Exhibitor Guide 


  
   Welcome & Overview

HELLO EXHIBITOR,

We’re thrilled to welcome you to our ninth annual Oyster South Symposium! Below you’ll find all the info you need to plan for the event. Please review carefully, and let us know if you have any questions at all. We’re here to help make things run smoothly!

WHAT IS THE OYSTER SOUTH SYMPOSIUM?

A meeting to bring together producers, gear suppliers, distributors, chefs, food writers, vendors, researchers, students and managers from the southeast and Gulf coast regions to discuss pressing issues and relevant, practical research on oyster aquaculture.

WHEN & WHERE

Thursday, January 29th - Saturday, January 31st in Houston, TX!

The Meeting & Trade Show is taking place this year at the InterContinental Houston, 6750 Main St, Houston, TX 77030. Stay with us at the InterContinental and take advantage of our special group rate. Includes breakfast!

BOOK YOUR ROOM 

  
    IMPORTANT DATES & DEADLINES

Before The Symposium

  • Monday, December 15th:
    Deadline for inclusion in program / website:

  • Friday, January 16th:
    Last day to submit special requests (electricity, WiFi, etc.)

  • Friday, January 16th:
    Deadline for submitting names for badges

  • Wednesday, January 21st:
    Deadline for requesting loading dock access

  • Monday January 26th - Thursday January 29th:
    Shipping window to hotel

Week of The Symposium

  • Thursday 1/29 12pm - 5pm:
    Trade Show Move-In date

  • Friday 1/30 and Saturday 1/31 8:30am - 5pm:
    Trade Show Hours (per day)

  • Saturday 1/31 5pm - 7pm:
    Move-Out Date

The schedule

Thursday Jan 29th

  • Ongoing: Local Farm Tours (times and locations vary; check event website for details)

  • 12PM: Trade Show Load-In begins at InterContinental Houston

  • 1PM - 5PM: Registration Desk Opens at InterContinental Houston - stop by to pick up your credentials and drink tix and cop some new Oyster South merch! 

  • 5PM - 7PM: Director’s Welcome Reception at Armadillo Palace - join us for Tex Mex and BBQ before you hit the town – yeehaw!

Friday Jan 30th

  • 8:30 AM: Trade Show opens

  • 9AM - 12PM: Talks & Panel Sessions 

  • 12PM - Boxed Lunch onsite at the hotel 

  • 1PM - 3PM: Talks & Panel Sessions

  • 3PM - 5PM: Trade Show & Happy Hour

Saturday Jan 31st

  • 8:30 AM: Trade Show opens

  • 9AM - 12PM: Talks & Panel Sessions 

  • 12PM - Lunch on your own! Check event website for our recommendations coming soon

  • 1:30PM - 3PM: Talks & Panel Sessions

  • 3PM - 5PM: Trade Show & Happy Hour

  • 5PM: Trade Show Breakdown and Load-Out (5pm) 

  • 7PM - 9PM: Shuck & Tell at Lott Hall 


  
   WHO’S WHO? IMPORTANT CONTACTS FOR HOUSTON

BETH WALTON, Executive Director, Oyster South, beth@oystersouth.com

NICOLE SAULIER, Executive Assistant, Oyster South, nicole@oystersouth.com

For any questions regarding your sponsorship, booth space, and/or your exhibit, please contact:

BILL WALTON, Board of Directors & Founding Member, Oyster South, bill@oystersouth.com

BROOKE RASHEED, Director of Events, Oyster South, brooke@oystersouth.com, 470.270.0274

For questions regarding load-in, space access, shipping to hotel, etc: 

NADIA MIRZA-KHAN, Director of Catering and Conference Services, InterContinental Houston, nadia.mirza@ihg.com, 310.272.4963 or EMMA CROY, Conference Services Manager, InterContinental Houston, Emma.Croy@ihg.com 281.221.3037

For all your A/V needs, Encore is the hotel’s onsite partner. Lance Jackson, our Director of Event Technology, will be reaching out closer to the event to confirm your requirements. You can contact him directly at LANCE JACKSON, Director of Event Technology – Encore, lance.jackson@encoreglobal.com 713.702.1501


  
   THE VENUE / LOAD-IN:

Our Meeting & Trade Show is taking place in the event spaces on the 7th floor of the InterContinental Houston, 6750 Main St, Houston, TX 77030. Here’s a Virtual Walk Through of Meeting Spaces to help you get oriented.

