Category: Events

The Toy Authority, the leader in short form video focused on toys, announced today the winners of the 2022 People’s Play Awards. Consumers had cast their votes for their favorite toys across 17 categories helping to create a list of the most-wanted products just in time for the holiday shopping season.  “The high voter turnout showed the consumer’s passion for toys,” said Jim Silver, CEO of TTPM/ The Toy Authority. “While many categories were close, the current popularity of Squishmallows, LEGO,Barbie and Hot Wheels really stood out. The People’s PlayAwards are designed to amplify a variety of play patterns across different categories to help holiday shoppers see some of the most popular toys for this holiday season.” 

On December 10th and 11th the 2022 Holiday Chicago Toy & Gift Fair (CHITAG), North America’s largest toy & game fair open to the public, will be resuming their annual in-person event after a 2-year hiatus due to COVID. This marks the 20th year for CHITAG, which will take place at a new venue this year: the Donald J. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont (5555 N River Rd Rosemont, IL 60018).    As one of the only toy and game fairs open to the public, thousands of families expected to attend will experience immersive events, interactive exhibits and activities for all ages. This year’s highlights include a Gel Blaster Activation, craft and build at the Spaghetteez booth, fan favorite the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, Giant Jenga games, the Beer and Board Game Garden is back, plus magicians and characters including Greg Heffley from Diary of a Wimpy Kid, sports mascots, and booths with the hottest holiday toys and games from industry leading companies. 

In February 2023, the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) will be hosting the first-ever Toy Boat industry networking event on a four-day cruise. With the goal of expanding awareness and building relationships, ASTRA welcomes national media and influencers to attend and see the hottest toys firsthand.

Kidscreen, host of the global kids entertainment industry’s leading awards for excellence, is delighted to announce the shortlisted entries that are continuing in the competition through a final round of judging.

What do a Flibbertigibbet, Chicken Scratch and a Water Bottle Maze all have in common? They were all among the top place finishers at People of Play’s 17th Annual Young Inventor Challenge (YIC) held on November 19th at Radio Flyer Headquarters in Chicago. The YIC is a yearly competition where students between the ages of 6 and 18 have the opportunity to create an original toy or game and then pitch it to professional toy and game inventors for a chance to win big prizes. Past winners have seen their entries licensed, manufactured and sold in major retailers.

More than 300 people from 20 countries gathered under the lights at the Epiphany Center for the Arts in Chicago, and another 260 via livestream, to celebrate and honor the winners of People of Play’s 15th annual Toy & Game International Excellence Awards (The TAGIE Awards). The event, which was back in person for the first time in two years, was sponsored by Disney, Oxford Games, Mattel, The Michael Kohner Corporation, Hasbro, TOMY, Longshore, Nextoy, Spin Master, Super Impulse, Backdrop.com, Peggy Brown Creative and Barry and Jason.

Wild Republic, an international toy company lauded for its forty-plus years of giving back and supporting various humanitarian, environmental and animal charities, is pleased to announce its relocation of its U.S. corporate headquarters from Twinsburg, Ohio to Independence, Ohio. The move to a larger, more modern space comes as the company has seen tremendous growth with innovative, groundbreaking and environmentally friendly products. To mark the occasion, an official ribbon cutting ceremony is slated for November 29th, Giving Tuesday, an International Day of Generosity which encourages organizations to do good and give back to their communities.

Segway will showcase its products at the annual Walmart Toyland holiday event, in Bentonville, Arkansas, on November 11th, 2022. Segway will be among many vendors exhibiting products to the estimated 30,000 attendees. Bentonville is home to the headquarters of Walmart, and many attendees will be affiliated with the mega-retailer. The one-day event is open to the public, features live music, and will let folks mingle with friends and loved ones in historic Lawrence Plaza. The Segway test drive booth will be located at the southwest corner of Lawrence Plaza.