2027 calendar by industry
Dates below were checked on the official websites of the organisers on 25 October 2026. Organisers sometimes change dates, so always confirm on the official site before booking travel or a stand.
| Industry | Fair | City | 2027 dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home textiles | Heimtextil | Frankfurt | 12–15 January |
| Promotional products | PSI (moves to Cologne from 2027) | Cologne | 12–14 January |
| Home, decoration, design | Maison&Objet | Paris | 14–18 January |
| Furniture, interiors | imm cologne | Cologne | 19–22 January |
| Home, gifts | Milano Home (formerly HOMI) | Milan | 21–24 January |
| Consumer goods: home, kitchen, gifts, stationery | Ambiente | Frankfurt | 29 January – 2 February |
| Christmas and seasonal decoration | Christmasworld | Frankfurt | 29 January – 2 February |
| Toys | Spielwarenmesse | Nuremberg | 2–6 February |
| Furniture, home decor (Poland) | Meble Polska / Home Decor | Poznań | 23–26 February |
| Gifts and decoration (Poland) | Warsaw Gift & Deco | Nadarzyn near Warsaw | 9–11 March |
| Beauty and cosmetics | Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna | Bologna | 18–21 March (some halls until 20 March) |
| Industry, automation, components | Hannover Messe | Hanover | 5–8 April |
| Fitness | FIBO | Cologne | 8–11 April |
| Pet supplies | Zoomark | Bologna | 11–13 May |
| Garden, outdoor living, BBQ | spoga+gafa | Cologne | 15–17 June |
| Consumer electronics, home appliances | IFA | Berlin | 3–7 September |
| Baby and children’s products | Kind + Jugend | Cologne | 7–9 September |
| Automotive aftermarket | Equip Auto | Paris | 12–16 October |
Dates still to be confirmed by the organiser
- ISPO (sports) — has moved from Munich to Amsterdam; the 2026 edition is in November. 2027 dates not yet published.
- Warsaw Home (home and interiors, Ptak Warsaw Expo) — usually in October; 2027 dates to be confirmed by the organiser.
- Canton Fair, spring 2027 (Guangzhou) — usually April to May in three phases; official dates not yet published. Many European buyers visit it, so it is also a place to meet them.
Not held in 2027
- Interzoo (pet supplies, Nuremberg) — every two years; next edition 23–26 May 2028. In 2027 use Zoomark.
- Automechanika Frankfurt (automotive) — every two years; next edition 5–9 September 2028. In 2027 use Equip Auto.
- Light + Building (lighting, building technology, Frankfurt) — next edition 5–10 March 2028.
- Paperworld — no separate Frankfurt edition; stationery and office products are shown at Ambiente.
Which fair is right for you?
The biggest fair is not always the best one. Look at the exhibitor and visitor lists:
- Do companies that would buy your product visit this fair, or do they exhibit their own brands there? Both are useful, but differently.
- Which countries do visitors come from? German fairs attract buyers from all of Europe; Polish and Italian fairs have a stronger national audience.
- Is there a hall or area for your category, and where are Asian suppliers placed?
- Does the timing fit the buying season? Toys, Christmas and gift buyers decide early in the year for the following season.
Stand or visit?
A stand costs space, construction, travel, staff and samples, and organisers allocate space months ahead. For a first season, visiting with a catalogue and booked meetings is often the better test. Exhibit once you know the fair brings buyers for your category.
How to prepare meetings before the fair
- 4–6 months before: choose the fair and the format (stand, shared stand or visit). Book space if exhibiting.
- 3 months before: prepare a catalogue, price list and short product sheets in the buyers’ languages; check EU documents, because buyers will ask. See our certification checklist.
- 2–3 months before: build a list of target buyers from the exhibitor list, visitor profiles and your research; find the buyer by name.
- 6–8 weeks before: write to each buyer in their language with a short, specific reason to meet and propose a time slot. Follow up by phone.
- 2 weeks before: confirm the meeting schedule; send samples to the fair or to a European address in time.
- At the fair: record every conversation the same day: who, what product, price discussed, next step.
- Within one week after: send offers and samples as promised. Follow up until each contact gives a clear answer.
Checklist for a fair
- Fair chosen after checking exhibitors and visitors in your category
- Dates confirmed on the organiser’s website
- Catalogue and price list in local languages
- EU documents ready to show
- Target list with named buyers
- Meetings booked before the fair
- Samples at the fair or in Europe
- Follow-up plan and CRM for every contact
What to bring to a European fair
- Printed catalogue and a one-page price overview with MOQ and lead times; a digital version you can send the same day.
- Samples of your key products, with European labels if possible.
- A folder with EU documents: test reports, declarations of conformity, GPSR information.
- Business cards with a European contact address and phone number, if you have one.
- A simple way to record contacts: a form or app linked to your CRM.
- People who can talk about the product in English and, ideally, the language of the main visitor country.
Budget items for a stand
Ask the organiser and your service providers for prices for each item before you decide:
- Stand space and mandatory fees (registration, media, insurance)
- Stand construction or a ready-made system stand
- Electricity, internet, furniture, storage
- Transport of samples and stand materials, including customs if shipped from China
- Travel, hotels and visas for your team
- Local staff or interpreters
- Printed materials and translations
Use the fair for market research
Even without meetings, a fair shows a lot: which products competitors present, their price levels, packaging and labels, which brands distributors carry and which trends buyers ask about. Walk the halls of your category, take notes and photos where allowed, and compare with your own offer. This is useful input for a market entry study.
Meeting European buyers at the Canton Fair
European importers and wholesalers also travel to the Canton Fair in Guangzhou. For a factory this is a chance to meet them at home, with the full product range and the production nearby. The same preparation applies: identify the buyers you want to meet, write to them in advance, offer a meeting time and, if possible, a factory visit after the fair. After the fair, the follow-up should happen in Europe, in the buyer’s language and time zone.
After the fair: turning contacts into orders
Most of the value of a fair comes in the weeks after it. Sort contacts within a few days into three groups: buyers who asked for an offer or samples, buyers who were interested but undecided, and general contacts. Send offers and samples to the first group within a week. Call the second group after two to three weeks with a concrete proposal. Keep the third group informed with occasional news. Record every step, so that by the next fair you know which contacts became customers and which fairs are worth repeating.
A practical tip: agree before the fair who in your team answers buyers after it, and in which language. A buyer who meets you on Tuesday and receives an offer the following Monday remembers you; a buyer who waits a month has usually moved on.
How we can help
We select fairs for your category, book meetings with buyers in their languages, attend with you or for you, and follow up every contact afterwards in a shared CRM. Stand and travel costs are invoiced at cost after your approval. See trade-show support and how to win European B2B customers.
