The 140th Canton Fair 2026 — A Buyer’s Guide

The 140th Canton Fair (Autumn Session) will be held in Guangzhou from October 15 to November 4, 2026, across three phases. The 140th session is also a milestone edition, marking the 70th anniversary of the Canton Fair.

The fair will cover approximately 1.55 million square meters, with more than 75,000 booths, 54 specialized exhibition zones, and more than 30,000 participating companies. The three phases will focus on Advanced Manufacturing, Quality Home, and Better Life.

For international buyers sourcing products from China, the size of the fair can be both an opportunity and a challenge. With thousands of exhibitors and a wide range of product categories, visiting without a clear plan can quickly become inefficient.

This guide explains what buyers should know before attending the 140th Canton Fair, including the exhibition phases, digital tools, buyer registration, and how to plan a sourcing visit more effectively.

I. What Buyers Should Know About the 140th Canton Fair

1. Three Phases, Three Different Sourcing Priorities

The Canton Fair is divided into three phases, each with a different product focus.

Phase 1: October 15–19 — Advanced Manufacturing

The first phase focuses primarily on manufacturing, electronics, machinery, hardware, lighting, electrical products, vehicles, and emerging technologies.

Key categories include:

• Consumer electronics

• Household appliances

• Industrial automation

• Hardware and tools

• Lighting and electrical products

• New energy vehicles

• Smart mobility

• Industrial manufacturing equipment

For buyers sourcing machinery, electronics, hardware, and advanced manufacturing products, Phase 1 is the most relevant period.

Phase 2: October 23–27 — Quality Home

Phase 2 focuses on home-related products and is particularly relevant to buyers looking for household goods, gifts, decorations, ceramics, kitchenware, and festival products.

Key categories include:

• Household items

• Kitchenware and tableware

• Home decorations

• Gifts and premiums

• Festival products

• Ceramics

• Gardening products

• Building and decoration materials

• Furniture

For buyers sourcing party supplies, candles, gifts, decorations, and celebration-related products, Phase 2 is particularly important.

Phase 3: October 31–November 4 — Better Life

The third phase focuses on products related to clothing, textiles, food, sports, health, personal care, toys, children’s products, and other consumer categories.

The three phases also include changeover periods between exhibitions: October 20–22 and October 28–30.

II. Why Buyers Should Plan Their Visit in Advance

The scale of the Canton Fair makes preparation essential.

A buyer cannot realistically visit every exhibition area in detail. Instead, it is more efficient to identify target categories and suppliers before arriving in Guangzhou.

For example, a buyer sourcing birthday candles and party supplies may want to focus specifically on:

• Birthday candles

• Party decorations

• Festival products

• Gifts

• Home decorations

• Celebration products

Rather than walking through the entire exhibition complex, buyers can prepare a supplier shortlist before the fair and schedule meetings around specific product categories.

This approach allows buyers to spend more time discussing important purchasing details such as:

• Product specifications

• MOQ

• Packaging

• Customization

• Production capacity

• Certifications

• Lead time

• Shipping arrangements

The goal should not be to collect the largest number of catalogs.

The goal should be to identify the right suppliers.

III. The Canton Fair APP Is Becoming More Important

Digital tools are becoming an increasingly important part of the Canton Fair experience.

The official Canton Fair APP provides functions for buyer registration, supplier and product searches, itinerary planning, instant messaging, business card exchange, and trade matching. Buyers can search exhibitors and products by industry categories and keywords before and during the exhibition.

For buyers, this creates several practical advantages.

Before the Fair

Buyers can use the platform to:

• Search for suppliers

• Review product information

• Check exhibitor profiles

• Save products of interest

• Plan their itinerary

• Prepare meetings

The APP also supports supplier and product discovery through the Canton Fair's year-round digital platform.

During the Fair

The APP can help buyers:

• Navigate the exhibition center

• Exchange digital business cards

• Contact exhibitors

• Search for products

• Arrange meetings

• Record sourcing information

This is particularly useful when buyers have several meetings scheduled on the same day.

After the Fair

The digital platform can continue to support communication between buyers and suppliers after the physical exhibition ends.

