Published rental range: $40,000 - $120,000
The 20x20 island is the threshold where a Chicago exhibit program becomes a destination rather than a stop. At 400 square feet open on all four sides, an island gives your brand 360 degrees of visibility on the McCormick Place floor, and that freedom changes everything about how we design. Instead of a single billboard backwall, we build a sculptural center, a brand tower, an LED video wall, or a demo theater, that reads from every aisle, then we open the corners so traffic can flow into the space from any direction rather than being funneled past it. A structural hanging sign floats your identity above the hall so attendees can find you from across the room, which is decisive at crowded Chicago events like IMTS, PACK EXPO, RSNA, and the National Restaurant Association Show where hundreds of exhibitors compete for the eye. We construct the 20x20 on a hybrid platform that marries modular aluminum extrusion with custom-fabricated millwork, so you get the cost discipline and reconfigurability of a rental with the finished, seamless look of a custom build. Per Chicago show-floor best practice we keep the ceiling open and avoid heavy truss, because truss eats usable space and reads as scaffolding rather than brand; the result is a bright, walkable environment that feels generous. Functionally, a 20x20 lets you run multiple jobs at once: an open product display and live demonstrations facing the aisles, a reception and lead-capture point near the highest-traffic corner, and a semi-private meeting area or closed conference room for serious conversations. Graphics are produced in-house with large-format silicone edge fabric and dye-sublimation panels, and we integrate LED video, accent lighting, and digital signage so your product can be presented on screen, which is what most Chicago exhibitors want. The published rental range of $40,000 to $120,000 is wide because an island is so configurable: the base covers a four-sided modular island with a hanging sign and core graphics, while the upper band adds a large LED wall, a closed conference room, bespoke product platforms, premium flooring, and richer lighting and rigging. An island also carries McCormick Place rigging and overhead-sign labor that an inline does not, which we plan for in the freight and load-in schedule. Expect a six-to-eight-week lead time from approved design and a one-to-one-and-a-half-day install with a three-to-four-person crew. Because it is a rental, you can restage a fresh island each year without buying or storing anything, while we maintain and refurbish the hardware between shows. Request a free 3D rendering and we will show you how 400 open square feet can dominate your aisle.
A 20x20 island trade show exhibit rental in Chicago is published at $40,000 to $120,000. The wide range reflects how much custom fabrication, LED video, and millwork you specify. The base covers a four-sided modular island with a hanging sign; the top end adds a large LED wall, a closed conference room, and bespoke product platforms.
An island is open on all four sides, so it needs finished, brand-right surfaces in every direction, a structural hanging sign, and more lighting and rigging. The rigging and overhead sign also carry McCormick Place labor that an inline does not, which is reflected in the published island range.
Most Chicago 20x20 islands use the center for a brand tower, an LED video wall, or a demo theater, with open corners that invite traffic from every aisle. We keep the ceiling open and avoid heavy truss so the space feels walkable and bright.
Plan on one to one-and-a-half days with a three-to-four-person crew, including rigging the hanging sign. We schedule the install against the show's targeted freight and load-in windows so you are floor-ready before show open.
Yes, and most Chicago exhibitors do. Renting the island system lets you restage a fresh look each year, re-skin graphics between shows, and avoid storage and depreciation, while we maintain and refurbish the hardware between events.
Call Chicago Exhibits at (872) 369-0187 for a free 48-hour 3D rendering. Serving Chicago and McCormick Place since 2014.