Hundreds of Thousands of Amazing Playthings in Four Days: The Western Hemisphere's Largest Toy Show Opens

NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This morning's opening of the 113^th North American International Toy Fair transformed the Jacob K. Javits Center into a marketplace of toys and innovation. From today through Tuesday, February 16, more than 30,000 registered global play professionals will display hundreds of thousands of new toys and games in the massive 415,000 square feet of exhibit space, filling it to the brims with the products that will dictate the year's toy and play trends.

Owned and operated by the U.S. Toy Industry Association (TIA), Toy Fair is the Western Hemisphere's largest and most important toy show. Many of the toys, games and youth entertainment products unveiled at the show will arrive on shelves throughout the course of 2016, many just in time for the holiday season.

"Over 1,200 companies choose New York Toy Fair to showcase their latest products to the 10,000 buyers and 33,000 total attendees from nearly 100 countries," said Steve Pasierb, TIA President and CEO.  "Momentum is everywhere as U.S. toy sales grew by nearly seven percent in 2015. Based on the extraordinary product we see being displayed at Toy Fair, 2016 should certainly continue that trend of sales growth."

Toy Fair opened this morning, kicking off four days of buying and selling, trend-spotting, networking and more. World-class educational sessions and special events will be held throughout Toy Fair, including a toy trends briefing for media and buyers; licensing-focused seminars; toy safety and compliance forums for manufacturers and retailers; global trade and market expansion research presentations; workshops for inventors and designers; and much more. A full schedule of show events can be found at www.ToyFairNY.com.

From "top in tech" playthings to customizable toys that epitomize the "ultimate creator," Toy Fair will feature a range of trending products that help children build important lifelong skills. Media, buyers and attendees from all corners of the play industry will get a chance to preview  – and play with – this year's coolest new toys before they hit store shelves. 

"Our members both drive trends and follow trends so their most popular products and characters always assume new forms at Toy Fair, while companies new to the toy world launch innovative products and fresh ideas," added Pasierb. "There's truly something for everyone."

Registration is mandatory for access to Toy Fair 2016; verification of media and buyer credentials is required. Sign up on-site during show hours.  Those who can't make it to the show can follow Toy Fair on Twitter (#TFNY) and visit the Toy Fair Online Press Room and TIA's Facebook page for up-to-the-minute show information.

About the North American International Toy Fair    (www.ToyFairNY.com)
Toy Fair is an annual event that is owned and operated by the Toy Industry Association (TIA). The show brings together close to 1,100 exhibiting manufacturers, distributors, importers and sales agents to showcase hundreds of thousands of toy and youth entertainment products to 7,000+ unique retail outlets from nearly 100 countries.

About the Toy Industry Association (TIA)    
TIA is the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. TIA is the owner and operator of the North American International Toy Fair, held annually in New York City. The Association serves as the industry's voice on the cognitive, social, emotional and creative benefits of play, and promotes play's positive impact on childhood development to consumers and media. TIA has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, government, consumers and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play. For more information, please visit www.toyassociation.org, www.toyfairny.com, or www.thegeniusofplay.org.

SOURCE Toy Industry Association

Related Links

http://www.toyassociation.org