General trade fairs

General fairs gather exhibitors from several unrelated trades in one hall. Most are consumer shows for gifts, home products, food and seasonal shopping, with a sourcing fair for buyers among them. Their dates cluster in November, ahead of the winter holidays.

This sector is reserved for multi-sector fairs with no dominant subject. A show that mixes food, fashion, home products and leisure ideas cannot be filed under any single industry, so it sits here. The format is simple: a fairground hosts stands from many categories, and visitors walk through them in one trip. Fairs that lean clearly toward one field are listed in the matching sector instead, such as fashion, beauty and luxury, home and interiors or food and hospitality.

MHH Erlebniswelten in Essen is an annual show that combines regional food, home and fashion trends, leisure ideas and gift shopping at Messe Essen. Familienmesse in Klagenfurt is a consumer fair for the whole family. The Germany and Austria hubs list the wider calendar of these regional events.

Switzerland and North America show the seasonal side of the format. The Braderie des Automnales is a public shopping event organized by Palexpo in Geneva. In the United States, November brings holiday gift and craft shows: the Denver Christmas Show, the Portland Holiday Market, the Christmas Village Festival in Birmingham and the Southern Christmas Show in Charlotte. The United States hub groups them.

Not every general fair is aimed at the public. Sourcing In Market in Seoul is a certified international sourcing fair for lifestyle consumer goods, where suppliers meet distribution buyers and merchandisers. The Super Gigantic Garage Sale in Allentown is an indoor sale where individual sellers offer second-hand and vintage items to the public. The National Women's Show in Toronto shows how a general format can also be built around one audience.