The toy industry’s biggest commerce show — which attracts 1,000 distributors from around the globe and which has been in New York for greater than a century — could choose up stakes and leave city, The Post has discovered.
After two canceled reveals as a result of pandemic, business honchos are contemplating modifications to the Toy Fair, sources instructed The Post: One choice is to maneuver the annual commerce show to the autumn as a substitute of its typical February date.
The different choice is to leave the Big Apple altogether, sources instructed The Post.
The Toy Association is in discussions with Jacob Okay. Javits Convention Center concerning the transfer, group spokesperson Adrienne Appell confirmed.
“We’ve been adamant that every aspect of Toy Fair is on the table and open for change to make certain it serves the industry both today and for years to come,” Toy Association CEO Steve Pasierb mentioned in an announcement to members final week.
The affiliation has mentioned shifting the show from its February date – it has been held in February since 1987 – to later within the year for a while, Appell mentioned, however the pandemic accelerated the method.
Manufacturers say exhibiting their latest toys within the peak vacation interval — when they may get extra media consideration — makes extra sense than ready till February after the biggest season for toys is over.
What’s extra, the function of the commerce show is altering, they are saying. Big retailers and toy makers have discovered new methods to attach throughout the pandemic that don’t contain touring to see one another in particular person.
“In the past, you might make a grueling trip to Bentonville, Ark. [where Walmart is based] to show just one new toy for maybe 20 or 30 minutes,” mentioned one toy government who didn’t need to be recognized. “Now we’ve been doing that all on Zoom.”
The Javits Center declined to remark. If it will possibly’t accommodate a fall date for the Toy Associations annual show, the biggest toy commerce honest within the Western Hemisphere could decamp to a different metropolis, together with Las Vegas, Orlando or Chicago, an insider instructed The Post.
In January, the Feb. 19-22 show was canceled for the second year in a row as a result of pandemic.
The Toy Association board on Feb. 18 is ready to fulfill to map out the occasion’s future.
“There is a hundred-year history here, so we are carefully discussing,” the entire implications of shifting the show, Appell mentioned.
