Trade Show of the Year

Open to organisers of professional hair industry trade shows and large-scale professional events operating within the region and eligibility period. Events entered must demonstrate active industry engagement, professional attendance and relevance within the professional hair industry.

Winning this award positions your event among the most respected and valuable gatherings within the professional hair industry, reinforcing credibility, visibility and long-term industry impact. It provides a powerful platform to strengthen future attendance, attract new partnerships and highlight the role your event plays in bringing the professional community together. Winners will also be invited to join the judging panel for The Indies - Salon & Stylist Awards UK.

• A written submission outlining the event concept, positioning and industry impact

• Evidence of attendance, exhibitor engagement, education activity or professional reach

• Supporting materials including event imagery, campaigns, speaker programmes, partnerships or marketing activity relevant to the eligibility period. Future direction and plans for continued growth or event development may also be included

• All activity must relate to the period 1 May 2025 – 30 April 2026.

How This Category Will Be Judged

Entries will first be reviewed based on the written submission, supporting evidence and overall impact within the professional hair industry. Judges will consider industry relevance, professional attendance, education, exhibitor experience, networking opportunities and the overall value the event brings to the salon and stylist community.

As this is a regional award, entries will be judged against others within their selected market across the UK, Europe, USA or APAC, with an individual winner recognised within each region.

Judges may also consider event growth, industry engagement, speaker line-ups, brand participation, visitor experience and the overall role the trade show plays within the professional industry.

To keep the process fair and independent, entries may be reviewed across multiple judging stages by different members of the judging panel.

This category is not open to consumer-only events without professional industry relevance. Events without active professional attendance, education or trade engagement within the professional hair industry will not be considered. You can not enter a region that your event doesn't have a physical presence in.

To protect the integrity of the awards, all judges are required to declare any professional, commercial or personal relationships with entrants prior to scoring. Any judge with a declared conflict of interest will not be permitted to review, discuss or score the relevant entry or category.

Entry Recommendations

Strong entries should clearly demonstrate the event’s impact, industry relevance and overall value to the professional hair community. Judges are looking for trade shows that genuinely bring the industry together through education, networking, brand discovery and professional engagement.

Supporting event imagery, attendance figures, exhibitor information, educational programmes, partnerships, campaigns, social content and examples of professional industry impact are strongly encouraged.

Entry Deadline

Final entry deadline for this category is 6 September 2026.

As this is a regional award, entries will be judged within their selected market across the UK, Europe, USA or APAC. Shortlisted entrants may be contacted directly regarding additional judging stages or further supporting information where applicable.