Canton Fair Autumn 2026: A Visitor's Operational Guide

The Dates You Are Planning Around

The 140th Canton Fair runs from 15 October to 4 November 2026 at the Canton Fair Complex in Pazhou, Guangzhou. It is split into three phases of five days each, with two turnaround gaps between them. Those gaps are not exhibition days, and they are the window most experienced visitors use for factory visits or a change of city.

Negotiation hours run from 09:30 to 18:00 each exhibition day, at 382 Yuejiang Middle Road, Haizhu District.

What Each Phase Actually Sells

This matters before you book: the three phases have almost nothing in common.

Phase 1 is industrial: home appliances, consumer electronics, industrial automation and machinery, power equipment, new energy vehicles and mobility, lighting, hardware and tools.

Phase 2 is home and lifestyle: ceramics and kitchenware, housewares, glass and garden products, gifts and premiums, watches and eyewear, building materials, furniture.

Phase 3 is textiles and consumer goods: toys, apparel, footwear, bags, home textiles, office supplies, medical and health products, food, sports and leisure goods, personal care, pet products.

If your list cuts across two phases, you either stay for both or accept that one is a research day. Use [which phase fits your list]({PHASES}) before you commit to flights.

The Turnaround Gaps Are the Decision Point

Most first-time visitors treat 20-22 and 28-30 October as dead time. They are the opposite: the only windows when you can leave Guangzhou, visit a factory that receives buyers by appointment, and be back for the next phase.

If you are buying hardware in Phase 1 and housewares in Phase 2, put a factory visit in the gap rather than a rest day. [Timing those factory days]({FACTORY}) is far easier to settle before you fly than on the ground.

Arriving and Moving Around

The complex sits on the metro line and a short drive from most Pazhou and Zhujiang New Town hotels. Where you stay changes your mornings more than most people expect - [Pazhou versus Zhujiang versus Panyu]({STAY}) is a real decision, not a preference.

Inside the complex, the distance between halls is what catches buyers out. [How the complex works]({COMPLEX}) is worth reading before your first morning.

Autumn Is Not Spring

The autumn session behaves differently from the spring one. Guangzhou is past its hottest stretch, so the days on your feet are more workable. The run-up also includes China's National Day holiday in early October, which affects flights and hotels before the fair rather than during it.

Do the registration and badge collection early. [The registration route]({REG}) is where to start, and it is much easier a week before than a day before.

What We Do Around the Fair

We are a licensed operator (L-GD-CJ00234) working across Guangdong and the wider south. Around the fair we arrange transfers, factory visits in Foshan, Shunde, Zhongshan and Dongguan, interpreters for negotiation rooms, and extension days. We do not sell stand space or anything on the exhibition floor.

Frequently Asked Questions