The Trade Show will take place in the Pre-Function and Live Oak Ballrooms C&D. We will be providing a site plan with Exhibitor Tables labeled no later than December 15th, 2025.

IMPORTANT!!!!

  • Useful load-in documents will be stored in a shared Google Drive here: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/14EoAQ9GLmPUXu9od6a9WRDAu_4FVL4BU. Here you will find the load-in directions, power plan, floor plan, etc.

  • You must bring your own carts and dollies. The hotel does not have any available. 

  • Do not unload in the front driveway of the hotel. 

  • Ceiling height in Live Oak C/D: 18’ tall.

  • Freight Elevator Dimensions:
    --Entrance Doors: 4’ wide x 8’ Tall
    --Internal Dimensions: 6’ wide x 9’ Length x 10’ Tall

    Service Elevators Dimensions:
    --Entrance Doors: 4’ Wide x 7’ Tall
    --Internal Dimensions: 7.6’ wide x 7.4’ Tall x 5.5’ Deep

WHEN YOU ARRIVE

  • All exhibitors, unless only unloading a small box, will need to check in with security at the loading dock during the set hours that have been organized. We will confirm arrival times closer to the event date. If you do not need access to the load-in dock, follow the signs to the Parking Garage.

  • For accessing the load-in dock:

  • After unloading, self-park your car in the Parking Garge and use the garage elevators to go directly to the event space on the 7th floor.

  • Check-in and pick up your badges at the registration table, located inside the Pre-Function room. 

  • Check that your booth is set in place (table, chairs, linen)

  • Verify power + WiFi are functioning

PARKING

Overnight parking for any oversized vehicles that will not fit in the garage will need special parking. This will be located in front of the Hotel. This parking is "first come first serve" with a max of (3) large vehicles. The hotel charges $150/nt for this parking.

HOTEL POLICIES

Please do not hang or affix anything to hotel walls, window frames, windows, floors, doors or wooden areas. The use of glue, nails, thumbtacks, glitter, confetti, fog machines are not permitted.


  
   BOOTH INFO

Included with each exhibitor space:

  • One (1) 6’ x 24” table and two chairs

  • Access to power if requested

Any personal equipment (linen, signage, etc.) will need to be set by your team and/or Oyster South volunteers. Unfortunately, the hotel staff is not permitted to handle any equipment that does not below to the hotel. 

Please let us know ASAP if you have any other special requests or requirements. If you require any additional A/V needs, please contact the hotel’s A/V partner directly.


  
   SHIPPING & RECEIVING

Please follow shipping instructions below:

Please have shipments arrive No earlier than 3 days (72 hours) prior to the event.

If you’ll be shipping boxes to or from the hotel, here’s what to know:

To the Hotel:

  • Please email to brooke@oystersouth.com the following info:

  • Number of boxes

  • Shipping method (FedEx, UPS, etc.)

  • Expected arrival date

  • Tracking numbers

  • Address packages to: InterContinental Houston Hotel

  • 6750 Main St.Houston, TX 77030, USAAttn: Nadia MirzaPlease hold for: (Name of recipient)Group Name: (Your group name)Box 1 of X, Box 2 of X, etc.

From the Hotel:

  • Let us know the shipping method you’ll use (e.g., FedEx, UPS) and provide prepaid labels for processing.

Fees:

  • Box Movement: $5.00/box (max weight: 25 lbs).

  • Box Storage: Complimentary for up to 3 days before and after the event; $10/box/night beyond 6 days.

  • Pallet Storage: Complimentary for up to 3 days pre/post-event; $150/night thereafter.

Closest FedEx Printer/Copy Center:

Rice Village (1.0 mile) 2455 Rice Blvd, Houston, TX 77005 Phone: (713) 521-9465


  
   CHEERS TO ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SYMPOSIUM! 

ANY QUESTIONS? DON’T HESITATE TO REACH OUT ANYTIME!