Play Fair, a celebration of play and entertainment for all ages, will welcome attendees for the first time at New York City’s Javits Center North on February 13 and 14, 2016. The inaugural event, hosted by the Toy Industry Association (TIA) and LeftField Media, will offer families and toy collectors the opportunity to enjoy a weekend in New York and experience an interactive, fun-packed event with presenting sponsors LEGO Systems, Inc. and Nickelodeon, as well as other toy and family brands, including Mattel, Hasbro, Warner Bros. Pictures, Crayola and Toys”R”Us. A full list of sponsors and exhibitors is available online.
“We can hardly wait for attendees to experience what we have in store for them at Play Fair,” said Greg Topalian, President of LeftField Media. “From toy reveals to live performances and photo ops, consumers will be introduced to an event unlike any other. We are so excited to finally bring this never-before-seen opportunity to New York City.”
In just two months, New York City will become even more playful when Play Fair offers exclusive fan experiences, such as seeing the new Batmobile from Warner Bros. Pictures’ highly anticipated film, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” Attendees can also meet beloved television characters like Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Fans will have the opportunity to get hands-on with interactive experiences. For example, kids and adults can build their own LEGO car and race down a ramp against other LEGO builders.
At the two-day event, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in immersive and exclusive experiences such as:
· Interact with characters from hit Nickelodeon shows including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, PAW Patrol and Shimmer and Shine
· Check out the new Batmobile from Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” in theaters March 25, 2016
· Engage in hands-on building creations with LEGO and DUPLO play experiences
· Watch episodes of Cartoon Network’s hit comedy series, We Bare Bears and Teen Titans GO!
· Meet global preschool sensation Peppa Pig and the super popular PJ Masks
· Watch the Story Pirates live on stage
· Learn to make comics with award-winning comic creators Abby Denson, Matthew Loux, and Misako Rocks
· Special activities to celebrate Valentine’s Day
In addition, retail areas will allow attendees to purchase show exclusives, limited edition products, and rare variants of beloved toys and games. Other experiences will include interactive opportunities with the people behind top YouTube toy channels, such as The Mommy and Gracie Show.
“We are thrilled to meet our fans at Play Fair and show them how grateful we are for their support,” said Melissa Hunter from The Mommy and Gracie Show. “The fact that so many of our favorite toy and family brands will be under the same roof as our fans is a dream come true for me and Gracie.”
Tickets for the highly-anticipated consumer event are now available for purchase starting at $30 per session at PlayFairNY.com/tickets; the event also offers family packages. Families will have a chance to attend one or more sessions throughout the weekend – Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon. Morning sessions run from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET, and afternoon sessions are open from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET. Each ticket is $30; also available, a VIP Weekend Experience Pass for $145, which includes priority admission to all four sessions and a collectible exclusive Play Fair vinyl figure. Tickets for this one-of-a-kind event are expected to sell out quickly, so those interested in attending are encouraged to purchase tickets as soon as possible. In addition to accessing the Play Fair exhibit and exclusive fan experiences, each badge will also unlock rewards and discounts at participating retailers, museums, restaurants and cultural institutions in New York City, turning Manhattan into a fun treasure map waiting to be discovered. Attendees can also take home the play experience with a Play Fair Goodie Bag.
For those traveling to attend the event, Play Fair is happy to help make a weekend of the event and offer exclusive hotel discounts with rates as low as $139 per night. You can find a list of participating hotels online.
To raise awareness for the event, Play Fair established partnerships with key media, including NYC & Company, Girl Scouts, Macaroni Kid, Apple Moms HV, Engaged Family Gaming and Mommy University.
For more information about the event, please visit www.playfairny.com and follow Play Fair on Twitter and Facebook.
About the Toy Industry Association (TIA)
TIA is the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. TIA is the owner and operator of the North American International Toy Fair, held annually in New York City. The Association serves as the industry’s voice on the cognitive, social, emotional and creative benefits of play, and promotes play’s positive impact on childhood development to consumers and media. TIA 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, government, consumers and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play. For more information, please visit www.toyassociation.org, www.toyfairny.com, or www.thegeniusofplay.org.
About LeftField Media, LLC
LeftField Media, LLC is an events company focused on developing face-to-face events in a range of communities rooted in contemporary culture and shared passion. LeftField Media was formed in partnership in 2014 by Greg Topalian (President, LeftField Media), Britton Jones (President & CEO of Business Journals, Inc.), Mac Brighton (Chairman & COO of Business Journals Inc.), and Sharon Enright (Executive Vice President of Business Journals Inc.). While LeftField Media is a new company, its founders have over 100 years of combined experience in media and event production. With a keen sense of the ever-evolving needs of the industry as well as the new opportunities created by change, LeftField Media takes a clean slate approach to the business. Innovation and launching new events has the been the cornerstone of the notable success of the Business Journal Fashion Group as it has been through Greg Topalian’s storied career as former Senior Vice President at Reed Exhibitions and founder of New York Comic Con. LeftField Media is headquartered in historic South Norwalk, CT. Visit www.leftfieldmedia.com to learn more.
