What to buy and pack for a trade fair trip

A trade fair trip needs more than tickets and transport. You need clear participant materials, charged devices, food and drinks that travel well, plus a simple way to identify everyone at the meeting point. Use this shopping list alongside your planning tasks to avoid last-minute printing, missing cables or not enough lunch. Quantities depend on the group size, but the calculations below give you a workable starting point for a full-day visit.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Folding tablesqty 2
Foldable chairsqty 4

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 30
Reusable platesqty 30
Cutlery setsqty 30
Napkin holdersqty 2

Catering

Coolersqty 3
Thermos flasksqty 3
Water jugsqty 3
Lunch boxesqty 4
Groceries
- Water - 48 bottles
- Sparkling water - 24 bottles
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 12 bottles
- Iced tea - 12 bottles
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Milk - 4 liters
- Oat milk - 2 liter
- Sugar - 1 pack
- Mints - 1 box
- Stirrers - 100 pieces
- Paper cups - 50 pieces
- Mini croissants - 40 pieces
- Currant buns - 30 pieces
- Whole grain bread - 4 loaves
- White rolls - 30 pieces
- Cheese slices - 1.5 kilo
- Ham slices - 1 kilo
- Chicken breast topping - 1 kilo
- Hummus - 4 tubs
- Jam - 2 jars
- Butter - 500 grams
- Cucumbers - 6 pieces
- Tomatoes - 2 kilos
- Lettuce - 4 heads
- Apples - 30 pieces
- Bananas - 30 pieces
- Grapes - 3 kilos
- Muesli bars - 40 pieces
- Paprika chips - 4 bags
- Plain chips - 4 bags
- Salted pretzels - 3 bags
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Paper towels - 4 rolls
- Hand soap - 2 dispensers
- Hand sanitizer - 3 bottles
- Wet wipes - 4 packs
- Garbage bags - 30 pieces
- Dish soap - 1 bottle
- Toilet paper - 12 rolls

Equipment

Power banksqty 6
Charging cablesqty 8
Power stripsqty 3
USB chargersqty 6
Mobile phoneqty 2
Camera

Paper goods

Participant foldersqty 30
Notepadsqty 30
Ballpoint pensqty 35
Printed mapsqty 30
Printed programsqty 30
Participant Listqty 4
Emergency contact listqty 4
Name badgesqty 30
Badge holdersqty 30
Lanyardsqty 30

Organization

Clipboardsqty 3
Writing foldersqty 3
Pen holdersqty 2
Name stickersqty 40
Markersqty 6
Tapeqty 2
Scissorsqty 2
Elastic bandsqty 2

Safety

First aid kit
Reflective vestsqty 4
Flashlightsqty 3

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 3
Microfiber clothsqty 6

Tips

Prepare one participant folder per attendee, including a printed map, the fair program and a notepad. Print two or three extra sets for late registrations, damaged copies or unexpected guests.
Pack one name badge, badge holder and lanyard for every participant, plus at least five spare name stickers. Spares are useful when names change or a badge is lost before entering the fair.
For a full-day trip, plan roughly 1 to 1.5 litres of water per person and one lunch box per person. Bring coolers for food and water jugs or thermos flasks if you will serve drinks at the starting point.
Take at least one charging cable and suitable USB charger for each commonly used phone connection, then add one power bank for every two participants. Pack a power strip when several devices will be charged together.
Bring one printed participant list and emergency contact list for the organiser, with a clipboard and pen. Keep these separate from folders handed out to participants so personal information is not left unattended.

Frequently asked questions

What should I pack for a trade fair trip?: Pack one participant folder, notepad, pen, map, program, name badge and lanyard per attendee. Add lunch boxes, drinks, coolers, charging cables, power banks and the organiser’s participant and emergency contact lists.
How much water and food do I need for a trade fair visit?: Allow 1 to 1.5 litres of water and one lunch box per person for a full-day visit. Add two or three extra portions if the group size may change or the journey to the fair is long.
How many printed maps and programs should I bring?: Print one map and one program for every participant, then add 5 to 10 percent spare copies. For 30 people, that means 33 copies of each document.
How many power banks should I take on a trade fair trip?: Plan one power bank for every two participants, with at least one spare for the organiser. For a group of 20, pack 10 power banks plus compatible charging cables and USB chargers.

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