Craft Focus - October/November 2024 (Issue 105)

23 SHOWS & EVENTS  This season’s most unmissable events Shows, news & events Toy Fair 2025 is sold out The British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) is excited to announce that all exhibition space for Toy Fair 2025 is now sold out, several months before the show takes place. Any companies still looking for space are encouraged to apply online and join the waiting list now. Toy Fair, the UK’s largest dedicated toy, game, and hobby trade show, is set to welcome more than 250 exhibiting companies, both returning and new, to Olympia Events in London, from the 21st to 23rd January 2025. The show will take place across both lower and upper levels of the Grand and National Halls as well as part of the Upper West Hall. Toy Fair offers the first opportunity of the year in the UK for toy companies to promote their brand-new product launches and trends for the year ahead as well as valuable networking opportunities with buyers, licensors, media and the wider industry, all under one roof. This year’s Toy Fair will see the return of companies including Spin Master Toys, Big Potato Games, The Lego Group, Gibsons, Golden Bear, Alley Cat Games, Curious Universe, Iron Studios, Character Options Ltd and Marvin’s Magic, along with some new exhibitors such as Little Dutch, Small World Toys, Target Darts, Puzzle Post UK, and many more! Additionally, Toy Fair TV will be back to highlight the wide range of innovative products on display, including plush toys, games, puzzles, tech toys, construction sets, and more, via stand visits and the live stream. Majen Immink, Head of Toy Fair, said: “It’s incredible to be sold out once again with so many months still to go. We look forward to assisting our exhibitors with their preparations over the coming months and to putting on the best platform we can for the industry.” For more information about joining the waiting list, please contact Rebecca Deeming-Mitchell at rebecca@btha.co.uk Visitor registration for Toy Fair 2025 will open in late September on the Toy Fair website, www.toyfair.co.uk, when the floorplan and exhibitor list will also be live for planning. You can stay up to date with all the latest news for Toy Fair 2025 on Instagram @toyfairuk, LinkedIn and by visiting www.toyfair.co.uk Diary dates Harrogate Christmas & Gift 12th-15th January, 2025 Harrogate Convention Centre www.harrogatefair.com Giving & Living 12th – 14th January, 2025 Westpoint, Exeter https://givingliving.co.uk Toy Fair 21st – 23rd January, 2025 Olympia, London www.toyfair.co.uk Spring Fair 2nd – 5th February, 2025 NEC, Birmingham www.springfair.com Creativeworld 7th – 11th February, 2025 Messe Frankfurt https://creativeworld. messefrankfurt.com CHSI Stitches 23rd -24th February, 2025 Birmingham NEC www.chsi.co.uk h+h Cologne 7th – 9th March, 2025 Cologne, Germany www.hh-cologne.com h+h Americas 7th – 9th May, 2024 Rosemont, USA www.hh-americas.com h+h Americas 2025 setting records The fourth edition of h+h Americas is gearing up to be a record-breaking event, with significant milestones achieved well ahead of schedule. Currently, the event has attracted 310 exhibitors from 23 countries, marking a remarkable growth rate of over 55 per cent. This surge in participation includes over 60 first-time exhibitors, underscoring the event’s expanding appeal within the handicraft industry in the US. To accommodate this growth, the exhibit space is expanding from two to four halls. These halls will feature a diverse array of crafts showcased in themed pavilions, including the Indie Untangled Newcomer, Craft Book, Sewing & Quilt, Bead & Button, Pattern Designer, Needlearts, and the new ‘Spinning & Weaving’ Pavilion. Education remains a cornerstone of h+h Americas, with the Craft Industry Alliance preparing innovative and enriching educational sessions. Upgrades to the Master Class programme are underway to provide enhanced value and a more comprehensive curriculum, aimed at fostering professional development and business growth. Business classes will continue to offer insightful content tailored to support the community. New initiatives for this year include the debut of the Sewing Dealers Summit, catering specifically to the sewing dealer network and individuals involved in selling, maintaining, repairing, and operating sewing machines. This summit will address industry challenges and provide specialised education to drive success within these businesses. Additionally, the inaugural Content Creator Summit, in collaboration with GoSadi, will explore the intersection of textiles, fibre arts, and technology through presentations, panels, and networking opportunities. The summit will also feature a ‘Brand Mix & Matching Mixer’, facilitating new partnerships, followed by an exclusive show floor preview. Among the highlights are new national pavilions, with debuts from Japan and Thailand alongside the established German Pavilion. For further details and to view the current exhibitor list, please visit the official h+h Americas website: www.hh-americas.com

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