Spielwarenmesse Distributes Toy Donations Following Annual International Fair

Toy donations from nearly 800 exhibitors at this year’s Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair have been distributed.

For more than 40 years, organizers at Spielwarenmesse eG have coordinated the annual toy drive campaign, and this year’s donations filled more than 30 Euro pallets with everything from board games and plush to the latest in electronic toys. The donations were distributed to groups in and around Nuremberg, as well as to SOS Children’s Villages throughout Germany.

“The donation campaign is a matter that is very close to the hearts of our team and our exhibitors,” says Ernst Kick, CEO of Spielwarenmesse eG. “The toys bring moments of joy to many children across Germany and in the local vicinity.”

Eight local organizations and charities were selected, including the Sternenhimmel day nursery in the district of Eberhardshof. The gifts were officially presented by Kick and Teena, the Spielwarenmesse mascot, on May 21.

Preparations are underway for Spielwarenmesse 2020, taking place from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2. Exhibitors will once again be encouraged to donate their toys following the show.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.