Rules & Regulations for Exhibitors

• All product sampling must be done on the Show Floor.  Please make the appropriate arrangements if attendees need samples sent to their offices.
   
• Attendees will not be permitted to exit the Show venue with products or samples.
   
• Products or samples that attendees attempt to remove from the Show venue will be confiscated at the exits and donated to charity.
   
• Exhibitors are permitted to remove product from the Show venue by showing a picture ID, such as a Driver’s License, together with an Exhibitor Badge.
   
• Please do not hand your badge off to someone else or leave it where others can take it.  Either discard it in the official badge-drop boxes or discard it somewhere away from the Convention Center.  This helps us ensure the appropriate people are on the show floor.

Any bags given out to attendees will be confiscated by security and stored in the overnight security office until the end of the show when they will be returned to the exhibitor.  Official compostableshow bags are distributed by the NASFT at multiple locations throughout the exhibit hall.  Please contact Roger Grant at rgrant@nasft.org or 646-878-0137.

NASFT shall have sole control over admission to the Show and may deny admission to any person at its discretion.  Persons under 18 years of age, including infants, are not permitted on the Show floor at any time regardless of affiliation or circumstances. No exceptions will be made to this policy. Go to the Order Forms page to download the Child Care Service form located in the “Vendor Services & Suppliers” Section.

Selling items on the Show floor is strictly prohibited. This is an “order writing” show only.  Retail sale activity will result in the closure of Exhibitor’s Booth.

Exhibitors are only allowed to photograph or video their own booth.  Only badged members of the press are permitted to photograph & video record all areas of the show.

If you plan on having a guest celebrity in your Booth, please contact Roger Grant by email at rgrant@nasft.org or by phone at 646.878.0137 to make arrangements.

All arriving goods and exhibits will be received at receiving areas designated by NASFT.  All incoming goods and exhibits must be plainly marked as Exhibitors property and all charges prepaid.

All exhibiting activities must be confined to the Exhibitor’s Booth.  Therefore, the distribution of literature, samples or other material outside of your Exhibit Space is prohibited.  This includes mascots and sales reps.  Other than literature regarding Exhibitor’s products and services, no items may be distributed at the Show without NASFT’s prior written approval.

• For reasons of both safety and courtesy, no signs, display items or decorative material may protrude into the aisles or extend into neighboring booths.
   
• All aisles, passageways and lobbies leading to an exit, fire extinguisher or other emergency equipment must be left unobstructed. Displays found to be blocking traffic flow will be closed down.
   
• Carpeting any area outside your exhibit space or building any extension of an exhibit over an aisle is prohibited. Official State and International pavilions may order their own aisle carpet as long as they have a total of (6) booths on each side of the aisle. Please call Roger Grant for approval at 646-878-0137.

Not permitted.

Convention Center rules require that nothing be posted, tacked, nailed or screwed to columns, walls, floors or other elements of the exhibit hall. Exhibitors may not apply paint, lacquer, adhesives, tapes or other coating to building columns, walls, ceilings or floors or to standard booth equipment.

All wiring in the booth or on displays must conform to the applicable standards established by law, including fire inspection standards of local authorities and insurance requirements. All wiring must exhibit any seal required by local authorities.

Exhibits for the purpose of soliciting prospective employees, and employee-recruiting activity of any kind, are prohibited.

No decorations of paper, pine boughs, leafy decorations, tree branches or other combustible material are allowed. Any cloth must be fire retardant.

All Exhibitors must cover the floor or their Exhibit Space regardless of pre-existing carpet, floor tiles, etc.

Exhibitors may not conduct contests, sweepstakes or games of chance at the Fancy Food Show venue.

Booth displays must be completed one hour before the opening of the Show. Booths and displays must be remain intact until 4:00pm on the last open day of the Show. Penalties may be imposed for early dismantling of a booth or display.

All overhead hanging light fixtures will require Show Management approval.

• Hanging Signs/Banners will only be allowed for International Pavilions (peninsula and island booth or if you occupy both sides of the entire aisle). International Pavilions signs, banners, displays, etc. cannot exceed 20' in height.
   
• Exhibitors must drape or otherwise finish the backwalls and sidewalls of their booths. This is required of all exhibitors to enhance the overall appearance of the show. If neglected, show management will have the walls draped or finished at the Exhibitor’s expense.
   
• Logos and graphics may appear on the inside walls of your booth only. The outside walls (those facing a neighbor’s booth) must be void of all copy, logos or graphics of any kind.
   
• Only the name of the exhibitor on the application and contract for exhibit space may be placed on booth signs. No signs, displays or advertising will be allowed to extend beyond the exhibit space allotted to exhibitor, or above the back and side rails of the booth.

Sound levels of presentations should be kept within the confines of the booth area and must not interfere with neighboring exhibits. Displays found to be objectionable due to noise level will be closed down. The playing of music is prohibited, unless that is the product that you are selling.

Television and video displays of any kind are to be used for business purposes only. Sporting events, entertainment or any other non-business related presentations will not be allowed.

Vehicles on the show floor for display purposes must be approved by NASFT in advance. Please call Roger Grant at (646) 878-0137 to make a request.

The NASFT will provide an official State Pavilion Sign/Banner that will be hung over your pavilion.

• Archways spanning any aisle are not permitted unless you occupy the entire exhibit section of an aisle (see diagram below).  Archways will be permitted at the front and end of the aisles and cannot exceed a max height of 12 feet.
• Archways are not permitted over any major cross-aisles.
• If at any point the pavilion reduces square footage and doesn’t occupy the entire exhibit section of an aisle anymore, Archways will be removed on-site regardless of any pre-approval from the NASFT.

