ACEP 2026 Chicago: Complete Guide for Exhibitors + Build Your Medical Trade Show Booth with Interior Today LLC

Event: ACEP26 – American College of Emergency Physicians Scientific Assembly 2026
Dates: October 5–8, 2026 (Exhibits: October 5–7)
Venue: McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago, IL 60616
Exhibit Setup: October 3–4, 2026
Expected Attendance: 7,500+ emergency medicine professionals

What Is ACEP 2026?

ACEP26 is the annual Scientific Assembly of the American College of Emergency Physicians, widely recognized as the largest and most prestigious emergency medicine conference and trade show in the world. Held this year in the heart of Chicago, Illinois, the 2026 edition is themed around “Show Up for the Moments That Make a Career” — a powerful statement that reflects what this event means to everyone who attends.

Every fall, more than 7,500 emergency medicine professionals converge at one of America’s premier convention centers for four days of advanced education, career-defining networking, hands-on clinical skills labs, landmark lectures, and access to the most comprehensive exhibit hall in emergency medicine. For companies and organizations supplying products, technology, services, and solutions to the emergency medicine space, ACEP26 is the single most important trade show event of the year.

If you are a medical device company, healthcare technology provider, pharmaceutical brand, staffing firm, hospital system, or any organization whose customers include emergency physicians and EM professionals, this is your event. The audience is motivated, qualified, and actively looking to learn about and purchase the solutions your company offers.

Why Exhibit at ACEP26 Chicago?

The numbers alone tell a compelling story. Over 7,500 emergency medicine professionals attend ACEP’s annual Scientific Assembly. These are board-certified physicians, residents, nurses, advanced practice providers, and medical leaders who view the exhibit hall as an extension of their educational experience — not just a vendor floor. That mindset makes ACEP26 one of the highest-quality buyer audiences in the entire healthcare conference calendar.

The exhibit hall at ACEP26 draws hundreds of companies and showcases the latest innovations in emergency medicine technology, equipment, pharmaceuticals, staffing solutions, diagnostics, digital health, and clinical tools. If you exhibit here with a professional, well-designed booth, you are putting your brand directly in front of the decision-makers who write the purchase orders, influence hospital budgets, and shape the future of emergency care.

As ACEP itself puts it: if you have exhibited at ACEP before, you already know how vital the show is to your company’s sales and marketing efforts.

ACEP26 Chicago – Key Dates and Schedule

Exhibit Setup Saturday, October 3: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sunday, October 4: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Hours Monday, October 5: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 6: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 7: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Dedicated Exhibit Hours (when courses are NOT in session) Monday, October 5: 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 6: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 7: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Exhibit Teardown Wednesday, October 7: 12:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Thursday, October 8: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Educational Programming October 5–8, 2026

Critical Deadlines for ACEP26 Exhibitors

Getting on top of these dates early will save you money and headaches:

Island booth blueprints must be submitted by Friday, August 7. Company descriptions are due by Friday, September 11. Exhibitor-designated contractor authorization forms and certificates of insurance are also due September 11. Giveaway and prize drawing requests must be submitted by September 11. Exhibitor badge requests are due September 11. Certificate of liability insurance must be on file with ACEP no later than September 11.

For cancellations: if you need to cancel your space, notification must be submitted in writing. Cancellations before March 2 carry a 50% penalty. After March 2, no refunds are issued. Full payment of your exhibit space balance is also due by March 2.

Online exhibitor service kits are made available approximately the week of June 1 for exhibitors who are paid in full.

ACEP26 Exhibit Space Rates and Booth Options

The standard booth size at ACEP26 is 10 feet by 10 feet. The standard rate is $37 per square foot for 10×10 booths and $40 per square foot for island booths. A corner premium fee of $500 applies to all corner booth selections.

Here is the full pricing breakdown:

A 10×10 inline booth is priced at $3,700. A 10×10 corner booth is $4,200. A 10×10 premium inline booth (shaded in purple on the floor plan) is $4,200 and a 10×10 premium corner booth is $4,700.

For larger island configurations, a 20×20 island is $16,000, a 20×30 island is $24,000, a 20×40 island is $32,000, and a 30×50 island is $60,000.

Non-profit organizations can access a discounted rate of $2,500 for standard inline booths, limited to 30 spaces total. Once those are filled, standard rates apply.

Show drape colors are black, white, and gray.

