Confirmed Exhibitor Information
Applications for Reaching Forward North 2025 are CLOSED.
We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, May 1 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 River Road, Rosemont, Illinois. Thank you for joining us! Here is information to help you plan your day. Be sure to read ALL the information below, even if you've exhibited at RFN before as we've made several changes.
Connect with Conference Attendees: Extend your marketing reach with an email campaign to connect with Reaching Forward North participants before and after the conference. You may order a RFN Attendee List* for $150, and the list will be provided to you approximately two weeks prior to the conference. If you wish to purchase the Attendee List, email ila@ila.org.
*If you are also a sponsor at the Platinum or Gold level, the Attendee List is included in your sponsorship package.
The exhibit space is designed for tabletop showcases of goods, services, and information. Exhibit tables are 6' long and exhibitors are allowed to use additional display items, such as racks and shelves. The tables are skirted. Exhibits are not allowed to extend more than 18" on either side of the table and no more than 2' in front of it. No additional tables are allowed from outside the venue. If you bring your own table, you will be asked to remove it. Failure to comply will be noted and may impact if your exhibitor application is accepted for future RFN conferences.
Badge Information: Be on the lookout for an email from ILA staff in April. This email will ask you for the name(s) and email(s) of those who will be exhibiting on May 1. Exhibitor registration includes two (2) exhibitor badges per purchased table.
Lunch: Lunch is NOT included in exhibitor registration. You're encouraged to bring your own lunch as there is only a Starbucks located in the convention center. There are restaurants within walking distance but they are not super close to the conference area.
*Sponsors: The banquet lunch is included for all sponsorship levels.
Set-up Time and Move-in: The conference is held on the 2nd floor of the Convention Center, and exhibitor check-in begins at 7:00 a.m. As a reminder, the tables are six feet long and skirted.
When you arrive please stop at the Exhibitor Check-in (located next to the escalator) to check in and receive your exhibitor badge(s).
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If you have limited set-up materials and/or are using your own wheeled cart: You may wish to simply park in the parking garage (see below) and bring your materials to the exhibitor area.
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If you have more set-up materials and need a large, wheeled cart: You may park short-term to unload your exhibitor supplies and materials at the 9391 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue entrance to the Convention Center, which is on the north side of the building. There is a freight elevator located very close to this entrance, and Convention Center staff will have carts available for your use. There is no charge for use of the carts and tipping the staff is not required. You MUST bring your items/the cart up to your table before moving your car from the unloading area to the parking garage.
Parking During the Conference: Parking is available in the parking garage across the street from the Convention Center on the west side of River Road. The parking charge is $15.00 for the day, which can be paid by cash or credit /debit card at the pay stations near the parking garage elevators. You may wish to pay as you arrive to avoid lines at the pay stations at the end of the day. From the SB (Sky Bridge) level of the parking garage, take the convenient walkway from the garage to the Convention Center exhibit area.
Helpful Supplies to Bring: If you requested access to an electrical outlet, you will have access to standard 110v power; however, we recommend bringing a power strip and extension cord to make sure you can sufficiently power your exhibit. If you did not request access to an outlet, you may want to bring a powerbank to charge your phone, laptop, tablet, etc. as outlet access will be limited.
WiFi: The Convention Center offers complimentary WiFi through their Boingo WiFi network, and you sign in for a free 45-minute session. You can sign in for repeating free sessions throughout the day. We recommend using a personal hotspot for internet-based video presentations or other uninterrupted WiFi use. You are welcome to bring your own WiFi hotspot.
Conference Attendee Arrival and Conference Hours: Conference attendees will begin arriving around 8:00 am. The exhibition area will officially open at 8:30 am, which will be a “no-conflict” time for attendees to visit the exhibits before the conference begins. We encourage you to be prepared to receive attendees during this prime exhibitor time. Attendees will also have dedicated time to visit exhibits from 12:45-1:15 pm.
The exhibit area is located such that attendees circulate through the exhibits to attend conference sessions; attendees will have time throughout the day, as well as during and after their lunch hour to view the exhibits. We anticipate 700 conference participants.
The conference runs until 3:30 pm, and we ask that you do not begin to pack up until after 3:00 pm.
Lanyards: Before you leave, be sure to stop by the help desk to recycle your lanyard. We’ll reuse them for future conferences and prevent them from ending up in a landfill.
Conference Website: The primary contact for your organization should have received a welcome email sent from PheedLoop, our conference website platform. This email includes a link to your exhibitor portal where you can update your exhibitor profile for the conference website. While your organization, description, and contact information is listed in the print program book, the conference website is another resource for attendees to utilize prior to the conference to help plan their day as well as after the event to access session handouts. If you haven't set up your exhibitor profile, we highly recommend doing so. If you need the exhibitor portal link sent to you again, email ila@ila.org.
Again, we thank you for exhibiting at Reaching Forward North, and we look forward to your having a successful day! If you have any questions please email ila@ila.org.
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