SHOW DATES 

DEADLINES

Food vendor form submissions should have already been sent in (prior to your booth purchase). If you have not yet sent in your forms, please submit them here by March 4, 2019. PLEASE NOTE: if you have made any changes to your forms or have an updated Food Handling Permit, please email it to food@makeitproductions.com

HANDY LINKS

LOAD-IN AND SET UP PROCEDURES

Check-in is from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM the day before the show. You can load in anytime during this time and take as long as you like to set up your booth, as long as you’re done by 8:00 PM. There will be no set up time on the morning of the show, so make sure you complete everything the evening before.

When you arrive to set up, enter the PNE grounds through Gate 2 on Renfrew (see map below). Turn right into Lot 1, park your vehicle, and walk down the loading ramp into the Forum.

Please check in with us at the check-in table to receive directions to your booth and your Makie badges.

Once all your goods are at your booth, please move your vehicle and THEN  finish setting up your booth. More parking is available on the East side of the building. PNE parking is free during set-up. The loading area is small, and we have a lot of Makies who need to get their goods into the building, so please don’t leave your vehicle in the area any longer than absolutely necessary.

Shared dollies are available to help you unload your vehicle, but if you have a dolly of your own, we recommend you bring it to speed up the process.

For the safety reasons and as per WorkSafe regulations, children under the age of 15 are not permitted in the hall during set up or tear down. Please make sure you arrange childcare in advance. The exhibitor lounge will be available for you to use during load-in and tear-down, but do not leave children unattended in the lounge. An adult must be with them at all times.

ACCESSING THE VENUE

Before and after show hours, please use the exhibitor entrance to access the venue. You and your staff will need to present your Makie button to the security guard in order to enter the venue; if you lose your button, please obtain one from a Make It Team Member. Please do not pressure the venue to admit you without your Makie credentials — their job is to keep unauthorized people (ie anyone without a button) out of the building in order to keep all of us (and everyone’s products!) safe.

You may access the hall one hour before/after the show opens/closes each day. If you need to access the hall outside of those hours, please let us know ahead of time so that we can make the proper arrangements with the security team.

During the show, you’re welcome to use the regular show entrance as long as you have your Makie button with you.

WILL CALL

You can pick up extra Makie badges for your staff members during check in. You’re welcome to leave a badge for your staff at Will Call if they are arriving during show hours and you can’t leave your booth. Just pop the badge into an envelope with their name on it and bring it to the ticket kiosks.

FLOOR PLAN

Although we try very hard not to make changes to the floor plan once it is released, it’s sometimes necessary to make minor changes. Please double check your booth number a day or two before the show to ensure you’ve got the most up-to-date info.

ABOUT YOUR BOOTH

Size + Space
Booth sizes are given width x depth; if your booth is 10′ x 6′, then it’s 10’ left-to-right and 6′ front-to-back. Everything you’re selling and all of your display fixtures must fit within the footprint of your booth; nothing may protrude into the aisle or into your neighbour’s booth.

Pipe and Drapes
Booths are separated by 8’ high white back-and-side pipe-and-drapes. Some Makies hang additional drapes from the pipe to provide a different colour backdrop for their display; this is permitted but please use Fire Resistant treated panels only.

S-Hooks
A limited number of s-hooks will be provided so that you can hang signage if required. Please do not hang anything other than signage (up to 3 lbs.) from the pipe.

Flooring
Floor covering is not required but it’s a great idea to build carpeting or anti-fatigue panels into your booth. Standing up all weekend is hard!

Chair
Your booth comes equipped with one chair; if you’d like a chair for your booth, please grab one from the stack during load in.

Power
Up to 1500W of power are allocated for your use, but there may not be an outlet at your booth so please
• Bring an extension cord that is at least 25′ long
• Bring any power bars you will need use energy-efficient bulbs in your lighting
• Do not use more power than you need — we don’t want to overload any circuits!
• If you need more than 1500W of power or need 24-hour power, please order an upgrade directly from the show supplier.

Things you should bring or rent:
• Table
• Table Coverings
• Lighting
• Fabric to cover your booth at night
• Signage with your company name

TABLES AND EQUIPMENT RENTALS

If you need tables or other display equipment for your booth (gridwall etc), you can order those directly from our equipment supplier through this PDF or by using their handy online ordering system at goodkey.com. Instructions on how to order can be found on page 2 of this PDF.
Make It Vancouver’s show code: Mi04192119

SHIPPING

If you’re planning to ship your items to Make It, you can also do this through Goodkey. Goodkey can also transport your goods from one show city to the next. Please email nomer@goodkey.com to make arrangements.

WIFI

Wifi at the Forum can sometimes be spotty, so we suggest that you use your own data plan for processing payments.

WHAT TO BRING

• Plan to bring ALL ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT for yourself and your exhibit. We do not provide extension cords or power bars.
• A water bottle and/or travel mug.
• A really good float! Please don’t expect the venue to make change for you.
• Dress comfortably! Temperature fluctuations in any large venue are not uncommon as the space fills up with people, so dress in layers.
• Wear comfortable shoes, as you may be standing for long periods of time.
• Other things that might make life easier: snacks, lip balm, Advil/Tylenol, etc.