What Your Booth Package Includes

Every ACEP26 booth package includes the exhibit floor space, a 7×44-inch booth identification sign for inline booths, your booth number marked on the floor, pipe and show-color drape for inline booths, a listing of your company information on the ACEP26 website and mobile app (if provided by the deadline), a complete registrant mailing address list after the show, access to the online exhibitor service kit once paid in full, five exhibitor badges per 100 square feet of space rented, vacuuming of all booth space on the evening of Sunday, October 4, and perimeter security for the exhibit floor.

What Your Booth Package Does Not Include

Carpet, furnishings, electricity, internet, and lead retrieval are NOT included in the base booth package and must be ordered separately. This is one of the most important planning considerations for any ACEP26 exhibitor — especially for companies building custom exhibit stands. Your booth contractor needs to account for all of these elements when designing and pricing your build.

ACEP26 Exhibit Hall Display Guidelines

Understanding the display rules at ACEP26 is essential for any exhibitor and any booth builder working on your behalf. Here are the key structural requirements:

Inline Booths: Display material is restricted to a maximum height of 48 inches in the front 5 feet of the booth, and 8 feet in the rear 5 feet. The back wall on inline booths is limited to 8 feet in height including any signage. Each inline booth has an 8-foot high back drape and 36-inch high side dividers. Exhibitors cannot fully replace the provided drape with a backdrop on a pole pocket.

Island Booths: Island booths are exposed on all four sides and have a maximum display height of 20 feet, with solid walls set back one foot from aisles. The top of any hanging sign must not extend more than 24 feet from the exhibit hall floor. Open sight lines are required so that neighboring booths are not obstructed. Island exhibitors must submit digital drawings or architectural plans to ACEP Show Management at least 30 days before the event.

Balloons are strictly prohibited. Glitter is not permitted. Sound equipment must be regulated to avoid disturbing neighboring exhibitors. No live microphones or loudspeakers are permitted in any booth, but video monitors and digital projections are allowed.

Exhibitors using contractors other than official ACEP contractors must notify ACEP in writing at least 30 days before the event and provide contractor authorization forms along with certificates of insurance.

ACEP26 Advertising Opportunities

Beyond your booth presence, ACEP26 offers multiple channels to amplify your brand and drive traffic to your exhibit.

Onsite Convention Center Advertising includes large-format options such as escalator clings and hanging banners. For details, contact Elizabeth Cardello at corpdev@acep.org or 801-558-4212.

Print Advertising puts your message in the hands of ACEP26 attendees through official conference publications, helping them map out their time at the meeting and notice your brand before they even step onto the exhibit floor.

Email Banner Ads place your creative on highly-visible conference attendee emails sent before and during the event. These are limited in availability and described by ACEP as “coveted” — they link directly to your chosen URL and deliver brand impressions to the entire registered attendee list.

What to Expect at ACEP26: Education and Programming Highlights

For the 7,500+ emergency medicine professionals attending ACEP26, education is the primary draw. Understanding what brings this audience to Chicago gives exhibitors important context for how to engage them effectively.

ACEP26 features a fully flexible course model — attendees register for the event and plan their individual schedule on the fly rather than pre-selecting courses. This is one of the most flexible ACEP conference formats to date, designed to maximize attendee engagement across the entire show floor.

Key programming pillars include Hands-On Skills Labs for procedural technique practice, the popular Game On! gamified learning series covering dermatology, ECGs, trauma, and eye emergencies, a Malpractice Marathon three-part series on October 7, Off-Track Sessions featuring non-traditional thought leadership content, and a Conference Within a Conference series for deep dives into specialty topics.

Featured lectures at ACEP26 include the Nancy J. Auer Lecture on ED waiting room risk, the Brooks F. Bock Lecture and Abstract Session, the Leon L. Haley Jr. Memorial Lecture on reproductive health, the James D. Mills Memorial Lecture on vaccine lessons, and the Colin C. Rorrie Jr. Lecture on leadership in emergency medicine.

ACEP’s Research Forum, the premier event for emergency medicine research, is fully integrated into the educational schedule at ACEP26.

All 4-day registered attendees who register by September 4 receive a free ACEP Anytime subscription, giving them 12 months of on-demand access to all session content. This significantly extends the reach and visibility of the event — and of any sponsor or exhibitor content embedded in those sessions.

The ACEP 26 Wine and Wander Welcome Party

One of the most anticipated social events at ACEP26 is the Wine and Wander Welcome Party, held in the exhibit hall as it transforms into ACEP Park. The evening features a live DJ, wine, light bites, and Section Meetups that let attendees connect by specialty or interest. This is one of the single best networking opportunities of the entire conference, taking place in the same space where your booth will be set up. If your exhibit looks professional and inviting during this event, it becomes a conversation starter for the rest of the show.