120th Toy Fair Defined by Toy Innovations, Business Momentum, & Global Connections
Largest Toy Show in Western Hemisphere Attracts Professionals from Nearly 100 Countries
NEW YORK, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toy Association's 120th Toy Fair® brought the global play community to New York City's Javits Convention Center from February 14 to 17 to increase holiday orders, build business connections, and explore the latest trends and innovations in toys and play. The largest toy show in the Western Hemisphere was filled with discovery — where retailers sought out future bestsellers, media uncovered the hottest new products, and exhibitors connected with key partners critical to long-term growth. The global event also delivered an engaging lineup of educational programming that empowered attendees with actionable insights, while networking and business opportunities reinforced the industry's collaborative spirit.
"There are moments that happen only at Toy Fair: Across every aisle and event, we saw partnerships taking shape, orders being placed, forecasts being raised, and media coverage unfolding on the spot," said Greg Ahearn, president & CEO of The Toy Association™, producer of Toy Fair. "There is simply no substitute for convening the global toy community face-to-face to exchange insights, strengthen relationships, and align on opportunity. Toy Fair represents the most efficient, productive four days of the entire year. Nowhere else can you meet with the world's largest manufacturers and within five minutes be touring through hundreds of new product introductions looking for the next big thing. The level of international participation and meaningful business activity reinforces the show's role as the premier marketplace, driving growth across categories and regions. The ideas and partnerships launched here will influence what families see on shelves and screens for years to come."
Exhibitors pointed to Toy Fair as a must-attend event on the industry calendar. "Toy Fair remains a critical show for us year after year," said Julie Gwaltney, vice president of TOMY International. "This year especially provided the perfect backdrop to debut our new Momiji collectible line to a wide audience of U.S. buyers, retailers, and press. The steady traffic, key appointments, and overall buzz helped build momentum across the TOMY toy portfolio. The energy on the show floor was palpable, and we look forward to translating these meaningful conversations into exciting opportunities for our business."
Added David Albert, president of Schleich North America: "Toy Fair 2026 was an energizing experience that captured the spirit of what the Schleich brand is all about. Our booth was alive with conversation, curiosity, and genuine enthusiasm from media, retailers, and buyers throughout the event. We were thrilled to reconnect with long-standing partners while building meaningful new relationships — connections that will prove invaluable in amplifying our 2026 strategies."
Toy Fair attracted thousands of buyers from mass, mid-sized, and specialty retail outlets spanning all 50 states and 68 countries and territories to preview 2026 holiday toy collections, and for some, spring 2027 products. From Amazon and Barnes & Noble, to Five Below, Macy's, Target, and Walmart, all top 25 toy retailers in the U.S. were in attendance as tens of thousands of products were on display by more than 720 exhibiting companies, from billion-dollar global brands to over 175 emerging toy companies exhibiting at Toy Fair for the very first time. In all, 97 countries were represented by all categories of Toy Fair participants.
For Dunbin Zheng, toys & collectibles buyer at MINISO USA, Toy Fair was a powerful reminder of how face-to-face conversations and discovery drives retail success: "New York Toy Fair 2026 was an incredible opportunity to connect with both long-standing partners and exciting new brands. The energy, innovation, and creativity across the show floor reaffirmed our commitment to curating trend-driven assortments that truly resonate with our customers. We're excited about the partnerships and opportunities ahead."
Additional buyer feedback was positive with Salvatore Ruggiero, senior director of in-theatre sales at Landmark Cinemas Canada, stating, "Toy Fair is our most valuable trade event — delivering every time with stronger relationships that build year to year, allowing us to strategically plan with everything we need in one place." Similarly, Nadia Widjaja, toy and game buyer at Barnes & Noble, Inc., shared: "[Toy Fair New York 2026] turned out to be one of the best Toy Fair events I've been to in years. So much newness, exciting new trends, and new vendors that I didn't expect to see."
Added Chantal Crowe, category buyer at Mastermind Toys: "We've had some productive discussions with existing vendors and connected with new partners we are excited to work with. We're looking forward to sharing new and fresh offerings in stores (in the months ahead)."
