Nearly 26,500 toy professionals from 94 countries participated last week in the largest toy marketplace ever held in the Western Hemisphere. Owned and operated by the Toy Industry Association (TIA), the 111th American International Toy Fair (Toy Fair 2014) held in New York City boasted a record-breaking 414,060 net square feet of exhibit space and welcomed an 11% surge in international buyers, an 8% rise in exhibitors and a 5% spike in overall attendees, bringing total attendance to 26,493 for the Feb. 16-19 show.

A snowstorm just prior to the fair did little to dampen the spirits of 1,153 exhibiting manufacturers, distributors, importers and sales agents, who filled the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center with hundreds of thousands of playthings, including e-Connected toys, outdoor ride-ons, customizable arts and crafts and classic board games. Nearly 10,000 buyers from more than 5,000 retail outlets also were in attendance, including buyer delegations from 22 of the nation’s Top 25 Toy Sellers.

“New York City is reclaiming its position as the toy industry’s international center of gravity,” said Carter Keithley, president and CEO of the Toy Industry Association. “Mass retail buyers, independent toy store owners, licensors and many others reported a highly successful, highly productive and very upbeat Toy Fair. Buyers from across the country and around the globe were writing orders.”

Marian Bossard, TIA vice president of meetings and events, called the fair “a must-attend marketplace for anyone with a stake in the toy business.”

“The show provides brands with global media exposure, caters to retailers looking to revamp and diversify store shelves, and offers all attendees the chance to participate in world-class educational sessions and networking activities,” Bossard added.

The top toy trends for 2014—which include Larger than Life, Full STEAM Ahead!, RC Rampage, Frightfully Fun, Retro/Back-to-Basics and Custom Built—were scouted by 995 members of the press from top-tier media outlets.

“I found the exhibit floor busy and attendees generally optimistic,” said children’s author and expert Mary Manz Simon, whose International Christian Retail Show workshops are often standing room only. “Some of the publishers on the Toy Fair floor have edged back into the ‘book plus’ category, so there’s a less distinct line between books and toys.”

The global toy industry will converge for next year’s toy fair Feb. 14-17, again at Javits. Show information will be available at ToyFairNY.com.

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