January 31, 2017 | In just a few weeks, more than 1,100 toy companies from startups to veteran brands will showcase the industry’s hottest new toys and games at the 114th North American International Toy Fair, taking place February 18-21 in New York City.
To accommodate an abundance of first-time exhibitors at the show, Toy Fair ’17 will feature an expanded area in Hall 1E of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, dubbed the “Launch Pad.” This section will be dedicated exclusively to show newcomers looking to unveil their fresh inventions and unique toys in front of 30,000 global Toy Fair attendees.
“With first-time exhibitors all housed in the Launch Pad, it will be easy to find the exciting array of innovative playthings created by up-and-coming toymakers, as well as unique products from international companies hoping to get a foothold in the U.S. market,” said Marian Bossard, senior vice president of global market events at the Toy Industry Association (TIA), the trade group that produces Toy Fair. “These newcomers were chosen to exhibit through a new selection process implemented for 2017 and will provide visitors a fresh and exciting perspective on the future of youth entertainment products. Our goal is for Launch Pad to be as representative as possible of the variety of toys and games attendees will find throughout the entire show.”
She added that retailers exploring the Launch Pad will have access to toys and games from exhibitors representing 18 countries, including the U.S., Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK, and Poland. A total of 30 countries will be represented by exhibitors at Toy Fair.
As the largest toy, game, and youth entertainment marketplace in the Western Hemisphere, Toy Fair will feature hundreds of thousands of toys and games from both new and veteran toymakers across a whopping 443,000 net square feet of exhibit space – a 7 percent increase in exhibit space over 2016.
To date, buyer delegations from 18 of the top 25 toy sellers representing the $26 billion U.S. toy industry have registered for Toy Fair, including Toys“R”Us, Wal-Mart Stores, and Target. Toy Fair also attracts a sizable number of specialty toy store buyers in search of eye-catching toys, creative products, and educational playthings that will draw shoppers to their stores.
Toy Fair buyers who would like to connect with exhibitors and scout products before the show opens are encouraged to check out ShopToys365.com, the industry’s only dynamic digital social marketplace allowing toy buyers and sellers to connect and conduct business online before, during, and after Toy Fair.
Toy Fair 2017 will take place February 18-21 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. With more events and happenings being added to the schedule each day, visit www.ToyFairNY.com for up-to-the minute details on exhibitor listings, educational sessions, and more, or download the free Toy Fair Mobile app on iTunes or Google Play.