More than 1,000 registered global print, digital, and broadcast journalists, plus an array of top-tier social media influencers and digital content creators, participated in Toy Fair to scoop the toy stories of the year and report on The Toy Association's top toy trends of 2026. Media outlets at Toy Fair included The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, The Associated Press, The New Yorker, New York Post, ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, CNBC, CNN, Fox Business, CNET, Forbes, Good Housekeeping, Parents, People Magazine, Real Simple, Reuters, Shark Tank, Shop Today, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Today Show, and many more. Top-tier influencers included Nichole Jacklyne Slyme, PCS Girls Official, Brookieeee, Toy Testing Sisters, Nerd Girl News, and more. Over 1,000 social media posts have rolled in from these major creators using #ToyFairLife, totaling 167 million impressions at the time of this writing.
Toy Fair exhibitors showcased an array of toys designed for kids (and kids at heart), including viral, nostalgic, and pop culture toys, collectibles for self-expression, products that offer intentional screen-free moments for families, and everything in between. Toy Fair also served as a hub for exchanging ideas on the most critical issues and topics impacting the play industry, with the Toy Fair University stage presenting sessions on toy safety and compliance, toy trends, marketing in today's landscape, tools for inventors, and much more. Additional programming included Toy Fair Student Congress, which connected more than 500 university-level students (an all-time high) with toymakers at the show, and Creative Factor Inventor Day, which closed out Toy Fair by providing select up-and-coming inventors with the opportunity to pitch their ideas to top toy professionals and manufacturing partners.
From first-time inventors to globally recognized brands, exhibitors reported meaningful connections and measurable business results. "As a first-time exhibitor at Toy Fair, I had no idea what to expect," said Noble Banner, CEO at Articulatus 3D. "I showed up as an inventor with what I thought was just a cool concept, and the amount of popularity and foot traffic I received was unreal. From the friends I made, to the positive energy from everyone I met, words can't express how much taking this leap did for my idea and what it can do for you, your product, and your business."
At the end of Toy Fair, exhibitors generously donated $330,000 worth of product via an on-site toy drive led by The Toy Foundation (TTF), in partnership with World Vision. These toy donations will directly impact 27,000 children and are currently being distributed to nonprofit organizations, schools, and children's hospitals across the country. By the close of Toy Fair, The Toy Foundation also raised a record-breaking $1 million through proceeds from the Toy of the Year Awards, which will support ongoing TTF initiatives to deliver play to children in hospitals, underserved communities, and times of crisis.
Ahearn added: "One of the most meaningful moments of Toy Fair is during the close of the show, when we get to see our industry's generosity in action through The Toy Foundation's toy collection. It's a powerful reminder that while Toy Fair drives business and innovation, it also amplifies our industry's commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of children in need."
The global toy industry will come together once again for the 121st Toy Fair, taking place February 20 to 23, 2027, at the Javits Center in New York City.
Make sure to check out the Toy Fair Online Press Room for Toy Fair stats, exhibitor press releases, high-res images from the show floor, broadcast quality b-roll, and more. Follow our post-show coverage on Instagram and LinkedIn (#toyfairlife).
About Toy Fair® toyfairny.com
Produced by The Toy Association, Toy Fair® is the largest and most comprehensive play-focused experience in the Western Hemisphere unifying the toy industry's entire ecosystem with key players to help with business development and sourcing the latest products from across all forms and stages of play. Featuring thousands of new and unique toys, games, edutainment, entertainment-driven experiences, and more from around the world, Toy Fair offers attendees a competitive edge no other trade event can match.
About The Toy Association™ toyassociation.org / toyfoundation.org / peopleofplay.com / thegeniusofplay.org / playsafe.org
Founded in 1916, The Toy Association™, Inc. is the business trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $155.7 billion, and its roughly 800+ members drive the annual $45.6 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry's voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play's positive impact on childhood development. The organization 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, governments, consumers, and the industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.
As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned Toy Fair™ in New York City; hosts marketplace activities in Los Angeles; engages in state, federal, and international advocacy on behalf of its members; supports the inventor and design community through People of Play™ and its numerous assets and events, including the consumer-facing Chicago Toy & Game Fair; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America's widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard. The Toy Association's philanthropic arm is The Toy Foundation™, a 501 (c)(3) children's charity that acts as the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry. To date, The Toy Foundation has delivered the joy of play to 33 million children in need worldwide.
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SOURCE The Toy Association
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