The Toy Association will bring the industry back together this spring for Toy Fair New York, taking place May 1-4, 2021 at the Javits Center.
In his latest President’s Letter, The Toy Association’s Steve Pasierb says that a window of opportunity was presented for May, and the Association took it.
“The Toy Association’s trade events effectively and efficiently help members and the industry do more business more often, whether large- or small-scale,” Pasierb says. “We canvassed our primary audience of retail buyers and toy sellers to determine whether they want us to plan for a May 2021 tradeshow. They said yes! We heard from them that the first few days of May have high potential, and the timing is relevant to specialty, long-lead, and mass-market retailers. May serves specialty in time for Q4 2021; is well-timed for long lead and mass to conduct or complete Spring/Summer 2022 line reviews; and may even offer some early views for Q4 2022.”
A May edition of Toy Fair New York will present some new opportunities, particularly in the expansion of digital opportunities such as Toy Fair Everywhere, which is rolling out a year-round platform later this year. The Association says that it expects Toy Fair to be a smaller affair with less extravagant displays and a different mix of exhibitors.
In the event that the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic is not contained and a spring Toy Fair cannot be produced safely, Pasierb says that the event will be canceled.
“If the event needs to be canceled, as is the long-standing show policy, any monies paid will shift toward Toy Fair New York in February 2022, when it returns to the newly expanded and state-of-the-art Javits Center,” he says. “In fact, almost all 2021 exhibitors had already shifted to 2022, so May again presents a more immediate opportunity.”
