40th Negros Trade Fair Opens at SM Aura on September 22 With 178 Brands
Last Updated on September 23, 2026 by Over Here Toronto
The 40th Negros Trade Fair opened at SMX Convention Center Aura in Taguig on September 22, 2026, bringing food, fashion, home goods, crafts, and other products from the Negros Island Region to Metro Manila.
This year’s fair carries the theme “Bútlak,” a Hiligaynon word linked to daybreak or blooming. The six-day event runs through September 27 and marks four decades since the trade fair began as a small market for Negros producers.
Current event materials describe the anniversary edition as gathering 178 participating brands or exhibitors from Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, and other linked communities. The official SMX calendar lists the fair from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. during its September 22 to 27 run.
Visitors can check the current sellers and product categories through the official Negros Trade Fair website.
What Shoppers Can Find at the 40th Negros Trade Fair
The fair covers several parts of the Negros economy.
The official Negros Trade Fair site groups products into food and drinks, fashion and garments, gifts and home decor, furniture and furnishings, natural and organic goods, and a kids section.
Food remains a major part of the event. Current fair coverage names products such as chicken inasal, lumpiang Silay, piaya, puto Manapla, silvanas, napoleones, and other items tied to the region.
Known food businesses taking part include Bob’s Cafe, 21 Restaurant, Bacolod Chicken House, El Ideal Bakery, and Virgie’s Homemade Products. The official online fair shop also lists makers such as Ereneta-Manaloto Chorizo de Bacolod and Inasalan sa Dalan.
Fashion and craft sellers use materials such as abaca, bamboo, rattan, hablon, piña, and natural dyes. Brands named in this year’s coverage include Camille Villanueva, StyleLoft, Pinas Sadya, Reveri by Ria Bolivar, Donata by Kate Singson, Ellege, Lakat, and Hacienda Mar.
Home and furniture makers also have space at the fair. Hacienda Crafts, Art Energy, Artisana, Noah, Madera Handicrafts, and NVC Foundation are among those listed in current reports.
‘Bútlak’ Marks 40 Years of the Fair
The 2026 theme looks back at how the Negros Trade Fair changed over four decades.
The first fair began during a difficult period for Negros after the collapse of the sugar industry. About 30 vendors gathered at the Makati Carpark to sell local food, crafts, and other goods. The effort helped create another source of income for families and communities affected by the sugar crisis.
The event later became closely tied to the work of the Association of Negros Producers, or ANP, which supports small businesses, artisans, and producers in the region.
This year, the fair puts more focus on the wider Negros Island Region instead of only Negros Occidental.
ANP president Christina Gaston said organizers want to include businesses with a clear connection to the region.
“We are interested in showcasing the brands that are from Negros; that have roots or linkages to Negros.”
The 2026 edition includes participants from Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. Organizers say the wider group gives shoppers a broader look at food, design, tourism, and other businesses from the region.
Reports Give Two Different Counts for Brands and Booths
Most advance materials for the 40th edition use the figure 178 brands, exhibitors, or vendors. GMA News, Vogue Philippines, the Philippine News Agency, and other current reports use that number.
However, Digicast Negros reported on September 21 that trade fair chair Mary Ann Colmenares described the event as having 178 booths and 125 brands.
Another local report described 178 booths representing more than 115 entrepreneurs.
The different figures appear to come from how organizers and reports count booths, businesses, brands, and participating groups. For readers, the safest confirmed point is that the 40th edition has 178 exhibition spaces or participating entries, while the number of separate business brands may be lower depending on how they are counted.
The Fair Includes More Than Food and Shopping
The event also includes local government units, tourism groups, artists, and businesses outside the usual food and craft sections.
Mary Ann Colmenares said the organizers worked to bring in many parts of the regional economy.
“We really try to bring all that the Negros Island region has to offer to the fair,” she said.
The current lineup includes regional tourism groups and real estate businesses alongside makers and food sellers. Art galleries and artists from the region also take part.
The Association of Negros Producers organized the event with support from partners including SM Supermalls. The 40th edition also continues work with the Design Center of the Philippines on its theme and visual direction.
Organizers Want to Build on Last Year’s Sales
The fair also serves as a business platform for small and medium enterprises.
According to a September 22 report, organizers hope this year’s event will pass the ₱151 million in combined sales and booked business-to-business orders recorded during the 2025 fair.
That 2025 total included ₱54 million in direct sales and ₱97 million in booked business orders. Those figures come from organizers and describe last year’s results, not guaranteed sales for 2026.
The fair gives businesses from Negros a chance to meet Metro Manila shoppers without opening permanent stores in the capital. It can also connect producers with retailers, buyers, and other possible business partners.
What Visitors Should Know
The 40th Negros Trade Fair runs from September 22 to 27, 2026, at SMX Convention Center Aura, inside the SM Aura complex in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
The official SMX event listing gives these hours:
- Dates: September 22 to 27, 2026
- Venue: SMX Convention Center Aura, Taguig
- Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Theme: Bútlak
- Organizer: Association of Negros Producers
- Main products: Food, fashion, crafts, home items, furniture, natural goods, and other regional products
Shoppers can also browse products through the official Negros Trade Fair online store, which currently lists goods and profiles from participating makers.
The event ends on September 27, giving Metro Manila shoppers several more days to visit the 40th anniversary fair.
