President’s Letter: The LA Fall Preview is Officially Sold Out!

July 16, 2024 | As the toy industry gets ready for fall previews in Los Angeles, we’re excited to announce that The Toy Association’s first-ever LA fall marketplace is officially sold out, with 78 toy companies securing space at 2250 East Imperial Highway in El Segundo, the heart of LA’s “toy district.”

The building will be open all of September to accommodate vendor meetings throughout the month, with our dedicated LA Fall Preview market week taking place September 9th to 13th, which includes Toy Association-hosted philanthropy and networking events designed to bring us all together in LA.

Here’s a breakdown of market week activities:

• Monday, September 9: Party with a Purpose, The Toy Foundation’s critical fundraiser for children’s hospitals, will take place at TAO Los Angeles and feature entertainment from the legendary Blues Traveler, an auction of one-of-a-kind experiences and items, and the opportunity to network while enjoying delicious food and drink. Best of all, 100% of the event’s proceeds will go toward bringing play therapy to pediatric patients in disadvantaged communities across the country. Tickets are on sale now – get them before the event is sold out!


• Tuesday, September 10: The Toy Association will be hosting a free, come-one, come-all Networking Party at the Otis College of Art & Design, sponsored by Circana (Platinum Sponsor). The event is free, but RSVPs are required. Come meet creative and business leaders in our industry and see all the amazing work of future designers from the Otis toy program.
  
  Earlier in the day, Circana will host a research presentation at the 2250 East Imperial Highway building, which is complimentary and open to all.


• Friday, September 13: Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WiT) will close out the week with the Wonder Women Awards at The Beverly Hilton.

The Toy Association is committed to serving the entire industry in LA: We are offering free shuttle bus service around the toy district and food trucks outside our building throughout market week, and will be launching a mobile app (available as of August 1) — that will include a complete list of tenants and contact information for other toy companies with showroom space in LA — with the ability for buyers and sellers to book appointments directly through the app. We have designed all aspects of the Fall Preview to meet the needs of exhibitors as well as buyers wishing to see a wide array of manufacturers under one roof, making it a must-attend stop on their fall preview circuit.

I’m wishing you all a wonderful summer. The Toy Association team will be working hard to guarantee the first-ever LA Fall Preview is ready to go, and we’re looking forward to connecting in person with many of you this September!

With warm regards,

Greg Ahearn
President & CEO
The Toy Association