Welcome Makie!
We’re honoured to have you as a valued member of our community of creative entrepreneurs earning a living doing what they love.
In order to ensure that your experience is as fun, positive, and successful as possible we’ve created this guide. If you still have a question that isn’t answered here, please email hello@makeitshow.ca.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

DATES, DEADLINES, AND HANDY LINKS

SHOW DATES 

HANDY LINKS

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FLOOR PLAN, LOAD-IN PROCEDURE, AND VENUE INFORMATION

LOAD-IN AND SET UP PROCEDURES

Check-in is Wednesday, December 6th from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM and on Thursday, December 7th from 9am – 4:30pm. 

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. Check in with Team Make It at the loading ramp. We’ll give you directions to your booth and a rad Makie exhibitor badge! If you need a couple of extra badges for staffers just let us know.

Once all your goods are at your booth, you must move your vehicle immediately to the further lot, and THEN finish setting up your booth. The parking lot is tiny, and we have lots of Makies who need to get their goods into the building! More parking is available on the East side of the building. PNE parking is free during load in and load out.

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 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

Floorplan will be released closer to the date.

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.

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BOOTH DESIGN AND SHOW SURVIVAL

ABOUT YOUR BOOTH

Size + Space

Booth sizes are given width x depth; if your booth is 10′ x 5′, then it’s 10’ left-to-right and 5′ 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 is allocated for your use. The outlet may be in your neighbour’s booth so be sure to bring extension cords and power bars.

1. • We’ve provided power in every booth and we encourage you to use plenty of lighting.
   • Bring extension cords, zip cords, and power bards
   • If you think you need more than 1500W of power or need 24-hour power, please reach out to orson@makeitshow.ca

Things you should bring or rent:

1. • Table Coverings
   • Lighting
   • Fabric to cover your booth at night
   • Table
   • 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. Click here to view form and details on how to order.
Make It Vancouver’s show code is: MIV12071023. Your booth number in the form can be “TBA” as the floor plan is still being finalized.

WIFI

Wi-fi at the Forum can sometimes be intermittent, 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 POS system and cash float.
• 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.

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PROMOTE THE SHOW  — AND YOURSELF!

DISCOUNT TICKETS

Early Bird tickets are available discounted online at: https://makeitvancouver.eventbrite.ca! Make sure you share the link with all of your followers. We also will send you an affiliate link which you can use when promoting to your customers.

SOCIAL MEDIA

We are proud to have you at the shows and we hope you are proud too! Below are some graphics that you can share to spread the word and invite your customers to visit you at the show! 

Contest Giveaways

If you are hosting a social media contest, you can fill in the winners’ information here and we will directly send them their free tickets: Contest Winners Form

If you’d like to collaborate with us on a social media contest, you can fill out this form: Social Contest Giveaway Form

Here are some graphics you can use:

Here’s a handy list of social media info:
Hashtags: #makeitvancouver #makeitshow
Instagram: @makeitshow
Facebook: Make It! The Handmade Revolution
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/579112397326846

DIRECT EMAIL MARKETING

Here’s some copy you can use if you’re feeling lazy and pretty much just want to cut and paste!

We’re/I’m so excited to be a Makie at Make It Vancouver happening Dec 7-10 at the PNE Forum! The show will feature 250 amazing local brands and makers. This is an awesome spot to get all your holiday shopping done while supporting creative entrepreneurs. There will also be food trucks, a lively festive atmosphere, and holiday fun to be had by all. Make sure to follow @makeitshow for a chance to win prizes leading up to the show. Can’t wait to see you there! makeitshow.ca/vancouver #proudmakie #makeitvancouver #makeitshow

FLYERS

We will be coming by to other community craft shows to distribute flyers. You can also send us an email to hello@makeitshow.ca and we can make arrangements to get some to you.

Flyers are available for pickup at our partner locations for you to hand out to your friends, family, and customers; and have a $2 off coupon, so make sure you mention that! 

We also have free tickets which you can use to give away on social media. Make sure you reach out to us if you want to grab some! 

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SAFETY AND SECURITY

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 show (Wednesday 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. An unfortunate 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.

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PARKING

Makies are not allowed to park in Lot 1 during the show, but there’s lots of parking available East of the Forum. You may purchase a multi-day parking pass from the parking kiosk. 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 in the 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).

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INFORMATION FOR FOOD VENDORS

There is no catering kitchen at the PNE Forum for prepping samples or cleaning dishes and utensils, so please make sure that you do as much of that as possible before you arrive at the show.

If you would like to hand out samples at the show, you MUST have a temporary handwash station and a spray bottle of disinfectant at your booth. In order to minimize direct food handling at the show, please portion and pack your samples before the show.

Here’s a great diagram for setting up a temporary handwashing station:

You can use the utility sink in the exhibitor lounge to fill your water container.

If you are unsure about any of the VCH regulations, please check their Guideline for Sale of Foods at Temporary Markets for clarification.

The Environmental Health Officer needs to inspect our food vendor booths at the start of the show; food vendors must be at their booth, ready to go at least an hour before show opens (actual time to be clarified and given to you upon check in).

Makies requiring more than 1500W of power or 24-hour power MUST purchase a power upgrade for their booth. If you need additional power, please purchase it directly from Goodkey.

