After years in its traditional February slot it appears that Toy Fair New York will be shifting seasons and moving to the Autumn from 2023, remaining at the Javitts Center most likely in September. With New York Comic Con usually happening in early October, that could mean a busy time as visitors wing their way to the Big Apple.
In addition, a fall toy preview event (name TBD) will take place this year in Dallas from Sept. 20-22. With Toy Fair New York moving into the fall slot in 2023, Toy Fair Dallas will be retired.
The moves come following a year of research conducted by The Toy Association and its strategic partner mdg as part of the Toy Fair Reimagination Project.
According to Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Toy Association, the decision was made after consulting with the Association’s members throughout the industry, including manufacturers, buyers, licensors, media representatives, and others. Consideration was given to retail buying cycles, product development timelines, and other factors.
“Fall is a powerful pre-holiday opportunity for toy companies to get in front of the news media,” Pasierb tells the Toy Book. “Fall in New York City is also prime for licensors that hold meetings in the city during the same timeframe. This is an opportunity to do business in different ways at the same time.”
Additionally, Pasierb states that retail buyers have made it clear that they still want to do the unofficial “LA run” that traditionally takes place in Los Angeles and its suburbs in early September, however, many have little desire to stay for a full trade show event on top of scheduled meetings. With many of the LA-based companies opening their doors to buyers, it is likely, though not entirely confirmed, that some may approach their Toy Fair New York presentation in new ways.
Overall, the toy industry’s concerns have been heard and will continue to shape the future of Toy Fair as the Association moves forward with plans for a fresh event on an entirely new industry timeline.
Additional information regarding the Toy Association’s future plans on a variety of fronts, including government affairs, intellectual property (IP) protection, and more were revealed to members during the Association’s annual general meeting held this afternoon.
For continued updates, visit toyassociation.org.
[lasso box=”B09HCRKWXC” ref=”amzn-funko-pop-deluxe-star-wars-duel-of-the-fates-obi-wan-kenobi-amazon-exclusive-figure-2-of-3″ id=”169276″ link_id=”40021″]
