Six to ten weeks works best for Charlotte. The presses ship freight from Fullerton, 2,100 miles away in a straight line, and the crew flies in a day ahead, so shipping and load-in scheduling set the calendar, and press time almost never does. A shorter date is still worth asking about.
What the lead time covers
- Freight. Gear has to leave Fullerton with room to spare. It's also why date changes are easiest with two weeks' notice.
- Art and blanks. Art should be final about a week out, and blank orders lock around then too. A headcount that keeps moving slows a Charlotte job more often than press availability does.
- Show weeks. When Charlotte Convention Center has a major show on, hotels, drayage and labor all tighten at once. Booking around that week is the cheapest decision you can make.
- Race weekends. Credentials and vehicle access are set early and don't change on the day, so those dates want the longest runway.
Rush dates go best with simple art and standard blanks. If you're planning a Convention Center booth months out, even better, and we'll hold the date. Either way, tell us your date and headcount and we'll confirm availability within 24 hours.