This blog is regularly updated with latest information for tradeshows coming up.
Exhibiting at trade fairs is one of the main ways for publishers to meet new buyers or agents and obtain sales leads from both at home and abroad. They are also a part of the greeting card social calendar, where existing publishers catch up with old colleagues and new publishers are able to meet each other under one roof. This is the time when, as a new publisher, you realise that there is a whole greeting card world out there!
Before deciding to exhibit, it is advisable to visit the major fairs. This will help you to decide which would be the most appropriate fair for your products. It is important to research each fair, taking into account the time of year, price of the stands, distance from your base, cost of accommodation and the size of the fair. Read this GCA blog on preparing for your first tradeshow.
Below is the latest information from the main greeting card trade shows in the UK, which attract a regional or nationwide audience. There may also be local trade shows close to you, so it’s worth checking them out too.
NOTE TO EDITORS: This post will pull in any events that are in the Trade Show Category. Please edit event details, do not add the events to this page directly.
Sep
6
Autumn Fair
6 September 2026 - 9 September 2026
NEC
Hyve Group
Feb
7
Spring Fair
7 February 2027 - 10 February 2027
NEC
Hyve Group
Sep
13
Top Drawer
13 September 2026 - 15 September 2026
Olympia London
Clarion Events Ltd
May
11
Latest updates from the GCA
#Cardmitment Toolkit
#Cardmitment Toolkit for everyone to use to remind people of the joy of sending and receiving Christmas cards
Crossing the Pond: What Greeting Card Publishers Need to Know About the US Market
Expanding into the US market is an exciting opportunity for greeting card publishers — but it comes with its own set of challenges, considerations and strategic decisions. At a recent GCA webinar on Export, Crossing the Pond, Vanessa Harnik of US distributor Notes & Queries (46 years’ experience in the market) shared practical, experience led, advice on navigating the American…
log in to access (Already logged in? Refresh your browser)Big Changes Ahead for UK Greeting Card Exporters to the U.S.
On July 30, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order eliminating the de minimis exemption for all countries, effective August 29, 2025. Originally planned for 2027, this fast-tracked change will significantly impact small businesses — including UK greeting card publishers exporting to the U.S. But there’s good news: recent updates from Royal Mail offer a more manageable path forward. Royal Mail’s…
Festive Friday 2025 – Make Your #Cardmitment!
What is Festive Friday? Festive Friday is the day when everyone in the greeting card industry, and card lovers everywhere, send their Christmas cards. Receiving Christmas cards reminds people to send theirs; so Festive Friday starts the annual exchange of Christmas cards! Festive Friday 2025 is on Friday, 28th November! Why Festive Friday Matters Our #Cardmitment campaign…
From Local to Global: Starting Your Export Journey
Have you first enquiry from overseas? Wanting to learn about exporting greeting cards? This Starting Up blog has lots of useful tips and links
log in to access (Already logged in? Refresh your browser)GCA Market Report
Commissioned by the Greeting Card Association the annual GCA Market Report provides reliable figures for the greeting card industry for defined card categories based on its members UK retail sales. Once again the project was managed independently, confidentially and securely by Echo Research, the award winning market data company. The GCA Market Report can be…
