Jump to: Compare tables · For agencies and planners · For exhibitors · How many you need · What to send for a quote · FAQ
For a Milwaukee conference or trade show, you have three places to get communal tables: the show’s official furniture contractor, the venue’s in-house inventory, or an independent event furniture company like Modern Event Rental.
Show and venue packages are convenient, but they usually offer a few basic tables in standard finishes. A dedicated furniture company gives you more styles, lit and powered options, and furniture that matches across your booth, lounge and registration area.
Variety is where we differ most. We design and fabricate most of our communal tables in house instead of buying them off the shelf. That is why the collection runs from six-foot Bali tables to lit, powered and twelve-foot serpentine designs, and why attendees will not have seen the same table at every other show.
We deliver to the venues where most Milwaukee events happen, including the Baird Center downtown and the Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center in West Allis, plus hotel ballrooms, corporate campuses and private event spaces across the metro.
All six stand at bar height, 42 inches, so they mix in the same room and pair with bar stools when attendees need a seat.
| Table | Size | Standing guests | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bali Communal Bar Table | 72 x 26 in | 8–10 | Networking areas, sponsor lounges, coffee and food stations |
| Bali Communal, Maple Top | 72 x 26 in | 8–10 | Warmer, wood-toned lounges and branded spaces |
| 6ft Illuminated Communal Bar Table | 72 x 24 in | 8–10 | Evening receptions and booths that need to be seen across the hall |
| Illuminated Pedestal Communal Bar Table | 72 x 24 in | 8–10 | Open floor placement with standing room on every side |
| Illuminated Serpentine Communal Bar Table | 144 x 24 in | 16–20 | Large receptions and island booths that need a centerpiece |
| Spark Communal Bar Table (Powered) | 72 x 26 in | 8–10 | Networking breaks and booths where attendees charge phones |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Bali frames come in black, white, gold and silver, plus black and white with a maple top.
Agencies and planners usually need furniture for several spaces at one event, delivered on a tight schedule and approved by a client first. Here is how we handle that:
Communal tables work best in these conference spaces:
A communal table at the front of a booth invites visitors in and gives your team a place to talk with prospects instead of standing behind a counter.
At most trade shows, yes. Exhibitors who use a furniture supplier other than the official show contractor usually file an exhibitor appointed contractor (EAC) form with show management before a deadline. Your exhibitor manual lists the form, the deadline and what the show needs from the outside company.
Check the manual early, since EAC deadlines often fall several weeks before move-in. Send the form to us with your booth number and move-in schedule, and we will provide the company details it asks for and plan delivery within your move-in and move-out windows. Exhibiting at a national show in Milwaukee? Our Expo! Expo! booth furniture guide walks through the process for one event.
| Booth | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| 10 x 10 inline | Usually too tight for a six-foot table plus demo space. A single high-top often works better. |
| 10 x 20 inline | One six-foot communal table along the front or side. |
| 20 x 20 island and larger | Two communal tables, or one twelve-foot serpentine table as a centerpiece. |
Treat these as starting points and confirm against your booth layout and your show’s height and placement rules.
A practical starting point is one six-foot communal table for every 40 to 50 attendees expected in the space at once, with standard high-tops filling in around them. Place them near food, coffee and bar service, where people naturally gather, and keep entrances and service lines clear.
Lit: choose an illuminated table when the space is dim, the event runs into the evening, or a booth needs to be visible from across the hall. Lit tables can shift color to match a brand palette. Browse LED furniture rentals or see how they work at Milwaukee brand activations.
Powered: choose the Spark table when attendees will stay a while. Phones die over a long conference day, and a table where people can charge keeps them at your booth or in your lounge instead of hunting for an outlet. The charging furniture collection includes matching powered seating.
Planning travel around the event? Visit Milwaukee has information on the city’s convention venues, hotels and getting around downtown.
Where can I rent communal bar tables in Milwaukee?
Modern Event Rental rents communal bar tables for conferences, trade shows and corporate events across Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, with delivery, setup and pickup included. Most of the tables are designed and fabricated in house, and options include Bali communal tables, illuminated communal tables, a twelve-foot serpentine table and a powered charging table.
Do you work with event agencies and conference planners?
Yes. We supply communal tables and matching furniture for agencies and planners producing conferences, sponsor lounges and corporate receptions, and coordinate delivery and setup around the venue’s schedule.
How many people fit at a communal bar table?
A six-foot communal bar table fits eight to ten standing attendees along both sides. The twelve-foot serpentine table fits roughly twice that, spread along both sides of the curve.
Do you deliver communal tables to the Baird Center and State Fair Park?
Yes. We deliver to the Baird Center, the Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center, downtown hotels and other venues in the Milwaukee area, and schedule delivery and pickup around each show’s move-in and move-out times.
Do I need an EAC form to use outside furniture at a trade show?
Most trade shows require one when an exhibitor brings furniture from a company other than the official show contractor. Check your exhibitor manual for the form and deadline, then send it to us and we will supply the details the show requests.
What height are communal bar tables?
All of our communal bar tables stand 42 inches tall, which is standard bar height. They pair with bar-height stools when attendees need to sit.
Tell us the venue, dates and attendee count or booth size, and we will recommend a communal table setup that fits. You can also browse all bar table rentals or the full event rental collection.
