Guangzhou trade events
Canton Fair 2026–2027: the practical buyer’s guide
⚠️ Independent guide — Canton Market is not affiliated with the Canton Fair organizers (China Foreign Trade Centre). This page is practical visitor information only. Verify dates, badges, and procedures on the fair’s official website before traveling.
The Canton Fair — China’s largest trade fair, held in Guangzhou since 1957 — is where many buyers place their first serious orders. This guide covers the fair’s 3-phase rhythm, the140th session’s 70th anniversary (opened October 15, 2026), how to reach the Pazhou complex, badge basics, hotel pitfalls, and how the fair relates to the new Guangzhou International Commercial Port.
The 3-phase rhythm
The fair runs twice a year — a spring session (roughly mid-April to early May) and an autumn session (roughly mid-October to early November). Each session is split into three phases of about 4–5 days each, with changeover days between phases when exhibitors rotate. Most buyers attend a single phase:
Phase 1
Typical categories: Electronics & household appliances, lighting, vehicles & auto parts, machinery, building materials, new energy
Who goes: Buyers of electronics, tools, machinery, and construction products.
Phase 2
Typical categories: Consumer goods, gifts & premiums, home decorations, ceramics, furniture, toys
Who goes: Buyers of gifts, homeware, toys, and general consumer goods.
Phase 3
Typical categories: Textiles & garments, shoes, bags, food, medicines & health products
Who goes: Apparel, footwear, and bag buyers — the phase most relevant to Guangzhou’s wholesale markets.
Category lineups shift slightly between sessions — always check the official phase schedule for the session you plan to attend before booking flights.
The 140th session: 70th anniversary
The 140th Canton Fair opened on October 15, 2026, marking the fair’s70th anniversary year (the first session was held in spring 1957). Anniversary sessions typically draw larger exhibitor counts and more official events — which also means tighter hotel availability and bigger crowds. If you are planning around the 141st session (spring 2027), expect the usual mid-April to early-May window, but confirm exact dates on the official site as they are announced.
Getting to the Pazhou complex
The fair is held at the Canton Fair Complex in Pazhou, Haizhu District — a riverside mega-venue with exhibition halls spread across several zones (A, B, C, D). Plan which halls you need before arriving; walking the full complex takes the better part of a day.
🚇 Metro (recommended)
Metro Line 8 serves the complex — the Xingang East and Pazhou stations sit right at the venue entrances. During fair days trains run packed in the morning; arrive before 9:30 to beat the worst of it.
🚕 Taxi / ride-hail
Show the driver: 广州市海珠区阅江中路380号（广交会展馆）. Expect heavy traffic around the venue at opening and closing times — the metro is usually faster during the fair.
Transit details change over time — verify routes on Amap or the metro’s official map before visiting. From Baiyun Airport, allow roughly an hour by metro.
Badges & credentials: the overview
Overseas buyers enter with a buyer badge. Historically, registration has been available through online pre-registration ahead of the session and on-site registration with a valid passport. The exact process, fees, and required documentschange between sessions — confirm the current procedure on the fair’s official website before you travel, and bring your passport to the venue regardless.
What we don’t do: we cannot register badges for you, expedite credentials, or guarantee entry. Any third party promising guaranteed badges for a fee should be treated with the same skepticism as any other unverifiable supplier claim — see ourverification checklist.
Hotel pitfalls during fair season
- Book early. Hotel prices in Pazhou and Zhujiang New Town typically multiply during the fair — the closer to the venue, the steeper the surge. Booking 2–3 months ahead is normal.
- Stay near Metro Line 8. A cheaper hotel one metro ride away beats an expensive one that still needs a taxi through fair traffic.
- Check the cancellation policy before paying — fair dates can shift, and non-refundable rates sting if your phase changes.
- Beware venue-area touts offering "official shuttles," discounted badges, or factory tours. The fair runs its own official transport; everything else is a sales pitch until proven otherwise.
- Confirm your hotel actually exists on a map app before paying a deposit — new "fair hotels" pop up each session, not all of them real.
Canton Fair × Guangzhou International Commercial Port
Officials describe the under-construction Guangzhou International Commercial Port (Huadu District, opening around 2028) as a “never-ending Canton Fair” — a permanent, year-round extension of the fair’s exhibition-and-trade model, roughly 45 minutes from Pazhou. The fair remains the twice-yearly event; the port is the permanent complex. For buyers, the practical takeaway: the fair is for seasonal deal-making, while the port aims to be the year-round showroom. Track its construction in our monthly progress briefings.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next Canton Fair?+
The fair runs twice a year in Guangzhou: the spring session around mid-April to early May, and the autumn session around mid-October to early November. The 140th session opened on October 15, 2026. Each session runs in three phases of about 4–5 days each, with changeover days between phases.
Which phase of the Canton Fair should I attend?+
It depends on your product: Phase 1 covers electronics, machinery, and building materials; Phase 2 covers consumer goods, gifts, and home decor; Phase 3 covers textiles, garments, shoes, and food. Most buyers attend one phase — pick the one matching your category, and check the official phase lineup before booking flights, as categories can shift slightly between sessions.
Do I need an invitation to attend the Canton Fair?+
Overseas buyers typically register for a buyer badge, which has historically been available via online pre-registration and on-site registration with a passport. Requirements and procedures change between sessions, so confirm the current process on the fair’s official website before you travel. We do not provide badge registration services.
How is the Canton Fair related to the Guangzhou International Commercial Port?+
They are separate things. The Canton Fair is the twice-yearly trade fair at the Pazhou complex; the Commercial Port is a permanent year-round trade complex under construction in Huadu District, opening around 2028. Officials describe the port as a "never-ending Canton Fair" — a permanent extension of the fair’s exhibition-and-trade model, not a replacement.
Planning a sourcing trip around the fair?
Combine the fair with Guangzhou’s wholesale markets — tell us your product and travel dates, and we’ll help you plan market visits around your fair days.
Plan my sourcing trip →Keep exploring:15 wholesale markets·sourcing guide hub·Commercial Port hub·Guangzhou time