AACR 2027 Move-In: What Is Already Set—and What Still Needs the Service Kit
AACR has published the main move-in and move-out windows for 2027. The current schedule is enough to reserve setup time, but not to release final shipping labels, service orders, or delivery appointments.
Confirmed Move-In and Move-Out Windows
March 31, 12:00–5:00 p.m. — targeted move-in for island booths of 800 square feet or more
April 1, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. — targeted move-in for island booths of 400 square feet or more
April 2–3, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. — move-in for all exhibitors
April 3, 5:00 p.m. — all booths must be show ready
April 6, 4:00 p.m.–midnight — move-out begins; inline booths must be clear by midnight
April 7, 8:00 a.m.–noon — additional move-out time for island booths only
Early or late move-in requires approval from the AACR Exhibits Team. AACR also notes that setup, teardown, and registration hours may change, so exhibitors should review the latest Service Kit and Exhibitor Bulletins before confirming freight, labor, and technical staff arrival.
These windows show when the hall is available. They do not determine when booth freight, scientific equipment, installers, or technicians should reach the space. That timing still depends on material handling, service points, structure access, utilities, equipment placement, and the testing sequence.
Still Waiting for the Exhibitor Service Kit
Several details are not yet available in the current AACR 2027 materials:
Advance warehouse address and shipping labels
Exact warehouse receiving dates
Freeman discount order deadline
Material handling rates
Electrical, internet, and labor order details
Final dock and marshalling instructions
The current prospectus places advance warehouse receiving, the Freeman discount deadline, the warehouse receiving deadline, and on-site shipment acceptance in March 2027, but it does not yet provide exact dates. The Exhibitor Service Kit is scheduled for December 2026. Until it is released, exhibitors can reserve the main setup windows but should not finalize shipping labels, delivery appointments, service pricing, or contractor deadlines.
Booth freight, scientific equipment, material handling, and receiving responsibilities should be matched to the correct AACR move-in window.
Before Freight Leaves, Confirm the Booth, Equipment, and Site Requirements
Freight should not move until the booth and equipment plans have been checked together. The footprint, inline or island layout, structure, entry opening, storage, and final placement all affect what can enter the space and how it can be installed.
Equipment drawings should show the system in use, not only in its closed position. Record the weight, operating dimensions, loading points, open doors or panels, ventilation, service access, fragile components, and setup clearance. Match those requirements to power, internet or data, cable routes, screen locations, playback devices, adapters, and any network connection the equipment needs.
Responsibilities also need to be settled before the shipment arrives. Confirm what belongs to the booth contractor, exhibitor-appointed contractor, Freeman, electrician, and technical staff—including who receives the equipment, supervises placement, completes the connections, and approves the final test.
Finally, check the path from the dock to the booth. Aisle width, turning space, booth openings, and temporary access can determine whether the equipment reaches its final position at all. Shipping before these points are settled only moves the uncertainty to the loading dock.
Service points, utilities, structure, screens, and equipment access need to remain coordinated until the scientific equipment reaches its final position.
Freight and Material Handling: Match Each Shipment to the Right Arrival Window
Booth freight and scientific equipment do not always belong on the same shipment. Crated structure, counters, graphics, and standard exhibit materials may be suitable for the advance warehouse. Sensitive equipment may need direct-to-show delivery after the structure, utilities, and access path are ready.
The move-in window should guide the arrival plan. Targeted island move-in gives larger structures time to take shape before equipment is placed. During general move-in, freight, installers, equipment, and technical staff may all be working within the same space. Separate deliveries can help, but only when the team has agreed on what arrives first and who will receive it.
AACR’s current prospectus states that Freeman controls exhibit-floor and loading-dock access and handles freight unloading, booth delivery, reloading, advance receipt of crated shipments, and empty-crate handling through the material handling process. Rates and detailed ordering instructions will appear in the Exhibitor Service Kit.
Commercial carriers and eligible privately owned vehicles must follow the published marshalling and check-in instructions. Each shipment should have a named receiver who can confirm arrival, inspect crates for visible damage or shortages, and verify that scientific equipment reaches the correct booth before the carrier leaves.
Empty crates cannot remain in the exhibit area. They need approved storage and clear labels for return after the show. Return labels and carrier details should be prepared before opening day; shutdown, packing, and shipment release are covered later in the move-out plan.
