these lists include the attendee's name, title, address, phone number, as well as hospital affiliation if supplied by the attendee. Email addresses are NOT included. For details and to place an order, login to your Exhibitor Dashboard.

Can I advertise outside of the convention center?

AAOS has designated EMC Outdoor & Events as the official contractor for offering outdoor advertising opportunities to AAOS 2024 exhibiting companies. Click here for details.