Thessaloniki Trade Fair

The International Trade Fair of Thessaloniki is a major commercial exhibition held annually, usually in the first or second week of September. This event has a large impact on the commercial and political life of Greece. HELEXPO, the biggest exhibition and congress center in Greece, undertakes the organization of this grand event, which takes place near the waterfront of Thessaloniki.

The event was established in 1925, with the first exhibition officially being organized in 1926. Since then, it has been celebrated as one of the most significant trade fairs in Southeastern Europe. Companies from around the world have taken part in the exhibition throughout the years, presenting their products to interested consumers. It is estimated that more than 1.000 exhibitors from almost 40 countries participate in this huge event and about 255.000 people visit it each time.

Every year, a country is given the title of Honored Country, receiving publicity and a separate hall at the exhibition. It is also customary for the Prime Minister of Greece to announce the government’s policies for the next year during the opening speech. This custom started in the 1960s and since then, the trade fair has also held a unique political importance, in addition to its commercial and economic significance.

Many interesting events have taken place in the exhibition hall of the Thessaloniki Trade Fair. The first radio station in Greece started its transmission from there in 1928, while in 1961 an experimental television station began operating. The famous Greek coffee frappe was also notably invented during the Trade Fair in 1957 when a representative of Nestle accidentally created this unique concoction.