Negros Trade Fair Turns 40 With Its Biggest Bloom Yet

Four decades after 30 vendors gathered to create new opportunities for Negros, the Negros Trade Fair returns with 178 brands, a wider regional reach, and a celebration called Butlak.

Forty years ago, the future of Negros looked uncertain. The collapse of the sugar industry had left many communities searching for new ways to survive. In response, sugar farm workers and local communities turned to what they knew and what they could create. Food, weaving, furniture, handicrafts, and art became sources of livelihood.

In 1986, 30 vendors from Negros Occidental brought those creations to the Makati Carpark for the first Negros Trade Fair. What began as a gathering of local producers would grow into one of the country’s most enduring regional trade events.

This year, as the Negros Trade Fair marks its 40th edition, it looks back at where it began while opening the door to a much bigger future. The theme is Butlak, a Hiligaynon word that means the rising of the sun or a bloom. It is a fitting name for a fair born out of adversity, and one that has spent four decades helping local businesses find their footing, grow their audiences, and build new opportunities.

“During one of the early Negros Trade Fairs, the theme was Hope Shines in Negros,” recalls Mary Ann Colmenares, Chairperson of the Negros Trade Fair. “This is the mindset that has consistently guided us throughout the 40 years of the trade fair.”

For generations of Negrense producers, hope was never simply an idea. It meant finding a way forward. That shared determination eventually helped shape the foundations of the fair and led to the creation of the Association of Negros Producers (ANP), which continues to support MSMEs, artisans, and producers across the region.

“Our task is to find ways for brands to grow and to drive economic growth,” says ANP President Christina Gaston. “While ANP is the incubator, the fair is the platform.”

And after 40 years, that platform is bigger than ever.

One Island, 178 Brands

BUTLAK: The 40th Negros Trade Fair will bring together 178 brands, representing a broader and more connected Negros Island Region.

The fair has long championed businesses with roots in Negros, but its reach now extends beyond the province of Negros Occidental. Brands and communities from Negros Oriental and Siquijor are part of this year’s celebration, reflecting a more united regional identity.

The guiding principle remains clear, according to Gaston: support businesses connected to Negros and the communities that make them possible.

“We are interested in showcasing the brands that are from Negros; that have roots or linkages to Negros; or are helping communities or artisans in Negros,” she says.

That wider vision has brought remarkable variety to this year’s lineup, from silk weavers and artisans to hospitality brands and real estate developments.

“We really try to bring all that the Negros Island region has to offer to the fair,” Colmenares says.

Negros, Beyond Sugarlandia

For its 40th year, the Negros Trade Fair is also pushing past the familiar images often associated with the region. Yes, there is Sugarlandia. There are heritage houses, old haciendas, and the flavors that have made Negros a destination for food lovers. But there is much more.

“We are in bloom as we celebrate our 40th,” says Colmenares.

The Butlak campaign captures that wider picture, bringing together the region’s growing communities of designers, makers, artists, entrepreneurs, and producers under one roof.

“We are not limiting ourselves moving forward,” she adds. “We endeavor to embrace the other SMEs from other parts of the Negros Island Region.”

A Growing Home for Negros Style

Fashion and lifestyle are taking up more space at this year’s fair, with brands such as Camille Villanueva, StyleLoft, Pinas Sadya, Reveri by Ria Bolivar, and Hacienda Mar among the names joining the lineup.

The expansion reflects the region’s deep connection to local textiles and craftsmanship. Negros has long drawn from a rich weaving tradition, tropical fibers, and natural dyes, materials that continue to inspire a new generation of makers.

It is part of a broader shift in what people now associate with Negros: not just heritage, but a growing creative identity shaped by both tradition and contemporary design.

Furniture and Design With a Distinct Negros DNA

Negros has also built a strong reputation for furniture, decor, and objects made from materials close to home. Abaca, bamboo, rattan, and hablon have been transformed by local makers using techniques passed down through generations and reimagined for contemporary spaces.

This year, the fair will spotlight names including Hacienda Crafts, Art Energy, ARTISANA, Noah, Madera Handicrafts, and NVC, alongside artists and galleries from the region.

The result is a category that speaks to both craftsmanship and material intelligence—proof that local resources and traditional skills can continue to find new relevance.

The Flavors People Keep Coming Back For

For many longtime visitors, however, the food remains impossible to resist.

The 40th Negros Trade Fair brings back some of the region’s most recognizable names, including Bob’s Cafe, 21, Chicken House, El Ideal, and Virgie’s Homemade Products. They will be joined by newer food concepts that add another layer to Negros’ already formidable culinary reputation.

Food has always been one of the strongest reasons people return to the fair. This year, there is simply more to discover.

Forty Years and Still Looking Forward

The Negros Trade Fair has survived changing economies, changing markets, and changing generations. Its story began with people finding a way to create opportunity when one of the region’s biggest industries faltered. Four decades later, that same instinct remains at the heart of the event.

But Butlak is not only about looking back. It is about what comes next.

“We are always looking ahead with hopes that the next generation will continue what was started four decades ago,” says Colmenares.

Gaston shares the same outlook.

“Every year is different. Each generation brings with them evolution,” she says. “We look forward to more opportunities to collaborate, creating linkages for developing more products, and growing as a community.”

Now representing a united Negros Island and Siquijor, the fair enters its next chapter with a larger community, a wider range of industries, and the same belief that sparked it 40 years ago: that creativity can create opportunity. That belief has carried the Negros Trade Fair through four decades. And with Butlak, it blooms once again.

BUTLAK: The 40th Negros Trade Fair will run from September 22 to 27, 2026, at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura. For updates, follow @thenegrostradefair on Instagram.

^{All photos courtesy of Negros Trade Fair}

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