The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) announced today that its annual Marketplace & Academy, scheduled for June 7-10, 2020 in Orlando, Florida, has been cancelled due to COVID-19.
“ASTRA’s leadership and staff care deeply about our members and their families, so their health and safety is our number one priority,” said Christine Blumberg, CPE of Roberts Blumberg Giacobbe and chair of the ASTRA Board of Directors. “This is an unprecedented decision made as a result of an unprecedented situation. Thank you for your patience as we exercised the due diligence our members deserve in reviewing all options and potential consequences. In the end, avoiding unnecessary health risks is the right decision for ASTRA.”
“Now that this difficult decision is behind us, the ASTRA board and staff have turned their undivided attention to the emerging needs of ASTRA members created by the COVID-19 crisis,” said Kimberly Mosley, president of ASTRA. “ASTRA has always been at its strongest when we have helped each other with shared information, fresh ideas, and creative approaches to problem solving. This needs to be our focus as we navigate through the unknowns to come during the next few weeks and months.”
Information for registrants and exhibitors can be found www.astramarketplace.org. COVID-19 resources for ASTRA members can be found at www.astratoy.org.