HELL’S KITCHEN — The toys are back in town for the 113th Annual North American International Toy Fair this weekend — and for the time kids are invited to join in the fun.
This year, the four-day event at the Javits Center — which is exclusively for toy traders and the media — will be accompanied by a toy fair that children can attend.
On Saturday and Sunday, LEGO and Nickelodeon are presenting the “Play Fair,” an event with “hands-on exhibits, awe-inspiring displays and never-before-seen exclusives” from a number of major toy brands, according to the website.
Children and adult attendees can purchase the toys featured in the displays and exhibits, as well as get an exclusive first look at “toys of tomorrow” that haven’t store shelves yet.
The Play Fair — a partnership between TIA Global Market Events and LeftField Media — aims to provide a more welcoming alternative to the Toy Fair, which TIA senior vice president Marian Bossard expected would see “over 33,000 members of the global toy community [walking] the aisles of the Javits Center in search of the hottest playthings,” a statement said.
“This year, we are thrilled that families can experience the magic of toys and play this year for the very first time at Play Fair,” she added.
The Toy Fair, which marks “the largest toy tradeshow in the Western Hemisphere,” will run from Saturday, Feb. 13, through Tuesday, Feb. 16, while the Play Fair will take place on Saturday and Sunday only.
Tickets for the Play Fair are $30 for a morning or afternoon session or $145 for an all-weekend pass.
