The Little Black Book: Your Essential Guide to Making the Most of the Autumn Fair 2026

Your smartest buying decisions start before you arrive 

Autumn Fair is the UK's leading marketplace for home, gift and fashion, bringing together thousands of products, established brands and exciting new suppliers ahead of the crucial Christmas trading period. This year on 8-9 September, Autumn Fair shares the NEC with Glee, the UK's leading garden retail show, creating Europe's biggest buying moment in the second half of the year. 

With so much to discover across both events, the most successful buyers know that preparation can be the difference between a great show and a brilliant one. You simply can’t see everything in a day, which is why the Autumn Fair Little Black Book has been designed as your ULTIMATE pre-show companion! 

Whether you’re searching for your next bestseller, looking to discover emerging brands or planning meetings with existing and new suppliers, the Little Black Book helps you arrive with a clear strategy, a focused schedule and the confidence to make every moment on the show floor count. 

1. Start by exploring both Autumn Fair and Glee 

One of the first things you'll find inside your Little Black Book is your guide to both Autumn Fair and Glee. 

With two incredible shows taking place side by side, there’s more opportunity than ever to discover products outside your usual buying categories. Home and gift buyers can uncover complementary garden, outdoor living and lifestyle products, while garden retailers can discover fresh inspiration across gift, home décor, greetings and more. 

The Little Black Book includes floorplans of both shows, helping you map your route and maximise your time onsite. 

Better still, if there’s someone else in your team who could benefit from discovering new suppliers, don’t forget to refer a colleague so they can experience the biggest buying opportunity of the season too. 

2. Use your Little Black Book to plan your visit before you step through the doors 

As Samantha Gibbs, Owner of Nest, explains: 

"It's a wonderful pre-show tool to get you super organised and you will instantly get a feel for the layout of the show." 

The Little Black Book is much more than just an exhibitor directory – it’s a practical planning tool designed to make your visit easier. 

Before arriving, use it to: 

• Mark your must-visit exhibitors and create a personalised buying route 
• NEW ADDITION – a notes section for you to mark important bits throughout the guide to capture products you want to revisit, key contacts and new ideas 
• Identify sectors and brands most relevant to your business 
• Bookmark the countless content sessions, workshops and 121 meetings across all 4 days, for you to hear directly from the experts about the challenges that keep you up at night 

The more planning you do beforehand, the more time you can spend having meaningful conversations and discovering products that will set your store apart. 

3. Make the most of exclusive travel and visitor perks 

Your Little Black Book also includes a dedicated "Plan your visit" section packed with useful information to help you save time and money. 

Inside, you’ll find: 

• Exclusive hotel offers 
• Train travel discounts 
• Parking information 
• Cloakroom facilities and practical visitor information 

Booking early means you can take advantage of the best available deals before they’re gone, helping make your trip to Autumn Fair as cost-effective as possible. 

4. Discover the experiences you won’t want to miss 

Autumn Fair is much more than a sourcing event – it’s an opportunity to learn, connect and be inspired. The Little Black Book highlights all of the key features taking place throughout the show, including: 

New Business Pavilions 

Be among the first to discover exciting emerging brands and fresh products that could become your next bestseller. 

The Clubhouse 

Take advantage of the dedicated buyers’ lounge – the perfect place to take a break, catch up on emails or have informal meetings between appointments. 

Unmissable content sessions 

From Google’s AI experts and social media specialists to retail trend forecasters, buyers and industry leaders, Autumn Fair’s agenda delivers the practical insights retailers need to drive growth. Explore everything from AI and live shopping to visual merchandising, licensing, consumer trends and the future of the high street. 

Networking events and celebrations 

From industry parties (including the joint Autumn Fair & Glee party 8th September!), to informal meet-ups, discover opportunities to connect with fellow retailers, suppliers and industry experts. 

By planning these moments into your schedule, you can ensure you experience everything Autumn Fair has to offer. 

Don’t forget your exclusive offers and vouchers 

Keep an eye out for the dedicated voucher section inside your Little Black Book, where you’ll find exclusive offers, promotions and perks available only to visitors. 

It’s just another way the Little Black Book helps you get even more value from your Autumn Fair experience. 

5. Meet the partners helping shape the retail community 

Throughout the Little Black Book, you’ll discover the partners, organisations and industry experts who support Autumn Fair and the wider retail community. 

These partners provide valuable insights, advice, trends and services designed to help retailers stay informed, grow their businesses and navigate the ever-changing retail landscape. 

Explore every sector and discover your next bestseller 

Of course, the heart of the Little Black Book is the exhibitor listings and sector guides. 

From established household names to independent makers and innovative new brands, the guide allows you to discover the suppliers most relevant to your business before you even arrive. 

Highlight the exhibitors you don’t want to miss, make notes on the brands you discover and create your own personalised buying plan. 

You’ll also be using your Little Black Book long after the show has ended... think of it as your personal Yellow Pages, allowing you a list of contacts to suppliers you were interested in at the show, to follow up post-show! 

6. Secure your Little Black Book before it’s gone 

The Autumn Fair Little Black Book is your personal roadmap to the season’s biggest buying event. With insider tips, must-see brands, detailed floorplans, expert recommendations and practical visitor information, it ensures you make the most of every minute at the show. 

Printed copies are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so make sure you register for Autumn Fair 2026 before 12 July and select the Little Black Book option to reserve your copy. 

Your next bestseller could already be waiting inside!