While Toy Fair New York and the 72nd Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair have been called off, the British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) is holding firm with its plans to hold its annual Toy Fair in the UK. The Toy Fair is set to take place Jan. 25-27 at the Olympia in London.
Following a statement issued on Jan. 5, the BTHA issued another update on Friday to assure attendees that the London event is a go.
“The BTHA is aware of understandable concerns and rumors about the Toy Fair still taking place … [and] would like to confirm its Toy Fair is planned to go ahead as scheduled,” the organization said. “The Association would like to express its great sadness for and empathy with the organizers, the exhibitors, visitors, and participants of both the Nuremberg and New York fairs in the situation that has led to those shows being canceled … The BTHA understands how tough the decision would have been for our friends at these shows. The Toy Fair in London faces a different set of circumstances, which allow us to proceed to deliver the show and we look forward to welcoming participants from the UK and international toy community to the Fair. Many large businesses, cultural, social, and sporting events are going ahead in the UK and the appetite for the Toy Fair is one of enthusiasm for it to go ahead as planned in most quarters of our sector.”
In the wake of the global cancelations on the trade show circuit, many toymakers are falling back on virtual presentations, but rest assured that Adventure Media & Events — publisher of the Toy Book, the Toy Insider, and the Pop Insider — is moving full steam ahead to showcase all the latest new products and industry insight. The annual BIG Toy Book — which usually debuts at TFNY — will still see a February release alongside the Winter ’22 issue of the Pop Insider.
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