Load-In
Period when equipment and materials are brought into a venue for setup.
Definition
Load-In is the scheduled time when event production teams transport equipment, materials, and décor into a venue and begin setup. This includes delivering staging, lighting, audio equipment, furniture, signage, and all other physical elements.
Load-in times are negotiated with venues and must accommodate venue access restrictions, elevator capacity, and loading dock availability. Complex events may require multi-day load-ins.
Why It Matters
Adequate load-in time is critical for successful events. Insufficient time leads to rushed setup, technical issues, and stressed staff. Venues charge overtime fees if load-in exceeds contracted hours.
Event planners must coordinate load-in timing across multiple vendors, ensuring teams arrive in the correct sequence (flooring before furniture, staging before lighting) and have access to necessary venue resources.
Examples in Practice
A large conference might start load-in three days before the event, with rigging crews first, followed by staging, then AV, then décor and furniture. A small meeting might have a 2-hour load-in window the morning of the event.
Load-in schedules account for elevator capacity (how many trips to move all equipment), loading dock access (shared with other building tenants), and union labor requirements in certain venues.