Showcase Ireland 2027 runs from 17 to 19 January 2027 at the RDS, Dublin, and it is open to trade buyers only, so a first-time exhibitor is selling to retail buyers rather than the public. Below you will find the hours, how to get a stand, budgeting, preparation and the printed materials that earn their place on a small stand.

When and where is the next Showcase Ireland?

Summary: Showcase runs from Sunday 17 to Tuesday 19 January 2027 at the RDS, Dublin, and is open to trade buyers only. Full details are published on the official Showcase Ireland website.

Doors open at 9.30am on all three days. Sunday and Monday run until 6.00pm, and Tuesday closes an hour earlier at 5.00pm. Exhibitor access times are set by the organisers, so confirm them directly with DCCI.

This is not a consumer shopping event. Showcase is exclusively for retail buyers and industry professionals, which means the people walking your aisle are sourcing stock for shops, department stores and distribution rather than buying a single gift. Buyers register online in advance for a badge, which gives them fast-track entry on the day.

Detail	Confirmed information
Dates	Sunday 17 to Tuesday 19 January 2027
Venue	RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Opening hours	Sun 9.30am to 6.00pm, Mon 9.30am to 6.00pm, Tue 9.30am to 5.00pm
Who can attend	Trade visitors and retail buyers only, not the general public
Presented by	Design & Crafts Council Ireland, supported by Enterprise Ireland
Buyer registration	Official trade badge registration

Is Showcase Ireland suitable for a first-time exhibitor?

Summary: Showcase is a trade show presented by the Design & Crafts Council Ireland and supported by Enterprise Ireland. It suits a first-time exhibitor who is genuinely wholesale-ready, and it frustrates one who is not.

The official site has a dedicated home and gift section. Scale is the reason first-timers take it seriously: the organisers report that over 3,350 buyers attend and generate sales orders exceeding €25.6 million across the three days, with more than 400 Irish brands exhibiting (showcaseireland.com).

The upside for a new brand is concentrated buyer access you cannot replicate with cold emails, plus honest market feedback. A buyer who picks up your piece, checks the price and puts it down again has told you something useful. Contacts made in January often convert months later rather than on the stand.

Be realistic. Attendance guarantees nothing. Buyers expect wholesale prices, a minimum order quantity, a stated lead time, payment terms and a brand that can still deliver in March when the orders land together. If you are not there yet, spend a year getting ready and visit first.

A defined, edited range rather than everything you have ever made
Trade pricing that still works at wholesale margin, with RRP guidance
Minimum order quantities and reorder terms you can actually honour
Production and fulfilment capacity for multi-shop orders
Public and product liability insurance in place
A line sheet, order forms and professional product photography

How do I apply for and book a stand?

Summary: Showcase does not publish an open application form, stand types or stand prices on its public website, so the route in is a direct conversation with the organisers or with your Local Enterprise Office.

Contact the Design & Crafts Council Ireland through the official Showcase Ireland site and ask for the current exhibitor pack for the next edition. That pack is where stand types, sizes, hall locations and rates are set out. Because nothing is listed publicly, treat any figure you find on a forum or an old blog post as out of date, and do not build a budget on it. Ask for the rate in writing, and ask whether the quoted figure includes VAT.

Ask the organisers how stands are allocated. Many first-time exhibitors come through Local Enterprise Office supported programmes.

Whatever the stand fee turns out to be, it is not your total cost. Budget separately for the items below before you sign anything.

Electrical connection, sockets and additional stand lighting
Furniture hire, shelving, plinths and flooring or carpet
Graphics, signage, print and any custom build approval
Delivery of stock and display kit to the RDS, plus storage
Travel, parking, and accommodation if you are travelling from outside Dublin
Staffing for three full days, including cover for breaks
Stock to fulfil the orders you hope to take

What grants and supports can help first-time exhibitors?

Summary: Local Enterprise Offices are the main support route for first-time Showcase exhibitors, and the Design & Crafts Council Ireland runs the show itself, so both are worth contacting early. Nothing is guaranteed, and terms differ by county.

LEO support typically combines a call-out for places on a supported or shared county stand with mentoring, trade-readiness training and help preparing for buyer meetings. Eligibility, funding levels and closing dates are set locally, which is why two makers in neighbouring counties can get very different answers.

Timing is the thing that catches people out. Local Enterprise Office call-outs can close many months before the show. If a deadline has passed, your realistic target is the following edition, so make the call early.

Expect to be asked for:

Product photographs and a current wholesale price list
Evidence that you are trade ready, including capacity and lead times
Insurance details
A short business or market-entry plan, and sometimes recent accounts

Do not commit spending on the assumption of funding. Confirm in writing which costs are eligible, because stand fees, travel and display materials are treated differently from one scheme to the next.

What should I expect before, during and after the show?

Summary: Once your stand is confirmed, ask the organisers for the exhibitor information and deadlines, and read them straight away.

