VCF Midwest 21 Exhibitor Info Page and FAQ | Vintage Computer Festival Midwest

Thinking of getting a table at VCF Midwest 21? Whether you're a first-time exhibitor or you've been with us since the SWRAP days, please review this page! This year's venue comes with many new benefits, but also a few new rules & regulations. These guidelines will help ensure that everyone has a safe and succesful VCFMW.

Contacts

111 VCFMW HQ Tables
0 VCFMW Operator (use for PSTN access)
411 Directory Assistance
611 Shadytel Repair and Customer Service
811 Call Before You Dig
3999 Automatic Number Annoucement Circuit (ANAC)
In case of power outage, dial __
For true emergencies, you should dial 911 directly

Schedule

Friday morning: Infrastructure setup (show and venue staff, contractors)
Friday mid-afternoon: Exhibitors/vendor load-in
Friday evening: After-hours load-in
Friday 22:00: Loading dock CLOSED
Saturday 7:45: Pre-show exhibitor setup
Saturday 9:00: Show open
Saturday 20:00: Show closes to public
Saturday 23:30: Expo Hall doors locked (everybody out!)
Sunday 7:45: Pre-show exhibitor set-up
Sunday 9:00: Show open
Sunday 15:00: Teardown begins (consider starting earlier if you're a big exhibit)

Load-in

Load-in and setup will be permitted Friday afternoon and evening. It is strongly encouraged to arrive during these times, as Saturday load-in will be very difficult with the expected crowds.
Access to the hall will not be permitted until all of the tables and power are set up Friday morning.
Load in through the large dock doors will be limited to certain hours. Outside of these times, you may use the main entrance or contact VCFMW show staff for access through the rear doors (note that large carts will not fit through the regular doors near the dock). It is preferred any loading/unloading during regular setup time is done from the rear doors. The front hallway has new carpet and the venue forbids large/heavy carts to tread across it.
The rear doors will be locked outside of dedicated load in times. Please respect the venue's wishes and do not prop doors without prior permission.
You should bring your own cart if you have one. There will be limited number of large and small carts available. These carts are property of VCF Midwest. Please return them to the loading area after use.
The loading/unloading area is in the dock area at the rear of the hall. It is clearly marked “Exploration Hall" and "Adventure Hall".
The ramp may be used to drive up to the entry door. Please keep to one side of the ramp so that it may also be used by others to get to the hall. Please unload and move your vehicle from the ramp or dock area as soon as possible to allow others access.
There is a row of parking spots in the dock area that is a short distance from the rear entrance. You can also park there temporarily to load/unload. Please move your car to a regular parking spot when done to allow others to use those spaces.
The rear loading dock and ramp MAY NOT BE USED after 10pm! This is a Village of Schaumburg regulation. If you're arriving late or still loading late, you will have to use the main entrance near the Exploration Hall doors.
The Convention Center hall will be closed at or before Midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.
There is a loading/unloading zone at the side of the building. This can be used for moving small carts and hand carry items through the main doors. Please obey any fire lane restriction (the painted yellow curbs) as you will be ticketed!
Chairs will be provided in a central location inside Exploration Hall. We ask you grab the ones you need during setup. Let VCFMW staff know if you need assistance.

Notes on Power

If you have any power related issues or questions, please go to VCFMW HQ (Pod B7 near the Exploration Hall entrance) and ask for help.
We have power strips to distribute the power and have precisely estimated loads based on rough guesses from past years. Every power strip is labelled with the tables that should plug into it. Please plug only into the strips designated for you. Some larger exhibits might be split between power strips; follow the labels to avoid power outages.
Each table has at least one outlet allocated to it. The outlet may be up to 20' away from your table, so please be prepared with an extension cord and a power strip to plug in your exhibit.
Do not remove tape or unplug other things plugged into the strip. Ask us for help instead of trying to fix things yourself. Do not block access to power equipment or place things on top of floor boxes supplying power.
High power sections (Pods B3, C3 and C4) may have power labelled or supplied differently; let us know if you need help figuring something out.
Thank you for using MoBATCH Event Services powered by Loosey Goosey, LLC Electrical Contracting to supply your power needs!

Tear-down

The show will end at 3pm Sunday. Please begin packing up your table(s) at or before this time.
Similar to load in, load out can be done using the rear entrance following the same guidelines.
VCFMW is responsible for returning the venue to original state. To assist with this, please clean up area completely before leaving.
If you are able, please assist by returning chairs, tables, and tablecloths to the collection areas. More information will be provided at teardown via PA.
Something always gets left behind! Double-check to make sure you have all your belongings, plugs, cables, etc.

Selling

The Man has caught up with VCF Midwest, and we are now on the Illinois Department of Revenue's radar. We encourage you to review this page and consider whether or not you are a vendor per the State of Illinois's rules. If you determine that you are, then you will need the IDOR-6-SETR form to declare your sales tax owed to the State. That link will provide a pre-filled form with our event name and local tax rates provided.
If you have any questions on the above, please contact the Special Events Coordinator via email or by calling weekdays during normal business hours at (847) 294-4475.

What to bring

Tarp or cloth to cover your table(s) when you are not present, if desired.
Power strips and cords sufficient to connect your hardware to our power distribution points. This means a strip with enough outlets for all of your hardware and a cord (or extension) of minimum of 12'.
A black or grey polyester tablecloth will be provided for each table. You may bring your own if you would like another color/decorated/etc.

Setting Up Your Exhibit

Nothing may be taped, tacked or affixed to any walls, partitions or any parts of the building. All signage or display must be table-mounted or free-standing.
Do not run any wires/cables across the main aisles.
Power will be distributed near each area to a shared large power strip. Please bring whatever you may need to tap power for your exhibit.
Clearly identify and label all items as exhibit, interactive display, or for-sale to avoid any confusion or mistakes.
Keep audio and sounds at a reasonable level: only loud enough to hear in the immediate area of your table.

Internets

We intend to provide Wi-Fi for exhibitors this year on a best-effort basis. This will be intended for use by exhibitors and their helpers for running their exhibits.
We piloted Wi-Fi service last year and intend to provide it again this year, but please note that we cannot guarantee reliable connectivity due to the limitations of economical internet access at the venue. If your exhibit or sales rely on internet access, we strongly recommend you bring a backup means of internet access. Please also note that these services will allow you to access the internet from the show, but they will not allow the public internet to access your exhibit (in other words, you will be behind a NAT and firewall).

Security

Exhibitors are responsible for securing their own table contents and belongings. We suggest turning off any equipment and covering your table with a tarp or cloth when you leave the exhibition hall. Secure/hide any valuable items, or take them with you. Have a partner or someone you trust watch your area if you walk away.

Venue Rules (or: Making Sure We Get Invited Back)

DO NOT open any emergency doors! They are alarmed!
Do not block aisleways, exits, or access/visibility to fire protection equipment, including pull stations, sensors, strobes, horn/speakers, alarms, or fire extinguishers.
No smoking or vaping inside the building. There are smoking areas just outside the main entrances.
No cooking, vending, or serving of any food or beverage.
No hazardous materials, flammable or combustible liquids, or compressed gasses.
No open flames, smoke/fog machines, drones, or laser displays.
No weapons allowed on premises.

FAQ

Q: Ask us something!
A: We'll tell you something!

Maps and Legends

Click to enlarge

Exploration Hall Dock

Exploration Hall Dock (Wide)

Exploration Hall Side Lane (Avoid the yellow!)

Convention Center Satellite Map

Links