Coordinating separate arrival windows becomes more important when booth freight, scientific equipment, service orders, and storage are owned by different teams. A shared logistics and pre-show coordination plan keeps the receiving schedule, documents, and responsibilities connected.
Opening readiness requires a full working run that checks equipment, media, visible results, visitor sightlines, reset materials, and staff handoffs.
Keep Access Open Until Scientific Equipment Is in Place
A workable on-site sequence: Service points → Structure → Utilities → Graphics and screens → Equipment placement → Connections → Final access check
The setup order should follow whatever will become difficult to reach once the booth begins to close in. Floor service points, power, data, cable exits, and the equipment path need to be confirmed before walls, counters, or large display elements restrict access.
Structure can move forward in stages. Some graphics and screens may be installed early, but anything that narrows the equipment route or covers a service panel should wait. Once the scientific equipment reaches its final position, check that doors, ventilation, operator space, and technician access still work as planned.
Power, data, screens, and playback devices can then be connected and tested as one system. The final installation walk should happen while there is still time to reopen a panel, reroute a cable, or adjust the equipment position.
When several crews share the same setup window, the installation and dismantle plan should keep equipment placement, access, final inspection, and move-out responsibilities in one working sequence.
The Booth Is Ready Only After a Full Working Run
Scientific equipment powering on is only a starting point. Before the AACR exhibit hall opens, the equipment, power, data, screens, samples, staff positions, storage, and visitor view need to work as one complete demonstration.
A practical testing order is:
Check the basics — power, internet or data, equipment startup, screen playback, lighting, and lead capture.
Run the connected system — test the equipment, cables, adapters, media, and visible result together.
Rehearse the full demonstration — follow the sample or input through operation, result review, explanation, and reset.
Place backup items nearby — spare files, cables, adapters, consumables, and reset materials should be easy to reach.
Walk the booth as a visitor — review screen angles, sightlines, sound, literature access, storage, and staff handoff.
A full run often finds problems that a power-on test misses. The result may be clear to the operator but difficult for visitors to see. Storage may slow the reset, or the presenter may block the screen during the explanation.
The booth is ready only when the connected exhibit can complete the full working run reliably. AACR laboratory technology demo planning continues with equipment access, visitor viewing, technical questions, workflow, and reset during the show.
Move-Out Planning Starts Before the Show Opens
Under the current AACR 2027 schedule, move-out begins at 4:00 p.m. on April 6. Inline booths must be cleared by midnight, while island booth move-out continues from 8:00 a.m. to noon on April 7.
Those hours are easier to manage when the return plan is already settled. Before opening day, confirm which crates belong to the booth structure and which belong to scientific equipment, who will shut down and pack each system, and which carrier is assigned to each shipment.
At closing, sensitive equipment, playback systems, and stored files should be secured before dismantling limits access. Empty crates need to return to the correct booth, and return labels, packing documents, and carrier information should already be available.
Booth freight and equipment freight may use different crates, crews, or carriers. Each shipment needs a named owner who can confirm that it was packed, labeled, released correctly, and recorded before the team leaves the hall.
Move-out becomes more reliable when crates, responsibilities, documents, and return carriers are confirmed before the exhibit opens.
AACR Move-In and Equipment Setup: Three Questions to Settle Early
When can AACR 2027 exhibitors begin moving in?
Targeted move-in begins March 31 for island booths of 800 square feet or more and April 1 for island booths of 400 square feet or more. General exhibitor move-in follows on April 2–3. Early or late access requires AACR approval. Exhibitors should confirm the final hours in the latest Service Kit and exhibitor notices before booking freight, labor, or technical staff.
What should be ready before scientific equipment arrives?
Confirm the route from the dock to the booth, including aisle width, turning space, entry clearance, and any temporary opening needed for delivery. Floor service points, power, data, screen positions, cable access, and equipment placement should also be settled. The team needs a named receiver, clear labor responsibilities, technical staff availability, and nearby storage for consumables and reset materials.
What should exhibitors test before the AACR exhibit hall opens?
Do more than confirm that the equipment powers on. Test power and data, screen playback, cables, adapters, samples, consumables, and the visible result as one connected system. Run the full demonstration from input through explanation and reset, then review it from the visitor’s position. Lighting, sound, literature access, lead capture, staff positions, storage, and the handoff to a technical specialist should also work before opening.
