What happens during load-in?
Trucks unload at the dock, crew move staging, lighting, furniture and decor into the room, and vendors build their areas. Venues give each event a load-in window, and working outside it can cost extra.
Who works the load-in?
Stagehands, setup and teardown crew, AV technicians and production assistants. Floor staff usually arrive after the load-in, once the room is built.
Load-in vs load-out
Load-in brings everything in before the event; load-out takes it all out afterwards. The same crew often does both, in reverse order.