China Toy Expo 2026, Shenzhen Gift Fair, East China Fair 2027: dates

Four events shape the year for a European buyer targeting toys, gifts or home goods made in China. Three take place in mainland China, in Shanghai and Shenzhen, and one takes place in Hong Kong. Their calendars follow a pattern repeated year after year, but as of September 26, 2026, not all of the exact 2027 dates had been published by the organizers.

The 2026 edition of China Toy Expo runs from October 21 to 23, 2026 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The organizer reports 230,000 square meters of exhibition space, more than 2,700 exhibitors and around 110,000 trade visitors expected, alongside the China Licensing Expo, the China Kids Fair and the China Preschool Expo on the same site.

For the 2027 edition, the organizer had not published dates as of September 26, 2026. Based on the pattern of previous years, a mid-October 2027 timing is a reasonable assumption, but it remains an unconfirmed forecast: check the official china-toy-expo.com website before booking travel.

Shenzhen's fair for gifts, handicrafts, watches and home goods was held twice in 2026: a spring edition from April 25 to 28, then a 34th autumn edition from October 20 to 23, 2026, at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center. The organizer is RX Huabo Exhibitions.

As of September 27, 2026, the organizer had already published the dates for the 35th edition, the spring 2027 one: from April 25 to 28, 2027, at the same Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center. The dates for the autumn 2027 edition had not yet been published; the show's usual rhythm points to another October date, to be confirmed on the official website before booking.

The East China Fair brings together general consumer goods, textiles, household items and consumer electronics at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, in the Pudong district. The 2026 edition, already held, ran from March 1 to 4, 2026.

For 2027, the organizer had not published official dates as of September 26, 2026. The show's usual rhythm, at the very start of March, points to an edition around that period in 2027, but this calendar remains a forecast and should be checked before any travel.

In Hong Kong, the October 2026 Global Sources shows run in two phases at AsiaWorld-Expo: phase 1, from October 11 to 14, covers consumer electronics; phase 2, from October 18 to 21, covers mobile electronics, smart home and security, lifestyle, and sport and outdoor goods. Recent editions have brought together more than 2,100 Asian exhibitors across more than 4,000 booths.

Registration is free for a trade buyer aged 18 or over, via globalsources.com; the organizer recommends bringing several business cards to prove trade status at the entrance.

Beyond the show's name, the useful marker remains the product family you're after: toys and juvenile products are covered by China Toy Expo, gifts and decor by the Shenzhen fair, general consumer goods and textiles by the East China Fair, connected electronics and lifestyle by the Global Sources shows in Hong Kong.

Most of these shows share the same access model: free online pre-registration for a trade visitor, a badge collected on site or emailed with a QR code, against a passport and a business card. Book your hotel as soon as dates are published: rates around each venue rise sharply during show week.

A toy bought at one of these shows and intended for the European market must comply with Directive 2009/48/EC on toy safety before it can be placed on the EU market. The European Commission notes that harmonized standards, including the EN 71 series, play a central role in establishing that compliance.

In practice, the work happens before the order, not after receiving the goods: ask for the EN 71-1 test on mechanical and physical properties, EN 71-2 on flammability and EN 71-3 on the migration of certain chemical elements, require CE marking and a technical file, and check that the factory met at the show already knows these requirements rather than only the Chinese GB 6675 standard.

Sorva tracks the calendar of these shows and confirms dates with the organizers before recommending a trip. Our Chinese-speaking team in Guangzhou shortlists the exhibitors relevant to your product before opening day, sets up meetings and can accompany you at the chosen show, then follows up with contacts within the following week.

For a toy or home item bound for the European market, a regulatory compliance study frames the tests and technical file to request from the factory before ordering, and a pre-shipment inspection checks actual production against the reference sample. In most cases you pay no fees: you open a file, we negotiate the goods for you, and we take a commission on their ex-works value.