About Hamburg trade fair calendar
Hamburg Messe und Congress runs the exhibition grounds and the CCH in the city centre and hosts several dozen trade and consumer fairs a year. Smaller shows use the MesseHalle in Schnelsen and the Sporthalle in Alsterdorf.
Four venues, four different drives
Most fairs below take place at Hamburg Messe between Sternschanze and Dammtor, 20 to 35 minutes from the airport. Congresses run next door at the CCH. Smaller shows use the MesseHalle Hamburg-Schnelsen on Modering in the north-west, and two school-leaver fairs fill the Sporthalle Hamburg on Krochmannstraße in Alsterdorf, only a few minutes from the runway fence. One major construction fair is held outside the city in Neumünster. The calendar shows the usual month or rhythm only. Exact dates change from edition to edition, so check the organiser's page or the Hamburg Messe calendar ↗ before you book flights.
January and February at the exhibition grounds
- Nordstil – order fair for gifts, home and lifestyle retail, in January and again as a summer edition in July
- HAMBURG OPEN – trade show for broadcast and media technology, in January
- HOCHZEITSTAGE Hamburg – wedding fair, in January
- home² Hamburg – fair for property, building and renovation, at the end of January
- REISEN & CARAVANING Hamburg – the travel, camping and cruise holiday show, in February
- Hanse Golf – golf fair for northern Germany, in February
- Einstieg Hamburg – fair for apprenticeships, degrees and gap years, in February
- FORUM BEFA Hamburg – funeral trade fair that moves between German cities and stops in Hamburg in February
- NORTEC – production and machining fair, every two years in February
March to July: from catering to automation
Spring belongs to the big international names. INTERNORGA fills the halls in March, the Aircraft Interiors Expo follows in spring, and the OMR Festival brings the digital marketing crowd in May.
- MEGA MESSE – fair for renovation and modernisation, in April
- Zukunft Personal Nord – HR and world-of-work expo, in April
- all about automation Hamburg – industrial automation and robotics, in June
- IRMA Rehabilitation Fair – rehab, travel and mobility for all, every two years in June, alternating with Bremen
September to December: maritime, energy and games
In even years September is dominated by SMM and WindEnergy Hamburg, and hotel rooms become scarce.
- Seatrade Europe – cruise and river cruise convention, every two years in September in odd years
- Hydrogen Technology World Expo and Carbon Capture Technology World Expo – two co-located expos in the same halls, in October
- Polaris Convention – games, creators, cosplay and Asian pop culture, in October
- BioNord – trade fair for the organic food retail sector, in autumn
- GET NORD – electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, every two years in November
- Spielemesse Hamburg – board and video game fair for families, in November
- Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Europe – passenger ship interiors, now in Hamburg in December; the former MARINE INTERIORS Expo has merged into it
- Holy Shit Shopping Hamburg – design and art market before Christmas, in December
Away from the main halls: Schnelsen, Alsterdorf, Neumünster
- MesseHalle Hamburg-Schnelsen – on Modering near the A7, about 20 to 30 minutes via Niendorf; home of VeggieWorld Hamburg in October and the wedding fair TrauDich Hamburg in autumn
- Sporthalle Hamburg – on Krochmannstraße in Alsterdorf, often under 15 minutes from the terminals; Stuzubi Hamburg, the study and training fair, runs here in February and September
- NordBau Neumünster – the large construction fair at the Holstenhallen, every September; the drive north on the A7 takes about 45 to 65 minutes, see transfers to Schleswig-Holstein
Hamburg Airport transfers to trade fairs: practical tips
During big fairs the arrivals hall is full of lanyards, and on-the-spot rides run short. Book in advance, add your flight number and note the hall entrance as the destination. Your driver meets you at the meeting point in your confirmation. Teams can share a minivan for seven or a minibus for twelve, with the total price for the vehicle shown before booking. For the trip back, choose a fixed time and remember that the last afternoon of a fair is the busiest hour on Karolinenstraße.
