Art fairs in the US through the collector's year

The fair year opens on the West Coast. Frieze Los Angeles takes place in February at Santa Monica Airport, and the week around it is the busiest of the year for Los Angeles galleries, with openings, satellite fairs and events across the city. It is a good moment to see the Los Angeles scene at full strength. Read the frieze los angeles guide and pair it with our art galleries los angeles guide.

Spring brings two major fairs in two cities.

• EXPO CHICAGO takes place in April at Navy Pier, with galleries from across the country and abroad and a busy week of openings in the West Loop and River North. Read the expo chicago guide and our chicago art galleries guide.
• Frieze New York takes place in May at The Shed at Hudson Yards, a compact fair close to Chelsea, and the week around it is one of New York's busiest. Read the frieze new york guide.

The Armory Show takes place in September at the Javits Center in Manhattan, and it coincides with the start of the New York gallery season, when many galleries open their fall exhibitions. It is a strong week to see both a large fair and the city's galleries at once. Read the art at the armory guide and our art galleries nyc guide.

The year closes in Miami. Art Basel Miami Beach takes place in early December at the Miami Beach Convention Center, and satellite fairs run the same week across Miami Beach and Wynwood. It is the most crowded fair week in the American calendar, with galleries, collections and events across the city. Read the art basel miami guide and our miami art galleries guide.

Fairs are intense. A little planning makes the difference between seeing everything and seeing nothing well.

• Read the exhibitor list before you go and mark the galleries you most want to see.
• Use the fair map to plan a route by section, and start with your priority booths.
• Preview days are busy with collectors who were invited by galleries. Public days are often calmer for looking.
• Wear comfortable shoes, carry water, and take breaks. Fair halls are large.
• Photograph wall labels or booth checklists so you remember titles and galleries later.
• Leave time for the city's galleries. Fair week is when many galleries open their strongest shows.
• Look beyond the main fair. Satellite fairs in the same week often show younger galleries and emerging artists at a smaller scale.
• Keep a simple list during the day with booth, gallery, title and price, so your follow up emails are quick to write in the evening.

Fair booths move quickly. Most booths have a priced list of the works on view, on paper or by email, ready for anyone who asks.

• Ask for the price of a work by title and booth number.
• Expect a much shorter hold at a fair than in a gallery, since the whole collecting crowd is in one hall for a few days.
• If a work is sold, ask whether the gallery has related work in its inventory.
• Ask what the price includes. Sales tax rules and shipping from the fair to your home are usually listed separately on the invoice.

What happens after you say yes, from invoice to crate to delivery, is in our guide to buying art from galleries.

Galleries meet many collectors in a few days, so a short email right after the fair matters. Name the fair, the booth and the work by title, and ask one clear question. If you missed a work, ask whether similar work is available. Give galleries a few days to get back after the fair closes.