The Fair provides a platform to forge new partnerships, build on current relationships, network with our peers and get a glimpse of what is hot and new set to hit our shores.
The ATA is busy working towards delivering an engaging and exciting fair for 2021 however we also understand that the current climate is ever-changing, and we need to adapt in order to provide a safe and effective environment for our exhibitors and attendees to do business. We understand that things are unpredictable and in this current climate, our mission is to not contribute to this.
We are therefore pleased to announce that the Australian Toy Hobby and Licensing Fair will go Digital for 2021!
This will provide a safe and effective platform for our members and guests to do business, source product and meet current and new clients. We believe this is the best outcome moving forward and this is also the message we are hearing from both exhibitors and attendees alike. It provides many positive possibilities that a physical Fair, while the preferred option, does not offer in these current circumstances. It removes travel constraints for both national and international attendees as well as opens up the potential for world class international guests to present such as ICTI Ethical and NPD Global.
With the change in platform there will be a change in dates for the Fair and the 2021 event will now be held from Monday 1st to Friday 5th March.
The Toy Hobby & Licensing Fair is the largest annual trade fair for our industry in Australia and we understand how valuable this is to our members.
Alice Sanderson – Executive Manager, ATA
The ATA’s annual awards will go ahead as in the past with Product of the Year, Judges Choice Award, License of the year and Rising Star being awarded along with a brand new award to be launched – The Kids Choice Award. Proudly sponsored by Just Kidding, Australia’s largest and highest circulating kids’ magazine, the award will celebrate a new product released into the Australian market in 2021.
Judges will be chosen from the Just Kidding Journalists who test and review the very latest toys for every issue of Just Kidding and Just Kidding Jnr. There will be an award presented to an outstanding product for kids aged 4-6 and a separate award for kids aged 7-12. This is a great opportunity for the industry to find out what products kids are going to be choosing next year.
“As Australia’s largest kids magazine, Just Kidding is thrilled to be partnering with the Australian Toy Association to sponsor and present the very first ‘Kids Choice Award’ for 2021. Complimenting already existing categories in place, the Kids Choice Award is particularly exciting given that the voting and overall decision making will come via a carefully chosen team of readers who are also part of our junior journalist program aged 4-6 years and 7-12 years respectively. Our collaboration with the ATA is one that we are proud to be a part of not only for 2021 but hopefully for many years to come.”
Mark Holmes, Just Kidding Publisher
As with the Associations other product awards, submissions will be open to Toy Fair Exhibitors only and this is a benefit of being a part of the 2021 Toy Hobby and Licensing Fair.
This is a time to adapt and the ATA intend to be at the forefront of this new climate we find ourselves in. We look forward to both delivering another successful and meaningful event for the industry in 2021 as well as bringing the Physical Fair back, bigger and better in 2022!
Alice Sanderson — Executive Manager, ATA
For further information and updates contact the team at toyfair@austoy.com.au
