The southern hemisphere’s biggest horticulture conference will take place in Adelaide SA and most industry participants will be in attendance
Australia and New Zealand’s premier horticulture event, Hort Connections will be staged at the Adelaide Convention Centre in 2026, over an expanded four-day program from Monday to Thursday the 1 to 4 June.
The conference and trade show continues to grow each year, with over 3,900 delegates attending last year in Brisbane, with signs that number will increase in 2026.
Co-hosted by AUSVEG and the International Fresh Produce Association Australia-New Zealand (IFPA ANZ), Hort Connections is the biggest horticulture event in the southern hemisphere, with the trade show already 90% sold out.
Former Olympic swimmer Giaan Rooney will return as Hort Connections MC in 2026, with the event to feature a line-up of world-class speakers and presenters, including:
- Kim McDonnell – The Founder and CEO of Saveful, which is helping families and the way they approach food use.
- Chefs Simon Toohey, Laura Sharrad, Michael Weldon, Sarah Pound and Callum Hann – All five will be appearing in the Activation Lounge, talking about, and demonstrating how they use their ingredients sustainably to create magnificent dishes using fresh Australian fruit and veggies.
There are more speaker announcements to come in the weeks ahead, and you can learn more here.
Hort Connections 2026 will also be held under a new structure and program aimed at enhancing delegate and exhibitor experiences
Day one will be dedicated to tours of local farming and processing operations, while day two will play host to all of the plenary speaker sessions, followed by the opening of the trade show, and a welcome event at the Adelaide Oval.
Days three and four will see two full days dedicated to the trade show, including speaker sessions and activations, with the Gala Dinner and Horticulture Awards for Excellence to be held on Thursday night.
Early bird registrations are closing on Friday, 20 March, providing discounted pricing for trade show registrations. Secure your spot now on this link.
AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote had this to say about the event, “Every year, Hort Connections continues finding ways to address the big issues, themes, topics and questions that growers and industry stakeholders want answered.
“With a new, expanded format in Adelaide for in 2026, anticipation is building ahead of what is sure to be another action-packed conference and trade show,” Michael added.
IFPA ANZ Managing Director Belinda Wilson summarised the event, “This is not just an industry event, we’re bringing together the whole supply chain, from growers right through to retail.
“From the moment we land in Adelaide SA, we’re taking the opportunity to showcase fresh produce and our work building a future where food is healthy, accessible, and sustainably produced for generations to come.
“Hort Connections celebrates our people, our innovation and builds meaningful connections to benefit the whole supply chain. What I’m especially looking forward to is hearing from Australia’s biggest retailers with state of industry updates,” Belinda concluded.
