Business events in Sharjah: what is worth attending in 2026–27

Sharjah's business event season runs from October to February, with a second, smaller window in June. As of 13 October 2026, atndr lists 10 upcoming business events in Sharjah. Eight of them fall between October 2026 and February 2027, and nine are held at Expo Centre Sharjah.

The calendar is short but steady: one or two trade events a month through the winter. Then come Ramadan (which the venue fills with its Ramadan Nights retail fair, 18 February–7 March 2027) and the spring, when the hall is used mostly for cultural and consumer events. Trade fairs return in June.

Dates are as listed on atndr and on the organisers' and venue's calendars. Confirm on the official site before you book travel. For the full live list, see business events in Sharjah.

Choose by industry. Sharjah's trade shows are built for buyers and distributors who source for the region, so most are free to visit for registered trade visitors.

Industry and manufacturing

SteelFab 2027 runs 11–14 January 2027 at Expo Centre Sharjah. It is the 22nd edition of the show, which covers machine tools, welding, pipe and tube, and finishing, and it is organised by Expo Centre Sharjah. It opens from 1 pm to 10 pm Monday to Wednesday and from 10 am to 6 pm on Thursday. METAS 2027 (7–9 June 2027) is the tyre, auto parts and car-maintenance fair, formerly the UAE China Tyre & Auto Parts Expo. For the wider UAE industrial calendar, see manufacturing events in the UAE.

Real estate, construction and interiors

ACRES Real Estate Exhibition 2027 (27–30 January 2027) is Sharjah's property exhibition, where developers meet investors, brokers and banks; it offers a free visitor pass. HIVE Furniture Show 2026 (26–28 November 2026, 10 am–6 pm) is a furniture and home-furnishing sourcing fair for trade buyers. Surfex 2026 (8–10 December 2026) is a private, invitation-led platform for surface materials, aimed at architects, developers and specifiers.

Investment and trade

The Sharjah Investment Forum (14–15 October 2026) is the emirate's foreign direct investment forum, run by the Sharjah FDI Office at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre. Its organisers cite 80+ speakers and 10,000+ business visitors from 60+ countries. Aatmanirbhar Bharat Expo 2027 (3–5 February 2027, 10 am–10 pm) is a Made in India trade expo for GCC buyers, distributors and investors.

Publishing and libraries

The 15th Sharjah Publishers Conference (1–3 November 2026) brings publishers, agents and translators together to trade rights before the Sharjah International Book Fair. It is organised by the Sharjah Book Authority with the NYU SPS Center for Publishing. The 13th Sharjah International Library Conference (7–9 November 2026) is a professional conference for librarians, held with the Book Fair and run with the American Library Association; sessions are in English and Arabic.

Mobility

Evolve Future Mobility Show 2027 covers electric vehicles, batteries, hydrogen and charging infrastructure. The organiser says the show has moved to 2027; atndr lists it for late November 2027, so check the dates again before you plan.

Expo Centre Sharjah is the emirate's main exhibition venue and hosts nearly every trade show in the city. It was set up in 1977 by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and its current building opened on 16 September 2002.

The venue runs two kinds of events, and it helps to know which is which. Trade shows such as SteelFab and ACRES are for professionals. Consumer events such as the Big Shopper Sale (26 November–6 December 2026), the Winter Clearance Sale and the Sharjah International Book Fair (4–15 November 2026) are open to the public. Some weeks host both: HIVE shares its opening day with the Big Shopper Sale.

Expo Khor Fakkan and Expo Al Dhaid are run by the same organisation as Expo Centre Sharjah.

Many visitors stay in Dubai and drive or take a taxi. Expo Centre Sharjah gives the trip from Dubai as 21.9 km, about 23 minutes via the E11, and about 15 minutes from Sharjah International Airport. Traffic between the two cities can be slow at commuting times, so leave extra time in the morning and early evening.

• Taxi. Metered taxis run between the emirates. A taxi trip to or from Dubai carries an AED 20 surcharge on the fare.
• Bus. Route E301 runs every 20 minutes from Stadium Metro Station in Dubai (Al Ahli Club) to the Al Taawun bus stop in Sharjah, near the venue. Within Sharjah, bus fares start at AED 5.
• Car. There is free parking around the venue, according to the ACRES organiser.
• From further away. Abu Dhabi is about 2 hours 15 minutes by road (175.6 km); Ras Al Khaimah about 1 hour 13 minutes.

The UAE visa you need depends on your nationality and the purpose of your trip; the venue points visitors to the Ministry of Interior and the Sharjah and Dubai visa services. If you exhibit, ask the organiser which visa it recommends for stand staff.

Sharjah's shows are smaller and narrower than Dubai's, and they are aimed at regional traders and sourcing buyers rather than global audiences. atndr lists 126 upcoming business events in Dubai against 10 in Sharjah. Dubai's calendar is built around flagships at Dubai World Trade Centre and Expo City Dubai; Sharjah's is a handful of sector fairs in one hall.

The two calendars overlap in useful ways, so one trip can cover both:

• Week of 11 January 2027: SteelFab 2027 (11–14) and Intersec Global 2027 (12–14) at Dubai World Trade Centre. SteelFab opens at 1 pm on its first three days.
• Late January 2027: World Health Expo (WHX) Dubai 2027 (25–28) overlaps with ACRES Real Estate Exhibition 2027 (27–30).
• Late November 2026: Big 5 Global 2026 (23–26) for construction products, then HIVE Furniture Show 2026 (26–28) for furniture.
• Automotive aftermarket: Automechanika Dubai 2026 (10–12 November 2026) is the large show; METAS 2027 in June is the smaller, Sharjah-based one.

For the Dubai side of the calendar, see business events in Dubai.

Register before you travel and check the opening hours. Both vary from show to show.

1. Register online. Most Sharjah trade shows give a free pass to visitors who register in advance on the official site. Conferences are different: the Library Conference charges for its programme, and its workshops need extra registration.
2. Check the hours. Many Expo Centre Sharjah shows open in the afternoon and run into the evening. SteelFab opens at 1 pm on its first three days; the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Expo runs until 10 pm.
3. Check the event type. The venue's public calendar mixes trade shows with retail sales and cultural fairs. Use the atndr listing or the organiser's site to confirm a show is for trade visitors.
4. Book meetings early. The Publishers Conference runs a matchmaking platform for rights meetings, and the Sharjah Investment Forum has an investor lounge. Slots fill before the event.
5. Pair it with Dubai. If you are flying in for a Dubai flagship, check whether a Sharjah fair in your sector falls in the same week.