People of Play™ Announces POP Week 2026 Dates, Returning to Chicago November 5-8

CHICAGO, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- People of Play™ (POP), a division of The Toy Association™, has announced that POP Week will return to Chicago from November 5–8, 2026, bringing together the global play community for four days of innovation, inspiration, and celebration.

POP Week is a dynamic platform for inventors, designers, manufacturers, retailers, media, educators, families, and fans of play to connect, collaborate, and celebrate creativity across all ages. Building on the strong momentum of POP Week 2025, which generated more than 1.9 billion media impressions, POP Week 2026 will once again feature the following signature events:

• Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference
  Connect, pitch, and, learn at the largest & longest running premier inventor event!
  November 5–7 | Embassy Suites
• TAGIE Awards
  Celebrate achievement in innovation within the inventor and design community at The Toy & Game Innovation Excellence Awards.
  November 6 | Joe's Live
• Chicago Toy & Game (CHITAG) Fair
  North America's largest toy & game fair open to the public with experiential and immersive events, interactive exhibits, and activities for all ages!
  November 7–8 | Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
• Young Inventor Challenge (YIC)
  A unique, educational opportunity for children ages 6 to 18 to develop and pitch their original inventions to major toy and game companies, industry professionals, and the media. 
  November 7 | Donald E. Stephens Convention Center

As event organizers and the toy industry prepare for POP Week 2026, excitement is building across the consumer space for another unforgettable experience. National broadcast, digital, and trade media are once again expected in Chicago this November to amplify stories about the power of play and the people behind it. To get a glimpse of the heart, energy, and collaborative spirit of the event check out this POP Week video feature from Steve Rad, CEO of Abacus Brands.

"We are thrilled to officially share the dates for POP Week 2026 and welcome the play community back to Chicago," said Mary Couzin, senior vice president and founder/leader of People of Play at The Toy Association. "Each year builds on the last, and 2026 will continue our mission to champion creativity, innovation, and the joy of play on a global stage."

Greg Ahearn, president & CEO of The Toy Association added: "POP Week is all about connection — between inventors, companies, and families. We look forward to seeing the industry and the public come together again in 2026 for another remarkable celebration of play!"

Additional details, registration information, and programming updates will be announced in the coming months. For the latest information, visit chitag.com.

About People of Play™ peopleofplay.com
People of Play (POP), a division of The Toy Association™, leads the global toy and game industry in promoting innovation, creativity, and connectivity. A one-stop source of community for industry professionals, aspiring inventors, and people of all ages who love to play, People of Play hosts a play platform packed with resources and connection points as well as a wide range of events including the Chicago Toy & Game (CHITAG) Fair, the Toy & Game International Excellence (TAGIEs) Awards, the Young Inventor Challenge, the Toy & Game Inventor Pitch and Innovation Conference, Thought Leaders Summit, Toy Takedown and more.

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 900 members drive the annual $42 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 at The Toy Building 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.

SOURCE The Toy Association