Toy Fair New York is the largest and one of the most important trade shows for the toy, game, and children’s entertainment products in the USA. Ultimately, it gathers the entire ecosystem of the toy, game, and children’s entertainment industry including manufacturers, designers, retailers, media, and investors to conduct meetings, preview new products, and do business. Read more about this exciting trade shows.
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Event Overview
Toy Fair New York, firstly began in 1903, has had an annual tradition of serving to represent the entire ecosystem of the toy, game, and children’s entertainment industry. The Toy Fair New York is owned and operated by The Toy Association not for profit.
Vendors will showcase thousands of new toys, games, educational experiences, and entertainment that retailers will experience as being different than will be in stores for the other 364 days of the year. Toy Fair is only open to the trade and does not allow entry of the general public. Entry is reserved for industry personnel, such as retailers, distributors, and media.
Timetable and Location
For many years the event has been located at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Despite initial plans to relocate, The Toy Association announced that Toy Fair will remain in New York City for the next several years. The event will return in February 2026.
As for timing, Toy Fair was shifted to a fall event in 2023 and based upon the announcement, there will be no Toy Fair activities in 2024. Toy Fair will return to a winter schedule from March 1-4, 2025, and again, exhibitors’ comments and what was happening in the market was part of the decision process.
This will continue along the same timeline moving forward. Toy Fair is scheduled for February 14-17, 2026 and for February 20-23, in 2027.
Event Activities and Content
The Toy Fair New York is diverse event opportunities for a range of toy industry professionals, allowing them to discover new toys or learn more about current trends related to toys and business, among others.
Product and Innovation Showcase
The Toy Fair will showcase the large variety of newly launched and showcased products at the show. This experience is typically broken down into several product areas or “zones.” Zones include action figures and pop culture, arts and crafts, children’s literature and music, educational and STEM toys, games and puzzles, models and remote control toys, outdoor play, and more.
Even more interestingly, some manufacturers will not only display these toys but will provide experiential demonstrations. Attendees will have a firsthand experience of the toys in action and likely, some brands will also provide hands-on learning experiences. Many of the products are also products that contain various technologies (artificial intelligence, augmented reality, etc.).
Additionally, there exists a “Launch Pad” area, a space to showcase new entrants and innovative start-ups in the industry. New and groundbreaking ideas, which will possibly be significant trends in the coming years, are typically discovered in this area.
Conversely, many of the toy industry’s businesses, from big brands to small companies, use Toy Fair as an opportunity to display new product announcements. In fact, in 2017, Hasbro announced “FurReal Tyler, the Playful Tiger”.
Industry Education and Insight
Toy Fair is a premier business event that provides educational opportunities aimed to help professionals remain current. One of the most exciting occurrences at Toy Fair is when The Toy Association announces the top toy trends for the next year.
When the Toy Fair is held in 2025, for example, some of the trends that will be revealed include “Newstalgia Trip”, and “Collectible Cravings.” In addition to the trends, there also expert-led sessions that addressed diverse areas, such as product safety, marketing trends, the influence of social media, and retail trends.
Sessions also included discussions about the significance of inclusivity and sustainability in the toy industry. Finally, AI and how emerging technologies can be impactful in the toy industry – at every touchpoint from product design to supply chain – will also be touched on.
Networking and Community
Toy Fair hosts a great opportunity to build relationships for your business. There are a number of lounges and meeting spaces to connect with fellow professionals, potential partners, or investors.
There are also a lot of socials planned later at night, like opening parties or receptions, that will allow for informal social time and building professional relationships.
Additionally, there will be ample global press around the event, giving participants a valuable opportunity for coverage and larger audiences. Numerous prominent industry figures attend as special guests, which always helps with the feel and vibe of the event.
Interactive Activities
To keep our experience fun, several different interactive activities will help to inject energy into the event. First, meet-and-greets with designers or creators of specific products give attendees a chance to meet directly with the maker of a specific product. Second, robotics demonstrations occur in a specific area denoted for the purpose of showcasing some of the capabilities and innovations in toy robots.
What Makes Toy Fair a Highlight?
This event serves as a primary site for buyers to explore the latest toy trends and potential best-sellers. Toy Fair New York – New York City is also among the premier sites for attendees to network, do business, and meet toy industry leaders.
In addition to exhibiting, Toy Fair New York – New York City provides education on important trends in the industry, such as product safety, artificial intelligence, and marketing trends. Toy Fair New York – New York City receives worldwide press attention too, creating an incredible opportunity for exhibitors to gain media coverage and reach a larger audience.