From setup to show floor: ASCO 2026 with Julia Reardon
From booth builds and client walkthroughs to unexpected challenges and late-night problem solving, ASCO 2026 offered a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to deliver a world-class congress experience.
Discover life on the show floor through the eyes of an Emota Project Coordinator.
Author:
Julia Reardon, Project Coordinator
Hi, my name is Julia Reardon, and I am a Project Coordinator at Emota. Since joining the team, I have had the opportunity to support a variety of congresses and events, but the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting continues to be one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences each year.
ASCO is one of the largest oncology congresses in the world, bringing together tens of thousands of healthcare professionals, researchers, industry partners, and exhibitors to share the latest advancements in cancer care and treatment. This year’s meeting was held in Chicago, Illinois, and as always, our team had a busy week preparing, executing, and celebrating another successful congress.
Day 1: Coffee, errands, and badges
The first day on site started with some downtime while waiting for colleagues to arrive, but it quickly turned into a busy day of preparation. My colleague Abby and I set out on a shopping trip to gather supplies for both our meeting rooms and booth spaces. Before diving into five hours of errands, we made a necessary stop at one of my (and our manager, Angel’s!) favorite coffee shops, Philz Coffee, to fuel up for the day ahead.
One of our stops was also picking up badges for our Environments booth team, which consisted of approximately 52 team members across Emota and our supplier partners. It truly takes a village! By the end of the day, we had checked off countless items and were ready to tackle the booth setup.
Day 2: One person’s trash…
The second day was dedicated to the final touches of the booth setup, and it included one task I never imagined would become part of my job description: dumpster diving.
As we worked through the final details of the booth, we needed filler material for several large plant pots. This led to multiple trips searching for clean cardboard and discarded materials to create volume before adding decorative elements. It’s one of those behind-the-scenes realities of trade show work that attendees never see but makes a big difference in the final presentation.
To keep everyone energized, we ordered Chipotle for the team and continued working well into the evening. After a long day of problem-solving, setup, and finishing touches, we finally left the convention center around 9:00 p.m., feeling ready for opening day.
Day 3: The day we have all been waiting for
After months of planning, the first day of the show had finally arrived.
The morning was filled with final booth adjustments, client walkthroughs, and ensuring every detail was exactly where it needed to be. Those first few hours are always the most intense, but once the doors opened and everything was running smoothly, there was finally a chance to take a breath and enjoy seeing all the hard work come to life.
That evening, the Inizio team gathered for a happy hour before heading to one of Emota’s favorite Chicago traditions: a mixer at Howl at the Moon. The dueling piano bar provided the perfect setting to reconnect with colleagues, celebrate a successful first day, and enjoy some well-earned downtime.
Day 4: Celebrating another successful year
The second day of the show continued smoothly, and that evening concluded with a client dinner at Cabra, a Peruvian restaurant in Chicago’s West Loop.
One of the most rewarding parts of congresses is the opportunity to connect with clients outside of formal meetings and project discussions. The dinner provided a chance to reflect on the success of the week, share stories from the show floor, and celebrate another year of partnership and accomplishments. In many ways, success at ASCO is measured from one ASCO to the next, making these moments of reflection especially meaningful.
Day 5: Expect the unexpected
One lesson every event professional learns is that no two days on site are ever the same.
One of my more unexpected assignments on the final day involved securing a seat at a presentation for AstraZeneca’s CEO. It’s a perfect example of the variety of responsibilities that can arise during a large congress and the importance of being flexible and ready to jump in wherever needed.
As the show came to a close, our team shifted focus to dismantling the booth, packing materials, and coordinating shipments back to Philadelphia. While there is always a sense of relief when everything is successfully packed and accounted for, there’s also a feeling of pride in what the team accomplished together.
ASCO 2026 was another reminder that successful congresses are built through teamwork, adaptability, creativity, and a willingness to tackle whatever challenges come your way—even if that means spending part of your day searching through dumpsters. As exhausting as congress week can be, it’s incredibly rewarding to see months of planning come together and create meaningful experiences for our clients. I’m already looking forward to doing it all again next year.