STARTING THE DAY

We are strict about showing up on time in the morning. You will be able to access your booth one hour before the doors open to the public each day. Make sure you arrive at least 15 minutes before the show each day. Your booth should be uncovered, lit, and ready to go at your booth at least 10 minutes before show time. Scrambling to your booth like a hot mess right as the doors open is not a good look for you or for us, so please don’t do it!
Makies who consistently arrive late will not be invited back to future shows.

ENDING THE DAY

You’re required to keep your booth open until the end of the show each day. We know it’s tempting on the last day of the show to start packing up early as things begin to slow down, but please resist the urge to tear down! It only takes one vendor who begins packing things away to send customers the message that it’s time for them to go home. This is detrimental to everyone, especially Makies with large pieces who often make the bulk of their sales at the end of the show when shoppers return to purchase an item they’ve been thinking about.

Makies who leave the show before closing or who begin packing up before tear-down will not be invited back to future shows.

FOOD

There will be a great bunch of food vendors outside the venue (including carts with vegan and gluten-free options), and the PNE concession will be open. We also always recommend making sure you have a good stash of your favourite snacks at your booth to get you through the show.

EXHIBITOR LOUNGE

The Exhibitor Lounge will be available for your use during load-in, tear-down and during all hours of the show. There is a fridge in the exhibitor lounge, and lots of tables and chairs for when you need a break.

DISCOUNT TICKETS

Early Bird tickets are available until right before the show starts, and are only $3 -that’s half off the gate price! Make sure you share the link with all of your followers (https://www.picatic.com/makeitvancouverspring2018). Once the show opens, online tickets are still available for $4.

 
SOCIAL MEDIA

We are proud to have you at the shows and we hope you are proud too! We’d love you to spread the word and invite your customers to visit you at the show! Here’s an image for you to use:

Here’s a handy list of social media info:

Hashtags: #makeitvancouver #makeitshow

Instagram: @makeitshow

Facebook: Make It! The Handmade Revolution

Facebook Event: Make sure you direct and invite ALL of your friends to the official facebook event.

DIRECT EMAIL MARKETING

Direct email is still the #1 way to reach your customers! Here’s a bit of text you can copy-and-paste into your next newsletter:

We’re soooo excited to be exhibiting at the upcoming Make It Vancouver, happening April 19-21 at the PNE Forum! Stock up on accessories, jewellery, clothing, art, home decor, food, baby/kid items, and lots of other beautifully crafted goods from more than 200 Makies. Everything at Make It is handmade with love in Canada, so you can feel good about what you buy. There are also fantastic food carts and a beer garden, to keep you fueled up!

Early Bird tickets to Make It are available online at https://www.showpass.com/makeitvancouver/, and are only $3 -that’s 50% off the gate price!

FLYERS

Flyers are available for pickup at our partner locations for you to hand out to your friends, family, and customers; an electronic one will also be available here for you to share on your social media feeds. Both versions are good for $2 off entry!

Flyers are available for pick up at these following locations:

Bird On A Wire Creations: 2535 Main St (at Broadway)
Make On Granville Island: 1648 Duranleau St.
Conscious Lab/Make It HQ: #200-422 Richards St (email hello@makeitshow.ca to arrange a time; we’re not always in the office)

As a special bonus and a thank you for all your hard work, when you pick up your flyers you can also pick up six paper tickets to use for social media promotion or for your family and friends.

During the event, organizers will be on-site to assist with directing the crowd and maintaining security. Please let them know if you notice any attendees or participants acting in ways that could be dangerous or damaging to equipment or the venue, or if you notice any safety hazards.

The PNE provides 24-hour security for the entire weekend (Thursday morning through Sunday night). Make It is not responsible for the security of items and equipment at your booth; we recommend taking electronic equipment and cash with you when you leave each night.

PNE staff wear name tags/uniforms identifying them as such, and our equipment supplier’s personnel all wear staff t-shirts that identify them. A popular scam at large shows is for someone to pretend to be part of the venue staff in order to gain access to the area behind exhibitor booths (or other exhibitor areas), where exhibitors often stash laptops, bags, and other personal items. Please don’t allow anybody without the proper identification into the back area of your booth.

Whether you (or your staff) are entering the show during the exhibitor entrance before or after show hours or through the front entrance during show hours, you will need to present your Makie button to the security guard in order to enter the venue. Please do not pressure the venue to admit you without your Makie credentials — their job is to keep unauthorized people (ie anyone without a button) out of the building in order to keep all of us (and everyone’s products!) safe. Makies who ignore security procedures will not be invited back to future Make It events.

Makies are not allowed to park in Lot 1 during the show, but there’s lots of parking available East of the Forum. PNE parking is $12 a day; you may purchase a 3-day parking pass from the PNE from the parking Kiosk as you drive in during the mornings of show days. The parking pass won’t save you any money, but it will save you the headache of needing to stop and pay every day when you arrive, and prevent the formation of huge line-up into the parking lot on Friday morning. There is also a large pay-parking lot right across the street from the Forum (south of the Forum, on the other side of Hastings Street).