For buyers managing multiple suppliers, keeping digital records of companies, products, and conversations can make the follow-up process more organized.

IV. Overseas Buyers: Pre-Registration

Overseas buyers can use the official Canton Fair Buyer Service System and APP for pre-registration and related services.

The Canton Fair announced in May 2026 that overseas buyer pre-registration is being opened year-round, making it possible for international buyers to prepare earlier rather than waiting until shortly before the exhibition.

The official buyer platform provides services including:

• Buyer pre-registration

• Invitation applications

• Buyer badge services

• Supplier and product search

• Sourcing requests

• Trade matching

Buyers should complete registration and confirm their information before traveling to Guangzhou.

Canton Fair Official Website

Canton Fair Buyer Service System

V. International Pavilion

International buyers should also understand the difference between the regular export exhibition and the International Pavilion.

According to the official Canton Fair International Pavilion information, the International Pavilion will be open during Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the 140th Canton Fair. Phase 2 runs from October 23–27, while Phase 3 runs from October 31–November 4.

The International Pavilion covers categories including household items, kitchenware, home decorations, festival products, gifts, ceramics, gardening products, sports products, personal care products, toys, and other consumer categories.

This makes Phase 2 especially relevant for buyers interested in home, gift, decoration, and festival-related products.

VI. How Buyers Can Prepare More Efficiently

A successful Canton Fair visit usually starts before the buyer arrives in Guangzhou.

Step 1: Define Your Product Categories

Do not begin with "I want to see everything."

Begin with specific sourcing requirements.

For example:

Category: Birthday candles
Target market: North America
Purchase type: Wholesale
Requirements: Custom colors, packaging, private label
Target MOQ: To be confirmed
Required certifications: Market-specific compliance

This makes supplier comparison much easier.

Step 2: Build a Supplier Shortlist

Use the official Canton Fair platform to identify exhibitors relevant to your categories.

Create a simple supplier list containing:

• Company name

• Booth number

• Product category

• Products of interest

• Meeting time

• Follow-up priority

Step 3: Prepare Your Questions

Do not wait until you arrive at the booth to decide what to ask.

Prepare questions about:

• MOQ

• Production lead time

• Annual capacity

• Customization

• Packaging

• Certifications

• Sample availability

• Export experience

• Payment terms

Step 4: Schedule Meetings

If a supplier is important to your sourcing plan, arrange a meeting before the exhibition.

This is particularly important for buyers looking for OEM/ODM or private-label development.

VII. Kelaisi Candle at the 140th Canton Fair

Kelaisi Candle will exhibit during Phase 2, October 23–27, 2026, focusing on birthday candles and party supplies.

Our product range includes:

Birthday Candles

• Number candles

• Spiral candles

• Themed birthday candles

• Custom-color candles

• Customized birthday candle collections

Party Supplies

• Party decorations

• Themed party products

• Celebration products

Customization Services

• OEM/ODM

• Private label

• Custom packaging

• Product and color customization

Kelaisi Candle has been manufacturing candles and party supplies since 1991, with production facilities in Xingtai and Shijiazhuang, Hebei. Our certifications include BSCI, SEDEX, CE, RoHS, EN71, and ASTM F963.

Booth number: To be confirmed.

If you are sourcing birthday candles, party supplies, or customized celebration products, we welcome you to visit us during Phase 2.

VIII. Key Takeaways for Buyers

The 140th Canton Fair is large enough that preparation can make a significant difference.

The most important points are:

The 140th Canton Fair is not simply a place to find products. For professional buyers, it is an opportunity to compare suppliers, evaluate manufacturing capabilities, discover new product directions, and build long-term supply relationships.

For buyers sourcing birthday candles, party supplies, gifts, decorations, and celebration products, Phase 2 is the key period to plan around.

The better your preparation before the fair, the more valuable your time in Guangzhou will be.

Kelaisi Candle has manufactured candles and party supplies since 1991, with facilities in Xingtai and Shijiazhuang, Hebei. We hold BSCI, SEDEX, CE, RoHS, EN71, and ASTM F963 certifications.

Contact: +86 18931109219 | east@huamingcandle.com