Stationery Shows You Can’t Miss in 2026

Whether you’re a trade show junkie or a novice, there’s many reasons to visit a trade show in 2026…and there’s plenty to choose from! There are national, regional, boutique, and even online markets just waiting to be explored. If you want to build your network, grow your brand, or just get inspired, trade shows are the way to do it!

If you’re looking for the scoop on 2026 stationery trade shows, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to discover which ones are the best for your business and how to make the most of your time while you’re there.

National Gift & Home Markets

National gift and home markets are some of the biggest trade shows across the country featuring everything from home goods to gifts. These shows aren’t stationery industry specific, but some of them feature dedicated stationery sections (like NY NOW).

Check out these shows below and make sure to save the dates. You can register as an exhibitor or just register your business for an attendee ticket. Either way, these markets are great opportunities to do some trend forecasting, meet fellow stationers, and network with other retailers and wholesalers.

1. Dallas Total Home & Gift Market — Dallas Market Center

Dates:

• Jan 7–13, 2026 (Winter)
• Jun 24–30, 2026 (Summer)
  
  Location:Dallas, Texas
  Website: Total Home & Gift Market

The Dallas Market Center is a top-tier destination for gift and home markets. January 2026 Total Home & Gift Market offers an excellent platform to introduce your stationery designs to retailers seeking unique and trend-forward products for their businesses. Not only do they have permanent showrooms each year that you can count on, but they also have temporary brands highlighted during the market as well. It’s also a great way to expand your network and connect with other stationers in the industry!

Why Attend: This is a key hub for stationery designers looking to connect with southern and midwestern retailers. Its permanent showrooms allow buyers to browse and order products year-round, offering extended exposure beyond market week. This makes it an ideal venue for building lasting wholesale relationships.

2. Atlanta Market — AmericasMart

Dates:

• Jan 13–19, 2026 (Winter)
• Jun 9–14, 2026 (Summer)

Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Website: AmericasMart

AmericasMart is one of the largest wholesale trade centers in the world, featuring a wide range of exhibitors, including many stationery brands. The event brings together retailers, brands, and buyers from across the country.

Why Attend?
This trade show is a wonderful opportunity to connect with southern retailers, from small boutiques to national chains. With trend insights, merchandising inspiration, and educational sessions, it’s perfect for expanding your brand. Plus, its location also makes it a key hub for southeast buyers.

Pro Tip: The Atlanta Summer Market date shifted earlier than usual due to the World Cup. Book early so you don’t experience a hotel shortage!

3. Las Vegas Market — World Market Center

Dates:

• Jan 25–29, 2026 (Winter)
• Jul 26–30, 2026 (Summer)

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Website: Las Vegas Market

Las Vegas Market is a major home, gift, and stationery trade show that draws buyers from independent boutiques to major national chains.

Why Attend?
This event offers access to a diverse mix of buyers on the west coast. Its dedicated Gift and Stationery section showcases upcoming trends, making it a great place to launch new designs. The networking events also create opportunities to connect with industry leaders.

4. NY NOW — Javits Center, NYC
   

Dates: February 1-3, 2026
Location: Javits Center, New York City, NY
Website: NY NOW

NY NOW is one of the biggest lifestyle and gift markets in the U.S., featuring a dedicated stationery section.

Why Attend?
As a top destination for stationery designers to connect with high-end boutiques, museum shops, and specialty retailers, this event provides high visibility for your products. With a focus on design-driven products, it’s an ideal place to show off trend-forward stationery. Its location also attracts a diverse mix of buyers and industry influencers.

Pro Tip: If you really want to make the most of your trip to NYC, you should plan to visit NY NOW, Shoppe Object, and *Noted. These shows are all happening February 1-3 in NYC!

Stationery-Specific Trade Shows

*Noted: The Greeting Card Expo (GCA)

Dates: Feb 1–3, 2026 — co-located within NY NOW at Javits Center

Location:  Javits Center, New York City, NY
Website: Noted Expo

Noted is a specialized event for greeting cards and paper products. This show provides an intimate setting for networking and making industry connections. If you’re a greeting card designer (or want to be), you don’t want to miss it!

Why Attend?
For greeting card designers, this is the must-attend event of the year, bringing together independent makers and large-scale distributors.

Regional & Boutique Buyer Markets

Philadelphia Gift Show 

Dates: February 1-3, 2026
Location: Greater Philadelphia Expo Center | Oaks, PA
Website: Philadelphia Gift Show | The Largest Gift Show in the Tri-State Area

This show is the largest trade show in the Tri-State area. While the show itself isn’t exclusively focused on stationery, it does feature a stationery area for businesses just like yours! Note: this show is on the same dates as the NY NOW, Shoppe, and *Noted shows. So if you’re in the Tri-State area and not looking to travel far, this may be a perfect show for you!

Seattle Mart Market Weeks 

Dates: Jan 19–23, May 4–5, Jul 20–24, Oct 5-6, 2026
Location: Seattle, Washington
Website: SEATTLE MART

If you’re a stationer living in the NorthWest part of the country, this could be the perfect market for you. While this isn’t stationery-specific, you can still have that trade-show experience while making great connections in the industry and getting exposure for your brand.

MinneapolisMart 

Dates: Multiple 2026 dates (Jan 18-21, Mar 8-11, Apr 12-15, Jun 14-17, Aug 9-12, Oct 4-7)
Location: Minnetonka, Minnesota

Website: Minneapolis Mart – The #1 Regional Mart!

