Guangzhou Trade Shows 2026–2027 | Exhibitions & Expo Calendar

Guangzhou hosts the comprehensive Canton Fair as well as major industry-specific exhibitions. For negotiations with specialized manufacturers, an industry event is often a better fit for your goals.

First, identify the product category and the type of contacts you need: suppliers of finished goods, manufacturers, technology partners, designers, or distributors. Then, align your task with the dates and the venue.

The schedule and venue lineup are subject to change, which may affect tickets, hotel bookings, and meetups. Before making any non-refundable purchases, please double-check the session page against the venue's calendar; if there are any discrepancies, hold off on payment or opt for a refundable rate.

The Canton Fair - Guangzhou's premier exhibition

The Canton Fair is a go-to option for companies looking for a wide selection of Chinese suppliers. It takes place in three phases: the first is dedicated to industrial equipment, electronics, transport, and energy; the second to home goods, gifts, furniture, and building materials; and the third to clothing, textiles, children's products, food, health, and leisure. Therefore, you need to choose not just the session, but the right phase as well.

In the fall of 2026, the phases will take place from October 15–19, October 23–27, and October 31–November 4. For the 140th session, 1.55 million m² of exhibition space and over 30,000 companies have been announced. Such a scale allows you to compare many offers, but without a pre-prepared list of categories and exhibitors, a significant amount of time will be spent just getting around.

Before your visit, pick two or three priority categories and map out your route through the pavilions. At a multi-industry trade fair, it’s especially important not to mix tasks from different phases. If your product range is niche, compare the Canton Fair with a specialized event—like CIFF for furniture or GILE for lighting. Dedicated resources can help you get a general overview of the Canton Fair and navigate registration, phases, the autumn session, the complex's layout, travel routes from Russia, and choosing a hotel near the venue.

Industry-specific trade shows

Specialized trade fairs are convenient when the industry is already defined and the depth of the assortment is more important than the number of product categories. They allow for more focused discussions on specifications, materials, technologies, and sales channels.

Furniture and interior

CIFF Guangzhou is one of the world's largest furniture exhibitions. It’s a perfect fit for purchasing groups, retailers, distributors, designers, and furniture industry professionals. In 2027, the first phase will run from March 18–21, focusing on home furniture, decor, textiles, and leisure goods; the second phase, from March 28–31, will cover office and commercial spaces, equipment, and materials. In 2026, the exhibition spanned 850,000 m² and brought together over 5,100 brands. The main venue is the Canton Fair Complex, with the first phase also utilizing the PWTC Expo. The program and hall maps are published on the official CIFF website.

Beauty and Cosmetics

The China (Guangzhou) International Beauty Expo (CIBE) is geared toward cosmetics manufacturers and distributors, beauty salon owners, and retail chain representatives. Don't confuse it with the China Beauty Expo (CBE), which takes place in Shanghai. The Guangzhou expo is held twice a year—in March and September; the organizer has not yet published the dates for the 2027 spring and autumn sessions. Each session covers about 300,000 m² and is held at the Canton Fair Complex. Be sure to check the official CIBE website for the latest dates and program. If you'd like to explore retail assortments and price segments separately, check out our guide to cosmetics shops in Guangzhou.

Light and lighting

GILE is perfect for lighting and LED buyers, manufacturers, lighting designers, architects, and building automation specialists. The next exhibition will take place from June 9–12, 2027, at the Canton Fair Complex. The 2026 figures—2,802 exhibitors, 210,128 visitors, and 210,000 m²—refer to two concurrent events, GILE and Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology, rather than GILE alone. The program and exhibitor catalog can be found on the official GILE website.

Car

Auto Guangzhou brings together both a public auto show and a professional industry event. The main exhibition will take place from November 27 to December 6, 2026, while the B2B Automotive Industrial Chain zone for component and technology suppliers will run from November 27 to 30 in Area D of the Canton Fair Complex. This event is perfect for automakers, dealers, distributors, and other supply chain professionals. In 2023, the exhibition space spanned 220,000 m². You can find the latest dates, B2B zone details, and visitor guidelines on the organizer's website.

Design

Guangzhou Design Week is geared toward designers, architects, developers, contractors, and material manufacturers. In 2026, the PWTC Expo will host the exhibition from December 4–8, while Area C of the Canton Fair Complex and the Haizhu International Convention and Exhibition Center will host it from December 5–8. The program features over 1,000 exhibitors and more than 150 events. The distribution of the program across the three centers is published in the Guangzhou Design Week schedule.

Construction

CBD Fair Guangzhou is designed for suppliers of building and finishing materials, door and window manufacturers, interior design companies, dealers, and designers. The next session will take place from July 8–11, 2027, at the Canton Fair Complex. For 2026, the organizer reported 200,000 m² of exhibition space, around 2,000 exhibitors, and 144,370 professional visitors. Thematic sections and entry guidelines are published on the CBD Fair website.

Guangzhou's exhibition venues

Most of the listed events take place in the Pazhou district. The Canton Fair Complex is the main exhibition center; the term "Pazhou Complex" is often used as its unofficial name. However, the word "Pazhou" can refer to the entire district and does not replace a precise address. Poly World Trade Center Expo, Poly World Trade Expo, and PWTC Expo are all variations of the name for the same venue. Note that the PWTC Expo is a separate center, not another name for the Canton Fair Complex.

For every event, double-check the Area number, pavilion, and entrance against your registration confirmation. Look for specific company booths in the exhibitor catalog and on the floor plan. If the program is spread across multiple centers, like Guangzhou Design Week, plan your route in advance for each location separately. The Haizhu International Convention and Exhibition Center is also a separate venue. You can also cross-reference general event dates with the calendars for the Canton Fair Complex and PWTC Expo.

How to plan a business trip

Choose an exhibition by category, register with the organizer, and make a list of companies. Set aside separate days for Guangzhou's wholesale markets and factories: distances rarely allow you to get everything done in a single day.

Entry requirements depend on your citizenship, passport, purpose of travel, and dates. Before paying for your tickets, check whether you need a visa for Guangzhou and what is required for travel to China. If visa-free entry doesn't apply to you, be sure to apply for a visa in advance.

During major exhibitions, demand for hotels in the Pazhou area typically spikes and prices rise, so be sure to book your accommodation in advance and choose a rate with free cancellation. Compare hotels near the Canton Fair complex; if staying in Pazhou is too expensive or inconvenient, consider options near stations along Metro Line 8.

It is better to choose an exhibition in Guangzhou based on the industry, the contacts you need, and the negotiation format, rather than just the fame of the name. First, identify two or three priority categories, then prepare a list of exhibitors and separate the exhibition, markets, and factories into different days. This approach will leave time for both negotiations and comparing suppliers. Save this calendar as a starting point and refer back to it when planning your work itinerary.