AMERICA'S LARGEST SHOW UNDER ONE ROOF
MILWAUKEE SHOW
MINERALS, FOSSILS, CRYSTALS, METAPHYSICAL, ART, GEMS & JEWELRY
AUGUST 19-23, 2026
Baird Center
Halls C, D and E
(Enter at the corner of Kilbourn Ave & Vel R. Phillips Ave)
405 W Kilbourne Ave, Milwaukee, WI
Vendor Info
Starting four weeks before the event our $200,000 billboard campaign will cover the Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison metro areas. Together, the 40+ billboards will be seen 25 million times. If you are curious, here is the Billboard Map (best viewed on a computer; you won't see much on your phone) showing the location, cost, and weekly views of our ad campaign. This is the most heavily advertised gem show in the United States.
If you need a hotel please consider our Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Milwaukee Downtown where we’ve negotiated low show rates of $169 / night. It's one block from the venue and if you fly in, you won't need a rental car. We also negotiated the lowest rates at the InnSuites located 18 minutes away for $59 less a night. (see the HOTELS tab to reserve either one)
OUR BOOTH FEE IS AMONG THE LOWEST
Certainly, the dollar amount of the booth fee is higher than local club shows. But don't fall into that trap! If you compare our cost per attendee to those shows, then our booth fee is 10x cheaper. How? Simply divide our $800 booth fee by 16,000 (the low end of our attendee estimate) to obtain a fair way to make comparisons between shows. How does our 5 cents an attendee compare to other shows in your show circuit? A typical local show may charge a $400 booth fee and attract perhaps 800 customers. That’s 50 cents per attendee, which is 10x higher than our rate. Look at it another way: you’d have to devote 25 weekends to such shows, and pay 10x more in booth fees (25 weekends x $400 = $10,000) to get the same number of customers that you’ll have at the 5-day Milwaukee Show. If you value your time and have a desirable product offering, then you cannot afford to skip this show.
GET YOUR BOOTH NOW
The above red button takes you to our live floorplan so that you can select your booth and reserve it instantly.
Green = available
Yellow = reservation processing
Red = reserved
​​
The booth fee includes: 8' tall drape on one, two or three sides (depending on location), 1-2 chairs, a booth ID sign and 500 watts of electricity. (Bring your extension cord!) Additional power can be purchased for $199 per 2,000 watt drop.
​
Tables are not included because we spend most of your booth fee on advertising. However, you may bring your own tables, buy them from Home Depot, or rent brand new ones on-site for $30 - $50 each when ordered in advance. They are $100 when ordered on-site.
Please provide your own table covers. Show cases and lighting packages are also available for rent.
MAILING TO THE VENUE? DON'T
Please do not mail packages to the venue. They do not have a receiving department and your shipment will be misplaced, lost or refused. Instead, ship to your hotel or the local UPS Store.​​
BRINKS IS OUR HIGH VALUE SHIPPER
​Brinks is our preferred high value carrier. Contact them at showus@brinksinc.com for more information.
GSL IS OUR PREFERRED SHIPPER
Ship your pallets with GSL Forwarding and they’ll place them at your booth on Monday evening so that they are waiting for you on Tuesday morning set-up day. Avoid the Do-It-Yourself hassle of having to jostle for an entry point to unload, find a pallet jack, dodge other vendors blocking aisles and the rest of the usual ordeal!
​​​
Pallet rates to the 2026 Milwaukee Show..​
​
$550 per pallet from any state that touches the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean
$500 per pallet from all other states except...
$450 per pallet for any state bordering Wisconsin
​
Rates are based on a weight of up to 1000 pound per pallet.
​
Regardless of the number of pallets that you ship, there is an additional $75 Trade Show Fee for the entire shipment. (This goes toward their staff's airfare and hotel costs to be at the show)
​
But wait there's more!
Rates are lower if shipping more than one pallet. Text or email for a quote which will be based on weight and postal code of the origin.
​
Text: (248) 302-6257
Email: GSLForwarding@gmail.com
Special Rate from the Milwaukee Show to any Denver Show is $400 per pallet plus $75 show fee for the entire shipment.
​​
Optional Services
​
$85 = Residential Service Fee if shipping from a home
​$85 = Lift-gate Service Fee if shipping origin lacks a loading dock
Optional Supplies
$45 = Shrink Wrap Roll
$25 = Pallet
$25 = Shrink Wrap
$125 = Pallet Container
​
After the Milwaukee Show, GSL can ship your remaining pallets to Denver, store them, and then have them at your Denver booth on set-up day for $400 / pallet + one $75 Trade Show Fee for the entire shipment.​
​
To ship to the show using GSL Forwarding use this SHIPPING ADDRESS
​
GSL Forwarding
Att: Milwaukee Gem & Mineral Show
Booth # / Company Name
coming soon
coming soon
​
To arrange your shipment, email GSL at least 3 WEEKS before you need to ship.
Reach them at GSLForwarding@gmail.com or text: (248) 302-6257 ​​
​​​​​
UNLOADING & SETUP
​VENDOR MOVE-IN & SETUP
Mon, Aug 17 = Noon – 9 pm (only those with 5+ booths)
Tues, Aug 18 = 8 am – midnight (16 hours)
Wed, Aug 19 = 8 am – Noon (we open at Noon)
​
SHOW DATES & TIMES
Wed, Aug 19 Noon – 6 pm
Thur, Aug 20 10 am – 6 pm
Fri, Aug 21 10 am – 6 pm
Sat, Aug 22 10 am – 6 pm
Sun, Aug 23 11 am – 6 pm
VENDOR MOVE-OUT
Sunday, August 23 6 pm – Midnight
Monday, August 24 8 am – 5 pm
OVERNIGHT LOCK-UP
We will have an 8-foot wide x 8-foot tall x 8-foot deep vault on-site in which you can rent space. We will have 24-hour security provided by AZ Preventive Crime Unit.
SECURITY GUARDS
We will have uniformed, unarmed security officers 24 hours a day beginning with move-in. Our professional security officers are from Arizona Preventive Crime Unit which has provided security services to our shows since 2010.
LICENSES & PERMITS
While the city of Milwaukee does not require a license or permit to sell in the convention center, the state of Wisconsin does require that you obtain a business license to charge sales tax like every other state that has a sales tax. The fee is $20 and you can do it in 15 minutes online here: https://tap.revenue.wi.gov/BTR
​​​
SHOWCASES BY VU CASE RENTALS
Rent their quarter vision, half vision and full vision counter cases, whether 4-foot, 5-foot or 6-foot long, for $350 + tax. That includes their towers and wall cases! ​But you must order before July 31 else the quoted prices increase by $100.
​
Click here for the PDF order form​​​​​​​​
BUY PROFESSIONAL LIGHTING
We receive NO COMMISSION on these lights and highly recommend them. They are by Show Off Lighting which is synonymous with heavy duty, professional grade LED light poles. They pay for themselves after 4-6 shows by not having to rent lesser grade lighting as well as increased sales from a more attractive booth. These units collapse into little more than 2 feet long and completely wake up your booth. One double light will illuminate two 8-foot tables. There are lots of options to consider, so we'll send you to Show Off Lighting's website for their MILWAUKEE specials. You must reserve in advance! Take me to Show Off Lighting's website.
FUTURE SHOW DATES AND HALL SIZE