The MinneapolisMart is hosting six big markets in 2026 with the first starting in January. If you’re in the Midwest region, plan on visiting one of their six market dates and explore what this regional show has to offer.

ASD Market Week, Las Vegas

Dates:  Mar 17–19, 2026
Location: Las Vegas Convention Center

Website: Wholesale Retail Merchandise Show | ASD Market Week

With over 1,800 vendors, ASD touts itself as the largest wholesale retail merchandise show in the country. That means you’ve got quite an opportunity to share your stationery with merchandisers from all over the country.

Online / Virtual Wholesale

Faire Market (Virtual)
Dates: January 21-23, 2026
Location: online

Website: Faire

Faire is one of the largest and most well-established B2B marketplaces, connecting independent retailers with unique brands across various categories, including stationery, home goods, and gifts. It offers risk-free purchasing with free returns, net 60 payment terms, and an intuitive platform for discovering new products. And if it’s not in the budget to participate in any shows this year, Faire is a great way to show up and grow your exposure online! And if you can’t make this year’s online market, chances are more dates will pop up later this year.

Why Use Faire?

Faire is one of the most widely used wholesale platforms for independent brands. Not only is it an online marketplace, it also offers marketing tools, data insights, and financing options for retailers too.

Now that you have an idea of what kinds of trade shows are out there, let’s talk about why they’re important! Exhibiting your business at a trade show can really help you scale your business and gain exposure across the country.

Why You Should Make Trade Shows a Part of Your Business Strategy

If you’re looking for creative ideas, trends, inspiration, or just more opportunities to expose your brand to retailers and wholesalers, trade shows are the best place to do it. Many buyers, small business owners, wholesale distributors, and other trend forecasters visit multiple markets per year. This gives you the chance to meet new people, build your network in the industry, and create lasting relationships that could help you grow for years to come.

Exhibiting at a trade show is about creating an experience that draws people in, builds connections, and ultimately, grows your business. Whether it’s your first time exhibiting or you’re a seasoned pro, here’s how to make the most of your time on the trade show floor.

Booth Design and Presentation

First impressions truly matter. How you present yourself is the first thing attendees are going to see. The goal is to create enough interest to draw them in so you can make a great first connection.

Make your business stand out.

Use bold colors, high-quality graphics, and professional signage that conveys your brand’s identity and makes your stationery products stand out in a crowded venue. The more inviting your booth is, the more likely people are to stop by.

Make it functional.

Organize your products neatly and accessibly with tiered displays or wall-mounted racks. If visitors can’t access them (or if they feel overcrowded), it’ll be hard for them to really get a good idea of what you’re offering. Keep your booth well-lit and free of clutter so people feel comfortable browsing.

Trade Show Networking 101

Trade shows are as much about people as they are about products. So, don’t just sit behind your booth—step out and start conversations! Here are a few tips to help you do just that:

1. Have a short introduction ready that explains who you are and what makes your brand unique.
   
   
2. Lead with curiosity. Ask them what drew them in, what they’re looking for, and how you can serve their business first. People will remember how you made them feel even more than how your products looked. Your genuine connection will go a long way in helping them remember you from the crowd.
   
   
3. Don’t forget to collect their contact information. Maybe you ask for their card or have them write their information on a sign-up sheet. The follow up is one of the most important things to do post show (and it keeps the relationship going).
   
   
4. Take advantage of the show workshops. These often help you grow, offer trend insights, and help you meet more industry professionals that you otherwise wouldn’t have.

Building Pre-Show Excitement

While the in-person connection during the show is key, it’s important to build excitement for your audience before the show ever begins. Let your social media followers know which shows you’ll be at, how to visit your booth (and some sneak peeks), and host some giveaways. You’ll also want to share some footage of your time at market. This will get them excited to see what you’ll be offering post market as well. Many stationers love to launch new product lines at market which makes it even more of a big deal for their audience.

Most shows have a list of their vendors and even their temporary exhibitors for the upcoming shows. Reach out ahead of time to schedule meetings, especially with any leads you may have. Not only does this help you make new industry connections, it also helps you capitalize on your time there.

Post-Show Follow-Up

When the show is over, the work isn’t over. This is where your follow ups begin. Remember that smart way you chose to collect contact information? Pull that out and start sending those personalized messages to the people you met. Thank them for stopping by your booth or exhibit, answer questions they may have had, and try to make it personal.

Now, it’s time to evaluate how it all went. What was good? What went poorly? Was there anything confusing about the flow of how your booth was set up? What patterns do you recognize from everyone’s comments? What can you improve for the next show? Remember, no show is going to go perfectly . . . but you can keep refining your offerings to make each one better than the last.

Lastly, it’s important to take some time to decompress. Scheduling a vacation or taking some time off after the trade show season is a great way to do just that. Exhibiting at a trade show is no easy walk in the park. It takes a lot of preparation, work, and time to make it a success. And now that it’s over, you need to make some time for you!

You’re Not Alone

Whether you’re a brand-new stationery business or you’ve been championing your business for years, the trade show season can be exhausting and overwhelming. But here’s the good news: You’re not alone!

PrintsWell would love to partner with you to bring your beautiful designs to life. So whether you’re looking to scale your business or just save yourself some time and energy for your next trade show, we’re here to help with state-of-the-art customized printing, fulfillment, drop shipping, and more.

Level up with PrintsWell and fill out your application today.