The city of Thessaloniki is buzzing with anticipation as the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) opens its doors (September 5–13, 2026), marking the milestone of 100 years since the event’s inaugural edition in 1926. This year’s exhibition pairs a reflective celebration of a century of economic, commercial, and cultural impact with modern entrepreneurship, innovation, and global outreach.
The Land of the Rising Sun in the Spotlight
Serving as the Honored Country for 2026, Japan arrives with a premier delegation of business leaders and industry giants spanning high technology, automotive engineering, telecommunications, and advanced robotics. The Japanese pavilion underscores strong bilateral relations while bridging traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge green transition strategies and next-generation digital transformation.
Key Figures and Thematic Highlights of the 90th Edition
The TIF-HELEXPO grounds are hosting more than 1,000 exhibitors representing over 25 countries. The show floor is structured across comprehensive thematic sections designed for both trade professionals and the broader public:
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Showcasing early-stage startups, national research centers, and business chambers from across Greece and the wider region.
• Gastronomy & Regional Greece: Highlighting authentic local production, agrifood technologies, and export-driven domestic brands.
• Education, Entertainment & JuniorLand: Dedicated interactive hubs, STEM workshops, and cultural events tailored for students and young creators.
A Century of Milestones and the Road to Modern Redevelopment.
To honor this centennial milestone, TIF organizers, in partnership with MOMUS – Museum of Contemporary Art, have curated a major retrospective featuring rare archival photography, vintage artifacts, and historical documentation from 1926 to the present. Concurrently, public attention is focused on the ambitious master plan for the exhibition center’s total redevelopment—a sustainable, bioclimatic urban park that will position the fairground for its next 100 years.
The origins of the Thessaloniki International Fair
The original idea for the creation of an International Trade Fair was first expressed by Nikolaos Germanos, a Professor of Zoology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and later a Member of the Greek Parliament.
In 1925, Sofoulis’ government decided to accept the idea, as they thought that an internationally oriented plan that would give Northern Greece and Thessaloniki a chance to attract the attention of the global markets was crucial.
The main motivation for going forward with the fair was due to the borders and the iron curtain of that era, which deprived Thessaloniki of its natural mainland, the Balkans, and Central Europe.
Sunday, October 3, 1926, was the day the first-ever TIF took place in an area of seven thousand square meters provided by the army.
The exhibition had six hundred participants, of which 310 were from abroad. Two countries, Hungary and the Soviet Union, sent an official delegation to take part in the fair.
There were 150,000 people who visited the premises of the event, an astonishing number for the period. Over the years, the fair grew bigger and bigger, so a new place was needed to meet the demand.
In the mid-1930’s the decision for the transfer of the fair was reached. TIF, from the 1930s to modern day, was to take place in the center of the city, between Egnatia, Aggelaki, Tritis Septemvriou, and Leoforos Stratou streets—exactly where it takes place today.
The first TIF in the new area was in 1940, just a few weeks before the beginning of the Greek-Italian war. During the occupation of the city by the Nazis, the premises of the fair were confiscated, and there was a lot of destruction days before the departure of the German Army.
The first post-war fair, the 16th Thessaloniki International Fair, didn’t happen until 1951 during a period when Greece was finding its way after ten years of occupation and civil war.
The years ahead brought more and more visitors, rapid growth, and glory for Greece’s biggest trade event.
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