Ask what the organisers need from you and by when: electrics, furniture and services, exhibitor passes, insurance certificates and delivery slots are the usual list. Build times, loading access, waste removal and approval for any custom structure are all set by the organisers, and custom builds need sign-off in advance. Our guide to trade show logistics covers the delivery side, and the exhibition checklist is a useful cross-check against the manual.

Stage	What to do
Before	Order services, arrange insurance and deliveries, print line sheets and order forms, brief your team, rehearse your pitch
Set-up	Arrive early, build within permitted hours, keep aisles clear, remove packaging, test lighting and card payments
Show days	Be on stand before doors open, keep it staffed and tidy, qualify visitors quickly, record every lead, write orders accurately
Breakdown	Never pack away before the show closes on Tuesday, dismantle at the official time, confirm collection in advance
Follow-up	Send quotations, samples and order confirmations within days, not weeks

Two small habits separate professional stands from amateur ones: nobody eats on the stand, and nobody scrolls a phone where a buyer can see it. Prioritise your follow-up by intent, so confirmed orders and sample requests go out first, and general enquiries after.

How can I create an effective stand display on a limited budget?

Summary: One clear message, a small edited range and good lighting will beat a crowded stand every time. Buyers decide from the aisle whether to stop.

Give the stand a focal point at eye level, group products by collection or by use, and leave clear space where a buyer can handle a piece and talk terms with you. A clean fabric backdrop frames the work without competing with it, and our trade show backdrop options pack down small enough to travel by car. A full-drop printed tablecloth hides stock and personal bags underneath, which matters more than most first-timers expect.

Use height for signage and low surfaces for product, so sightlines stay open
Bestsellers and new-season pieces at eye level, everything else below
Reusable shelves, plinths and storage boxes rather than one-off build
Label collections discreetly, with prices on a sheet rather than on tags
Check the organiser's height, fixing and fire-safety rules before you buy anything

Build the layout at home first, photograph it, and pack to that photo. Bring a repair kit with tape, hooks, cable ties, scissors, cleaning cloths and spare fixings, because something always needs adjusting on set-up day.

What printed display materials should I bring?

Summary: Bring one strong banner, plenty of cards, a line sheet and an order form. Everything else is optional.

A roller banner is the simplest way to be readable from the aisle. Keep it to a logo, a short proposition and one strong product image, because dense text goes unread. Our pull-up banner range includes interchangeable and PVC-free options if you plan to exhibit again, and branded lanyards tell buyers instantly who to talk to. Have your business cards, line sheets, price lists and order forms ready well before the show.

Item	What it does	Print or digital
Roller banner	Stops buyers in the aisle	Print
Business cards	Name, role, email, phone, website, trade social account	Print, generously
Lookbook or folded leaflet	Collections, trade benefits, brand story	Print a limited run
Line sheet and trade price list	Codes, wholesale prices, RRP, minimum order quantity	Print for the stand, email after
Order form	Accurate orders with terms and delivery dates	Print, in duplicate
Full catalogue and stock lists	Detail for buyers who ask	QR code to a digital version
Thank-you postcards	Goes in sample and follow-up packs	Print

Base quantities on the conversations you expect, then add a third. Keep PDF backups on your phone and a spare set of price lists in the car.

Frequently asked questions

How much are Showcase Ireland tickets, and do visitors need to register in advance?

No public ticket price is published, because Showcase is a trade event rather than a consumer show. Retail buyers and industry professionals register online in advance for a badge, which gives fast-track entry at the RDS. Register through the official site and check it for current entry requirements. Exhibitors do not buy visitor tickets; they book a stand through the organisers.

Who are the Showcase Ireland exhibitors?

More than 400 Irish brands exhibit, so check the official Showcase Ireland site for the current line-up rather than an older published list.

What types of products will be on display?

The official site has a dedicated home and gift section, and the full product mix changes with each edition, so check the official site for the current categories.

Does "showcases" mean the same thing as Showcase Ireland?

No. "Showcases" is simply the plural of the ordinary word, used for any event or display that presents products. Showcase Ireland is the proper name of one specific annual trade event, held at the RDS in Dublin each January and presented by the Design & Crafts Council Ireland.

What should I do next if I want to exhibit?

Summary: Three steps, in this order, before you spend anything.

Check eligibility and the current exhibitor information on the official Showcase Ireland website.
Request the current exhibitor pack from the organisers so you have real stand options and rates in writing.
Contact your own Local Enterprise Office about supported stands, mentoring and training, and ask when the next call-out closes.

Set your total budget before you sign a stand contract, covering the stand, travel, accommodation, display equipment, print and three days of staffing. Once your stand dimensions and the organiser's rules are confirmed, order your reusable banners and table coverings in one go, so everything arrives together and matches. Get your business cards, line sheets and brochures sorted at the same time.

We have over 20 years' experience in large-format print and display. Get in touch for a quote with your stand size and we will tell you what is worth printing and what is not.

Exhibiting at Showcase Ireland for the First Time? Start Here