Canton Fair 2027: 141st session dates, phases and badge

The provisional calendar carried by several specialised sites places the spring 2027 session from 15 April to 5 May, on the usual three five-day phase structure. As of 26 September 2026, neither the official site cantonfair.org.cn nor the China Foreign Trade Centre has published confirmed dates for this 141st edition: third-party show organisers explicitly present these dates as estimates, to be checked before buying any ticket or booking a non-refundable hotel.

The logic of the three phases stays identical from one session to the next, only the dates shift year to year depending on the calendar the organiser adopts. Until the official publication is out, treat this range as a planning benchmark, not a commitment.

The split by phase follows the same principle as previous sessions: industry and electronics open the session, consumer goods and home occupy the middle, textiles and health products close it. For the spring session, several specialised guides also flag vehicles and new energy in phase 1, and medical products alongside textiles in phase 3, two categories worth noting if your search touches these sectors.

If your product range spans two phases at once, a stay straddling both phases needs preparing in advance, with a badge that stays valid across the whole session.

Registration for foreign buyers runs through the official Buyer Service System platform, at buyer.cantonfair.org.cn. The system stays open year-round to create an account, but the options specific to the 141st session, the documents required and the badge collection points are only published when the session launches: they are not yet known for spring 2027.

The general process stays stable from one session to the next: creating an account, submitting identity documents and proof of professional activity, selecting the phase or phases targeted, then collecting the named badge on presentation of the original passport. In previous sessions, registration desks opened a few days before the opening at key transport points, notably the airport and train stations, to speed up collection; this practice is not confirmed for 2027 and remains to be checked when the time comes.

The complex sits on Pazhou Island, in the Haizhu district of Guangzhou. Specialised guides recommend booking a hotel eight to twelve weeks ahead to get cancellable rates, and favouring hotels near the metro line 8 stations, Xingangdong or Pazhou, rather than a cheaper but more distant neighbourhood.

From Baiyun airport, metro line 3 reaches Kecun station, where you change to line 8 to Pazhou or Xingangdong; a direct intercity train also links the airport to Pazhou station, and dedicated shuttles run between the airport and the complex for the duration of the fair. From the train stations, line 2 with a change at Changgang to line 8 serves the complex from Guangzhou South and Guangzhou stations, line 11 goes there directly from Guangzhou East, and line 12 with a change at Julong to line 8 from Baiyun station. A ferry terminal also links Hong Kong to Pazhou, a short walk from the complex. International bank cards Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB are accepted at the metro gates, alongside WeChat Pay and Alipay.

Three steps do not depend on the dates being confirmed and can start right away: drawing up the specifications for the products you are looking for, pre-selecting exhibitor categories by phase, and watching for the official calendar on cantonfair.org.cn so you can start online registration as soon as it opens. Our article on the Canton Fair how-to guide details the full preparation method, phase by phase, and the list of information to record at each stand.

Three steps, however, wait for the dates to be confirmed: booking a flight, booking a non-refundable hotel, and filing the business visa application, which relies on the invitation letter issued after registration. Booking too early on a calendar that is still provisional risks having to change or cancel if the organiser ultimately adjusts the dates.

If the provisional calendar is confirmed, phase 3 ends on 5 May 2027, right after the 1 and 2 May weekend, days currently marked as public holidays for Labour Day in China. The official calendar of Chinese public holidays for 2027, with any make-up working days, is generally only published by the authorities towards the end of the preceding year, as with Chinese New Year: it was not yet available as of 26 September 2026.

In practice, a buyer hoping to visit a factory or have a sample shipped right after phase 3 is better off scheduling that visit before the holiday weekend rather than immediately after, since some factories run with reduced staff around that date. Email follow-ups and verifying the suppliers met, on the other hand, depend on no public holiday and can start as soon as the show ends.

Sorva is a brokerage and trading house active between Europe and China, with a Chinese-speaking team based in Guangzhou. As soon as the official calendar for the 141st session is published, our team confirms the dates, opens registration for the buyers it supports and prepares the exhibitor shortlist by phase from the specifications provided.

On site, a guided day at the Canton Fair covers the meetings, translates the discussions at each stand and records prices, minimum quantities and lead times for every contact kept. In addition, a factory visit in Guangdong or a supplier verification turns a business card picked up in an aisle into a reliable file, before committing to a pilot order.