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SHIPPING AND ACCOMMODATIONS

SHIPPING

You’re welcome to use any carrier you like to ship your goods to the show. Unfortunately, the PNE Forum does not accommodate advance shipping. Please do not ship your goods directly to the venue in advance of the show; make sure your cartage company can provide storage in advance of the show. Please advise them that the window for receivership is the morning of load in day and that they must pick up your items on Sunday after the show closes. Shipments will NOT be received prior to December 6th and shipments going out must be picked up by December 10th. Please advise them that there is no dock available at the venue, so a truck with a tailgate lift is required.

Shipments should be addressed to:

Make It Show
Makie business name, booth #
PNE Forum
2901 E. Hastings Street.
Vancouver, BC
V5K 5J1

Whichever shipping company you use, make sure they understand the following important three details:
• The window for receivership is the morning of load in.
• They must pick up your items on Sunday after the show closes.
• There is no dock available at the venue, so a truck with a tailgate lift is required.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Lots of Makies choose to book places to stay through AirBnB. This is an especially great option if you have Makies who are travel buddies, and it’s really nice to have access to a real kitchen over the course of the show weekend! If you’re new toAirbnb, you can use this link to sign up.

Another option is the Atrium Inn which is only a block away from the PNE Forum and is the closest hotel. it includes breakfast and would save you on parking expenses at the PNE. 

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GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY

GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY

Our customers love entering their names to win a super awesome prize! If you would like to donate an item, please drop off your item at the check-in table on load-in day. No minimum value is required — we appreciate every donation. The Grand Prize Giveaway is one of the tools we use to build our email list, which is a huge part of how we get so many people out to each show! Your contribution will be displayed at the front of the show with your business name and booth number, so make sure you pick an item that will drive customers to your booth.

If there is an opportunity to showcase products on TV or other forms of media, Makies who donate an item to the Grand Prize Giveaway will be selected first.

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VANCOUVER BUSINESS LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

Vancouver does not currently require out-of-town market vendors to obtain a license to vend at the show.

PST COLLECTION
A representative of the BC Ministry of Finance may conduct a site inspection. Please make sure you are familiar with the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) regulations and how they apply (or don’t apply) to your products.

Please click here to get a PDF of the Casual Remittance form that you can use to remit your PST if you do not have a PST number. If you have a PST number, then remit your PST in the usual fashion.

If you are uncertain about PST regulations and how they affect you, please call Taxpayer Services 1 877 388 4440 between 8:30am and 4:30pm (BC time, Monday to Friday) with your PST questions.

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PRINTING FOR THE SHOW

We work with local company Club Card Print who offers you a coupon code for printing for the show as seen below:
Make It Fair Vendor Discount – MKIT23VNDR
20% Off Any Standard Items Ordered Online – Not valid on custom quotes or letterpress printing.
Expires December 15th 2023.

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

CANCELLATION POLICY

If you cancel your application 90 days or more before the show, you will receive a 75% refund the full booth price. If you cancel your application 60 to 89 days before the show, you will receive a 50% refund of the full booth price. If you cancel your application 59 days or less before the first day of the show, all exhibitor fees and options are non-refundable.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

You agreed to the following terms and conditions when you submitted your application. These terms and conditions may be updated from time to time as required and you agree to be bound by any future updates upon delivery of notice of such updates.

*You will not sublease or share your booth.

*You will comply with all local zoning, bylaws, and health and safety rules.

*You will only sell the products outlined in this application unless prior written approval is obtained from Make It Productions Inc.

*You will only sell products that have been designed by you.

*You (or your representative) are required to be present in your booth the entire duration of the show and will not take down your booth until the show is closed.

*You will not hang items weighing more than 3 pounds from the supplied pipe and drape in your booth.

*You will be respectful to fellow Makies.

*You will have fun and promote your participation at the show as much as possible!

If you are accepted to the show, the following refund policy will apply:

If you are accepted to the show, the following refund policy will apply:
If you cancel your application 90 days or more before the show, you will receive a 75% refund of the full booth price.
If you cancel your application 60 to 89 days before the show, you will receive a 50% refund of the full booth price.
If you cancel your application 59 days or less before the first day of the show, all exhibitor fees and options are non-refundable.

*Make It Productions Inc makes no representations or warranties about your sales or success at the show and is not responsible for any losses you may incur if the show is cancelled or shortened for reasons outside the reasonable control of Make It Productions Inc.

*You will comply with all requests and directives from Make It Productions Inc personnel during the show to ensure that other exhibitors and customers, at the sole discretion of Make It Productions Inc, have a safe, enjoyable, and positive experience.

*You are solely responsible for obtaining all permits, licenses, facilities, insurance, and approvals reasonably required to sell your products at the show. Make It Productions Inc will not be responsible for any costs, damages, theft or economic loss resulting from your failure to comply with this term. If any government agency, court, person or commercial body orders sale of your products cease, you will immediately comply with this order.

*You will indemnify Make It Productions Inc for any loss, fine, penalty, judgement, legal fees, and expenses reasonably  connected with your failure to comply with the terms of this agreement or any liability, negligence, gross negligence or injury resulting from your products, actions, conduct, booth setup, display or trade activities.

*Make It Production Inc may amend or update these terms from time to time and you agree to be bound by such future amendments or updates.

*If you fail to comply with the terms of this agreement contained herein and as amended or updated from time to time, whether before or during the show, Make It Productions Inc may cancel your application or remove you and prohibit your attendance at the show. The refund policy shall apply to this term as if you had provided notice of cancellation on the date that your application is cancelled or you are otherwise removed from the show by Make It Productions Inc.