Cover Here’s everything in store for you at the 39th Negros Trade Fair at SMX Aura
Here’s everything in store for you at the 39th Negros Trade Fair at SMX Aura
1 / 1
The spirit of coming together is alive now more than ever at ‘Himbon: the 39th Negros Trade Fair’. Here’s everything you should watch out for this September 2025
Himbon, or “to gather,” has always been at the core of every Filipino value and tradition known to us. In bayanihan, we gather people. In fields, we gather crops. And in the world of craft-making, we gather supplies.
This year, the 39th Negros Trade Fair celebrates the unique stories that shape the Negrense way of life by bringing together the region’s finest in food, fashion, furniture and more.
Inspired by Himbon, the act of coming together under one shared purpose, the event brings 139 vendors together from September 23 to 28, 2025 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura.
In case you missed it: Meet Ramon “Chinchin” Uy, Jr: the man behind Slow Food Negros
Above Local government units have also joined the spirit of Himbon, extending their support to the MSMEs exhibiting at the 39th Negros Trade Fair.
Local government units have also joined the spirit of Himbon, extending their support to the MSMEs exhibiting at the 39th Negros Trade Fair.
1 / 1
For Mary Ann Colmenares, co-chair of the Negros Trade Fair, the event serves as a powerful platform to uplift and support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). “This year, we wanted to bring everyone together to remind us of the stories and values that unite us: our shared identity, community and heritage. Each year, we are also guided by our goal of expanding opportunities for our MSMEs.”
Meanwhile, Christina Gaston, president of the Association of Negros Producers, points out that with nearly 2,500 square metres of space, there’s plenty of room to welcome more vendors, event partners and curious visitors ready to discover what Negros has to offer. “This is our biggest trade fair in history. The Negros Trade Fair is a marketplace for all Negrenses. We also welcome vendors and businesses from the Negros Island Region. Our goal is to allow all our participating entrepreneurs to reach a larger audience or market during our trade fairs.”
More from Tatler: Save the date: The 38th Negros Trade Fair at Glorietta
Above What’s in store for you at the Negros Trade Fair 2025
Above The Negros Trade Fair 2025 brings together the best of the region
What’s in store for you at the Negros Trade Fair 2025
1 / 2
Local government units have also joined the spirit of Himbon, extending their support to the MSMEs exhibiting at the 39th Negros Trade Fair. Among the supporters are Negros Oriental, Bacolod Showroom, Bacolod City Tourism, the Provincial Peace and Order Council and the Balik Salig Program in Negros Occidental.
Other key partners include the Negros Occidental Technology and Livelihood Development Center, Department of Trade and Industry Negros Occidental Center, TESDA, the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan of Negros Occidental, Province of Negros Occidental Tourism, Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Fiesta Philippines.
They are further joined by the local government units of Bago, Silay, Talisay City, Himamaylan City, Sipalay, Cadiz, San Carlos, Hinigaran, Calatrava, Sagay, Kabankalan, Toboso, as well as the consortiums CASAMA (Cadiz, Sagay, Manapla), CHICKS (Candoni, Hinobaan, Ilog, Kabankalan, Sipalay), Bush Bash (San Carlos), Siquijor and Bacolod City.
“We always infuse Ilonggo flavour to the entire experience,” says Gaston. “As a people, Negrenses have been known to master the art of hospitality.
Apart from the wide array of food offerings, a longtime favourite among visitors, Himbon will also feature live music, a fully stocked bar operated by TESDA students, joyful reunions and the rekindling of generational ties.
“We’ve always had the vision for strengthening our identity as a collective or a region. Everything we do across all categories, from food to fashion, home and design, is always a reflection of our Negrense culture and how we translate it onto our products,” Colmenares says.
NOW READ
What is 7 Hectares and why is it important? Inside the “self-healing” fish farm in Negros
Growing gold: the story behind the Philippines’s award-winning criollo cacao
Filipino designer Vanessa Gaston talks heritage, craft and design philosophy
Credits
Interview: Before Deadlines
Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.
When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.
