Successful Home & Gift Festival sets the stage for seven major exhibitions and £10.5m economic impact in Harrogate

Harrogate Convention Centre gears up to welcome seven major exhibitions in the second half of 2026 as the North Yorkshire spa town continues to prove itself as one of the UK’s most successful event destinations.

Fresh from another successful edition of Home & Gift Buyers' Festival, which welcomed thousands of retail buyers and exhibitors to Harrogate over four days in July, the venue is now preparing to host seven major trade and public exhibitions over the coming months, some of which have called Harrogate home for decades.

The next exhibition coming up this Sunday is Harrogate Fashion Week (2-4 August 2026). Established in 2018, the show takes place twice a year in February and August, and has quadrupled in size in eight short years. Featuring over 300 brands from leading womenswear clothing, lifestyle, footwear and accessory companies, the Summer 2026 Edition is set to be the biggest so far, after the February 2026 show attracted 1,700 visitors across three days, a 7.5% year-on-year increase.

Georgia Flynn, Event Director, Harrogate Fashion Week, says: "We're delighted to be returning to Harrogate this summer. The February edition was a tremendous success and the momentum we've seen since means we're on course to deliver our largest show yet. There's something special about bringing exhibitors and buyers together in person, giving them the opportunity to discover new collections, build relationships and do business face to face. Harrogate provides the perfect backdrop, combining a welcoming atmosphere with a destination that our exhibitors, buyers and brands genuinely enjoy returning to season after season."

Situated in the centre of the UK, equidistant from Edinburgh and London and with excellent transport links to all major cities, Harrogate is well positioned to welcome visitors from both the north and the south. Being a green, clean, safe and walkable Victorian spa town with a vibrant dining and retail scene, its bleisure proposition offers a relaxing setting that is becoming increasingly appealing for attendees to both business and leisure events.

The diverse line-up reflects the breadth of events that call Harrogate home, from major trade exhibitions and industry showcases to consumer events attracting enthusiasts, hobbyists and families:

• Harrogate Fashion Week (2-4 August 2026, trade only)
• Bridal Week Harrogate (13-15 September 2026, trade only)
• The Flooring Show (20-22 September 2026, trade only)
• Harrogate International Nursery Fair (18-20 October 2026, trade only)
• Northern Homebuilding and Renovating Show (30 October – 1 November 2026, public)
• Thought Bubble Comic Convention (14-15 November 2026, public)
• Knit + Stitch (19-22 November 2026, public)

Together, the events attract tens of thousands of exhibitors and visitors from across the UK, generating an estimated economic impact of £10.5 million for Harrogate and North Yorkshire.

Jamila Bray, Head of Venue Sales and Marketing at Harrogate Convention Centre, says: "Many of our exhibitions have grown significantly over the years and we are delighted to be supporting them on that journey. Here organisers benefit from strong attendance, exhibitor loyalty, a venue with room to grow and a supportive team who understand their needs, and a destination that consistently attracts delegates from both the north and south. We look forward to welcoming them back this year."

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Note to Editors

Situated in the centre of the idyllic Victorian spa town of Harrogate and owned by the North Yorkshire Council, Harrogate Convention Centre was name Venue of the Year (Under 20,000 sqm) at the AEV Excellence Awards (2026) and Most High-Tech and Innovative Venue at Event Technology Awards (2025). Facilities at the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) accredited, premium purpose-built conference and exhibition venue include a world-class 2,000-seat conference auditorium that opened with the Eurovision Song Contest in 1982, and the splendid Edwardian theatre, Royal Hall, among a total of 13,700+ sqm of flexible event space, along with on-site parking and adjacent hotels. The venue is benefiting from a £9.4 million development investment from North Yorkshire Council with a programme of site improvement works scheduled to complete in 2027.