Category: Events

Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the 50th edition of Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, the 15th Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and the 22nd Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair will be held from 8-11 January 2024 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. The fairs will return in EXHIBITION+ hybrid model, complemented by the “Click2Match”, an online smart business matching platform that will operate on 1-18 January, providing an extended platform for traders to connect beyond geographical limits.

NY NOW, owned by Emerald Holding, Inc (NYSE: EEX), the largest, premier wholesale trade show in New York serving the gift, home and accessories marketplace, is preparing for the 100th anniversary of the event with the upcoming 2024 Winter Market. At the center of this commemoration will be key enhancements aimed at providing an even more collaborative and immersive experience for the thousands of exhibitors and tens of thousands of attendees expected to attend NY NOW, scheduled for February 4–7, 2024, at New York City’s Javits Center. Designers, industry veterans, and members of the media are cordially invited to attend.

On November 18 and 19, Target held an open air 2023 Holiday Wonderland for New York citizens and families to attend. The event was packed with activities and opportunities to earn treats, target gift cards, swag, and more! Attractions included a full display of hot upcoming Target toys for holiday 2023, a miniature target check out counter and photo opp, a Nintendo booth with competitive Mario Kart, and a demo of the highly anticipated Super Mario Wonder, a full gingerbread house village diorama, a VR station, a cameo appearance from Bullseye the Dog,  and much much more.

Hasbro, a leading toy and game company, in collaboration with Amazon announced a free pop-up event in New York City to help families kick-off the enchanting holiday celebrations alongside their favorite Hasbro brands and characters. Showcasing a diverse selection of Hasbro’s top holiday toys now available in Amazon’s store (Hasbro Toyland), the special event will feature fun-filled holiday-themed activities, photo opportunities, product displays and more. The three-day event will take place on Friday, December 8 through Sunday, December 10, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. in New York, NY, on the High Line (between 15th St. and 16th St.).

Squishmallows by Jazwares and the Monster High Skullector Line by Mattel have received top honors, taking home the 2023 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards’ coveted overall “Toy of the Year” award and “People’s Choice” honor, respectively. A representation of the most creative, imaginative, and fun products perfect for gifting this holiday season, The Toy Foundation (TTF) previously announced the product category winners at the 2023 TOTY Awards celebration in September.

In celebration of Hasbro’s brand-new Monopoly campaign – All is Fair in Monopoly – the leading toy and game company is getting into the holiday spirit by partnering with SpotHero to offer over 1,000 free parking spots for Black Friday shoppers in five metropolitan US cities on Friday, November 24. In addition to the city specific, Monopoly Free Parking coupons, Monopoly and SpotHero will be offering a 10% off coupon to new and existing SpotHero users that can be used nationwide.

While ToyFest has evolved from a regional toy show for specialty retailers, based in Pomona, CA to a national show in Las Vegas, utilizing both permanent showrooms and temporary booths at the World Market Center Las Vegas, the basics have remained the same. The core value to the Western Toy & Hobby Representatives Association (WTHRA), the toy industry community, camaraderie, and celebration are at its pinnacle during the ToyFest Gala where awards are given to respected industry leaders. The 2024 Gala will see the induction of four members of the WTHRA Hall of Fame including Jan and Ken Hatch, The Erin Griffin Group; Tad Kato, Wildthings; Sandy Lepire and Andrea Peterson, Sunshine Sales; and Bruce Reynolds, Toyology. The Retailer of the Year will be awarded to Dinosaur Farm located in Pasadena, CA. The ToyFest Gala will take place at the Resorts World Lily Ballroom, Sunday, March 3, 2024, at 7:00 PM.

Almost 350 attendees from 20 countries gathered to honor the winners of People of Play (POP)’s 2023 Toy & Game International Excellence (TAGIE) Awards . Sponsors included Disney, Oxford Games, Mattel, The Michael Kohner Corporation, Hasbro, Longshore, Spin Master, ASTRA, Nextoy, Super Impulse, Backdrop.com, Baby Paper, Jazwares, Peggy Brown Creative and Barry & Jason Entertainment. Jill Barad, former CEO and Chairman of Mattel, and Rouben Terzian, Co-Founder of BMT Big Monster Toy were honored for Lifetime Achievement Award – presented by Jeffrey Breslow, co-founder BMT.

The Canadian Toy Association (CTA) is pleased to announce the 2023 inductees into the Canadian Toy Industry Hall of Fame. Jon Levy, Founder of Mastermind, Paule Rancourt, Managing Director of KID Toy and Kelly Woon, Vice President of North America Sales of Funrise, will be showcased and awarded for their contributions to the industry on November 16, 2023, at the Hall of Fame Gala Reception and Dinner at the Mississauga Convention Center.