![ASTRA Toy Boat Sets Sail for 2023 Winter Trade Show [UPDATED]](https://toybook.com/wp-content/themes/adventure-publications-parent-theme/src/images/toyinsider_missingimage.jpg)
Originally published March 14, 2022, 3:00 p.m. ET | Updated: March 15, 2022, 12:46 p.m. ET
Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale — a tale of a toy show on a ship.
The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) has revealed plans to set sail next year with the ASTRA Toy Boat. The floating trade show will hit the open waters in what ASTRA says is “a warm location” from Feb. 20-24, 2023.
ASTRA says that the decision to have a February show was motivated by the reimagining of Toy Fair New York to being a fall show beginning next year. ASTRA Toy Boat is not a replacement for the traditional Marketplace & Academy.
“At our in-person board meeting this weekend at the conclusion of ToyFest West in Las Vegas, our board of directors brainstormed about this innovative format for a winter toy trade show that will combine a focus on new products early in the year, order-writing, relationship-building, and lots of family fun,” says ASTRA President Sue Warfield.
Beyond the trade, ASTRA says that it hopes to combine a traditional toy industry trade show experience with a community element by inviting families to come aboard and interact directly with toy and game manufacturers.
Following the move by The Toy Association to revamp Toy Fair New York, ASTRA sent out a survey to members and non-members alike. The organization says that the key takeaways were that the industry wants a February in-person show with a focus on new products early in the year. ASTRA says that “the ASTRA Toy Boat meets all these needs and combines it with the opportunity to make it a family vacation.”
Since originally publishing this article, Warfield has offered some answers to questions that have emerged in the past 24 hours. She says:
- This is not replacing the 2023 Marketplace & Academy. ASTRA is already booked for Columbus, Ohio, June 11-14, 2023.
- ASTRA Toy Boat is not a replacement for any other shows — this is a totally new experience. Warfield says that the event will have meeting areas for TGTG, Learning Express and ToyFest West with a goal of uniting the specialty industry under one roof.
- ASTRA Toy Boat was created in response to the survey sent to members and non-members. The overall response showed that they wanted something to happen during the traditional timeframe of Toy Fair New York in February.
- ASTRA Toy Boat will not be a “regular” trade show, but more of a tabletop show of new products with the ability to work with retailers for orders on new and existing products.
- It will be only a 4-day cruise with only one full day at sea.
- ASTRA will not have the entire ship which allows it an opportunity to spread the ASTRA brand among consumers. This may involve setting up a gaming or play session for consumers onboard.
Full details on the ASTRA Toy Boat, including the cruise ship provider and all related pricing, will be revealed in the weeks and months ahead.
The next full show, ASTRA Marketplace & Academy, is slated to occur in Long Beach, California, June 12-15, 2022.
