Toy Fair® 2023: Where the business of play comes to life
When the doors to open to Toy Fair® 2023, taking place September 30 to October 3 at the Javits Center in New York City, the global play community will be met with a reimagined show that will provide industry stakeholders with more business-building experiences, insights, and tools than ever.
“Helping members across our industry evolve alongside an ever-changing retail landscape is at the forefront of everything we do,” said Kimberly Carcone, executive vice president of global market events at The Toy Association, producer of Toy Fair. “Buying and selling remain at the foundation of Toy Fair, but guests can also anticipate more activities that facilitate the exchange of ideas, offer new insights and education, unlock access to key media, and foster relationships.”
While tens of thousands of new toys and games will be on display from companies of all sizes and from countries around the world, this year’s show has also added new initiatives that will specifically help the buyer community maximize their time and bolster critical business-boosting connections. A new Visual Merchandising Initiative, which will require exhibitors to make product visible in at least 20% of their booth space, is designed to encourage exhibitors to create visually creative and inviting booths that better welcome buyers, global press, and play professionals into their space. The initiative, which was developed based on feedback from past shows, also aims to tear down the physical barriers that can sometimes limit exhibit-buyer interactions. The most playful, welcoming, and attractive booths will be up for Toy Fair’s inaugural Reimagination Awards.
Crayola, Fat Brain Toys, Melissa & Doug, Jazwares, The LEGO Group, and Spin Master are just a few of the nearly 1,000 companies showcasing products across various categories including educational toys, outdoor toys, pop culture collectibles, eco-friendly toys, games, and much more. Along with the return of Launch Pad, a space dedicated specifically to showcasing first-time exhibitors, new dedicated product zones, showcases, and pavilions will also emphasize the growing impact of toys and play in parallel industries, and vice-versa, and the business opportunities these spaces may offer. The World of Toys Pavilion in partnership with Spielwarenmesse eG will spotlight brands and playthings from around the world; a Halloween Pavilion will showcase the influence of Halloween-related products and experiences; a “Hot for Holiday” display will highlight what families will be vying for in Q4 2023; and a new “Pet PLAYce” section will feature playful products for pets.
Attendees can also gain additional industry insights by taking advantage of Toy Fair University’s robust lineup of educational programming. Taking place throughout the four-day show, sessions will explore everything from new retail strategies, to the interaction of play and business in the metaverse, to generative AI programs like ChatGPT, to updates on U.S. safety regulations, and more. One not-to-miss session is The Toy Association’s Toy Trends Briefing, which will offer new data on its 2023 toy trends and a first look at some new 2024 insights. Different educational tracks also make it easy for attendees to customize a schedule to best meet their business needs.
Toy Fair will take place at the Javits Convention Center from Saturday, September 30 to Tuesday, October 3, 2023. For more information, visit www.ToyFairNY.com.