• Flags, Lamp Posts and Street Signs are not permitted unless you occupy the entire exhibit section of an aisle (see diagram below).
• Flags, Lamp Posts and Street Signs cannot stick out in the aisle and can not border a non-pavilion booth.
• The top of the Flags, Lamp Posts and Street Signs cannot exceed a max height of 8 feet.

• State Pavilions may order their own aisle carpet in front of their booths if they occupy the entire exhibit section of an aisle (see diagram below).
• State Pavilions will not be permitted to carpet a major cross aisle.

• You must have a minimum of (6) 10x10 booths (in an island or peninsula configuration or occupy the entire exhibit section of an aisle) to hang a sign/banner. The top of the sign/banner cannot exceed 20 feet from the ground and must be hung 15 feet from any Cross Aisle.
    
• Hanging signs/banners will only be approved for Peninsulas and Island Booths and can only be placed above the exhibit space you occupy (this does not include Aisle space). 
   
• The sign/banner must be centered over your exhibit space.
   
• You WILL be permitted to hang a sign/banner over the aisle space if you occupy the entire exhibit section of an aisle (see diagram) and must be hung 15 feet from any Cross Aisle.
  
  
  
  

  The space outlined in red is considered the entire “exhibit section” of an aisle as referenced in the Archways Section.

• Archways spanning any aisle are not permitted unless you occupy the entire exhibit section (see diagram) of an aisle.
    
• Archways are not permitted over major cross-aisles.
  
  


The space outlined in red is considered the entire “exhibit section” of an aisle as referenced in the Archways Section.

• International Exhibitors will be permitted to place their own aisle carpet in front of their booths if they occupy both sides of the aisle and have a minimum of (6) 10x10 booths.
• International Exhibitors will not be permitted to carpet a major cross aisle.

• All food and beverages must be covered and protected from handling, coughs, sneezes, dust, dirt and vermin during transportation, storage, handling, display and service.
• Close supervision by an Exhibitor staff member is required at all times during sampling.
• Instruments such as tongs or serving spoons are to be used to prevent direct handling of food.  It is recommended that food items be offered in pre-portioned servings.
• Food samples must be protected from customer contamination using one of the following methods: Covered by a transparent shield (sneeze guard); Inaccessible to attendees and served by the Exhibitor on an individual basis in SAMPLE SIZE PORTIONS.
• The use of home-prepared food is strictly prohibited.
• All prepared food must be cooked in a local commercial facility, which has been approved in advance by the local health department.  Food from unapproved sources will be condemned by the health department.
• Limited on-site preparation of food is allowed.  Please use designated Clean-Up Stations for all cleaning of utensils.
• The use of L.P. gases such as propane & butane are prohibited. All electrical equipment must be U.L. approved (Underwriter’s Laboratories).
• The use of fry equipment must include a grease-shield for the machine as well as a fire extinguisher.
• Alcohol is permitted only in small sample sizes and individuals must have proof of ID

Perishable items must be kept at or below 45° F at all times during transportation and until served or used.

Perishable items must be kept at or above 140° F at all times during transportation and until served or used.

Must be separated from raw, potentially hazardous food and unwashed fruits or vegetables to prevent them from becoming contaminated with chemicals and/or raw food bacteria.

• Must be individually packaged or dispensed from approved dispensers.
• Single-serving utensils should be provided only in sanitary containers or approved sanitary dispensers, should be stored in a clean/dry place until used and used only once.

Please consider using environmentally-friendly paper products for serving your samples instead of plastic products.   Eco-friendly serving utensils & supplies can be purchased through CenterPlate, the official show caterer.

Must be used for all unpackaged foods and utensils at all times during transportation and until served or used. (Note: Passenger vehicles are not sanitary facilities.) Quantities of food stored in Exhibitor Booths for subsequent processing or display must be limited to an amount that can be maintained at a proper temperature and protected from contamination. The use of small portable electric refrigerators is recommended and arrangements can be made with Lowe Refrigeration at 770-461-9001.

Employees or others staffing foodservice booths must wear clean outer garments, use suitable hair restraints, practice high personal cleanliness and keep their hands clean. Hands must be washed after using toilet facilities or handling soiled or unclean material, after smoking and before handling food or utensils. All foodservice personnel must be free of any communicable disease or illness that can be transmitted by food.

Exhibitors must use the designated “Clean-Up Stations” on the Show floor for washing utensils & equipment. THE USE OF REST ROOMS FOR WASHING UTENSILS OR DISPOSING OF FOOD IS PROHIBITED.

Exhibitors serving sample foods must dispose of garbage or other wastes in a sanitary manner. Grease bins will be provided in each of the “Clean-Up Stations” located around the Show floor.  Food Scrap bins will also be located within these Clean-Up Stations.

The “line-of-sight” rule applies to Linear Booths that are 10'x15' or smaller. In the rear one-half of each booth, product/displays may be placed to a maximum height of 8 feet (8') from the building floor. In the front one-half of the booth, product/displays may reach a height of 51 inches (51"), except for 2½ feet from each side where all material must be a height of 3 feet (36"), or lower.

The “line-of-sight” rule applies to Linear Booths that are 10'x20' or larger as well as Linear Back-to-Back Booths that are 20'x20' or larger. Throughout the booth, product/displays may be placed to a maximum height of 8 feet (8') from the building floor, except for a 5'x5' spot in the front corners of the booth where all material must be at a height of 3 feet (36"), or lower.