The Southland Home Show returns to ILT Stadium Southland in Invercargill on 15-16 August 2026, a free-entry building, renovation and lifestyle exhibition running annually since 1996.
The Southland Home Show returns to ILT Stadium Southland in Invercargill on 15-16 August 2026, a free-entry exhibition that fills the stadium with building, renovation and home-lifestyle exhibitors. The organiser describes it as Southland's premier showcase for building and associated products, spanning everything from carpet, paint and wallpaper to windows, doors, bathrooms, roofing, heating, kitchens, flooring, double glazing and outdoor living.
According to the official show website, the event has been held annually since it was first staged in 1996 and takes place across the floor of the ILT Stadium, one of the country's larger indoor venues. The show's Info page lists nine different builders alongside architects, designers, energy consultants, furnishers, paint and wallpaper suppliers, roofers, insulation contractors, bedding specialists, kitchen and cabinetry makers, carpet and flooring specialists, double-glazing retrofitters, heat-pump and wood-burner suppliers and more. Admission is free, and the organiser encourages visitors planning to build or renovate to bring their plans and questions to talk through with exhibitors on the day.
The show is run by George Owen, who local news outlet What's On Invers reports has been involved since its inception in 1996. Owen told the outlet ahead of the 2025 event that it was the only home show in the country never to have missed a year, having run even on election day in 2020. The 2025 edition marked the show's 30th anniversary. Owen has a long history in the sector, having been involved in home shows around New Zealand for two decades before launching the Southland event.
The show is aimed at homeowners and prospective builders and renovators, as well as anyone shopping for home and lifestyle products. What's On Invers reported that the 2025 event gathered more than 100 exhibitors, with the stadium's stand plan featuring national and regional names including G.J. Gardner Homes, Jennian Homes, Latitude Homes, Bennett Homes, Choices Flooring, Thwaites Aluminium, Edwards & Hardy Roofing and Premier Insulation, plus finance, energy-efficiency and home-technology specialists. The outlet also noted the addition of food vendors to the mix for browsing visitors.
ILT Stadium Southland is located on Surrey Park Road in Invercargill, at the southern tip of New Zealand's South Island. The city is served by Invercargill Airport, a short drive from the centre with domestic connections to the main North and South Island hubs, and the stadium sits within the Surrey Park sporting precinct a few minutes from the city centre. Invercargill offers a range of central-city accommodation within easy reach of the venue. This venue and travel context is provided for reporting purposes only.
With an unbroken run since 1996, the Southland Home Show is a fixture of the region's mid-winter calendar and one of the deep south's longest-running trade and consumer exhibitions. For Southland's building, trades and home-improvement businesses it remains a significant annual point of contact with local buyers, and its longevity gives it a notable place in New Zealand's regional events landscape.
Show times for 2026 had not been confirmed on the official site at the time of research; at the 2025 event the show ran from 10am to 5pm on both days.
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