Tag Archives: spring fair

Hyve Group introduces Spring & Autumn Fair Online Marketplace

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Hyve Group has detailed the launch of its Spring & Autumn Fair Online Marketplace, an online platform that will enable global partners across the wholesale home, gift, and fashion sectors the chance to trade throughout the year.

The Online Marketplace is a brand extension to the heritage brands Spring & Autumn Fair, two live events which are now complemented by a 365 digital trading platform. It will allow brands to access serious, vetted buyers all year round, deepen relationships started at the live events at the NEC, generate leads and take online orders.

Buyers can find new products from brands, discover new brands online, build their collections and shop with ease throughout the year.

Officially launching on May, 4th 2021, the Online Marketplace will initially be home to 50 curated brands across the gift, toy, homeware, beauty, and wellbeing categories but will also be open to more brands at a discounted rate.

Speaking on behalf of Hyve Group, Julie Driscoll, managing director UK retail and fashion, said: “With the Online Marketplace we are giving our retail community an additional trading platform. Spring and Autumn Fair are the first omnichannel retail trade events in the UK to do this. As we move forward, our focus is on re-fuelling retail for 2021 and beyond, supporting our community in recovering from the pandemic and building back stronger than ever.”

Event director for Spring and Autumn Fair, Jessica Dawnay, added: “We are so excited to be able to offer our audience even more value than before. As the UK’s leading retail trade shows, it is our duty to bolster the retail industry.

“Whilst we know that nothing will ever replace the experience of touching and seeing products at an in-person event, we are excited to be able to bring our community together all year round via digital and omnichannel solutions such as the Online Marketplace.”

Project and digital marketing director, Karin Hausmann, said: “2021 is our new product development year and we are investing to support our customers as they build their future products. We are very excited to be launching the Spring & Autumn Fair Online Marketplace.

“Our top priorities are quality and curation, and we are committed to continuous evolution and building a platform that answers our brands’ and buyers’ needs. Our heritage makes us a trusted partner.”

Hyve Group is partnering with Events United to offer this digital ecommerce platform. Owned by Picaflor, Events United specialises in creating digital extensions to physical events with extensive experience within the retail sphere.

On top of its digital development, Hyve Group will also be launching a Curated Meetings programme for 2021. Designed to connect the community at its in-person shows, the Curated Meetings programme will connect pre-qualified buyers, who are actively sourcing, to relevant, high-quality suppliers through pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings.

The team will be trialing the concept at Autumn Fair 2021 with a full roll out of the programme expected for Spring Fair 2022.

Ginger Fox to roll-out new TV licensed family games including BBC’s Top Gear and Who Wants to be a Millionaire

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Gifting and gaming specialist, Ginger Fox, has underscored its intentions to explore and roll-out more new TV-licensed games having seen success with a portfolio that already boasts the likes of Taskmaster and House of Cards.

The games specialist – currently showcasing its 2021 portfolio across Spring Fair @ Home – has credited the ‘amazing success’ of its TV-licensed portfolio of games as the drive to make it a key focus once again for the year ahead.

This year will see Ginger Fox launch three new board games to the exploding market for family-friendly board games that has been driven by lockdown restrictions in place amid the coronavirus pandemic. New licensed titles include Who Wants to be a Millionaire, BBC’s Top Gear, and Popmaster.

Ginger Fox has also added Beat the Chasers to its best-selling range of licensed card games.

“The reaction from buyers so far has been fantastic so we enter 2021 full of confidence and we are excited about our new product launches,” Zoe Farmer, marketing executive at Ginger Fox, told Licensing.biz.

“We are planning seasonal updates to much of our digital content during Christmas, Valentine’s Day and other events, making these games even more enjoyable to play again and again. There is so much potential in this area and we look forward to rolling out even more over the coming year.”

Following on from the success of its Taskmaster Board Game, Ginger Fox is launching a new Expansion Pack containing 40 task cards, including 10 exclusive video tasks set by Alex Horne that update throughout the year. Meanwhile, based on the hit BBC2 show hosted by Richard Osman, the best-selling House of Games Board Game has been billed as ‘the ultimate test of knowledge and skill.’

‘Team up to tackle trivia or face off against each other in the iconic Answer Smash. Who will be the House of Games champion in this competitive compendium of games? Back in stock in April 2021,’ said the firm.

Hyve Group reveals dates for the all-virtual Spring Fair @ Home 2021

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Hyve Group has confirmed the dates of its Spring Fair @ Home virtual event, an all-digital show that will take the place of the in-person Spring Fair 2021 that was cancelled last month over the continued uncertainty surrounding covid-19 restrictions.

Running from February 8th to 10th, Spring Fair @ Home has been designed to ‘bring the industry together, even when we remain apart’ by providing a hub for industry professionals in the UK and around the world.

Bringing together the key elements of what makes the show, Spring Fair @ Home will provide key industry insights, as well as a first-hand look at the latest products, trends and collections. Among the exhibitor line up are names such as Coach House, Puckator, Moulin Roty, Paper Salad, T & G Woodware, and Alexander Thurlow.

Julie Driscoll, managing director for Hyve’s retail portfolio, said: “We are delighted to be offering a digital platform for the Spring Fair community this February. Whilst we are working hard towards the return of our physical events, I am so proud that the team have been able to develop a virtual offering that has proved so valuable to both retailers and brands during such a challenging time for retail both here in the UK and abroad.”

Spring Fair exhibitor Steve Cox, UK sales director at Keel Toys, said: “Spring Fair is undoubtedly the most important fair of the year for Keel Toys. At the start of 2021 we all need to get creative to meet with all our key buyers effectively with the lack of physical shows. The Spring Fair Virtual show will be an important part of our mix to present the new ranges for 2021.”

An exclusive content programme will provide access to of-the-minute industry intel, trend insights, peer-to-peer panel sessions, and more.

Dedicated Virtual Showrooms will also provide buyers with an easy and accessible way to discover new brands and see what their current partners have to offer. The Virtual Showroom will provide carefully curated brand line-ups on the Spring Fair website. Dynamic profile will allow brands and designers to put their best virtual foot forward, with capabilities to host videos, lookbooks, brand imagery and more.

Spring Fair @ Home will also see the return of the Product Showcase concept. Giving brands the opportunity to take buyers on showroom tours, or simply talk through their latest collection, the Product Showcase offers exhibitors the chance to submit a five-minute video to be shown to buyers during a sector-specific time slot.

Spring Fair @ Home is open to all buyers and takes place on 8th – 10th February 2021.

Spring Fair 2021 cancelled and replaced with Spring Fair @ Home virtual event

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Hyve Group has confirmed that Spring Fair 2021 is cancelled.

In line with the latest UK Government restrictions on the reopening of business conferences and exhibition halls, the show’s organisers have announced that Spring Fair will not be taking place in 2021. The home and gift retail show traditionally takes up a February slot, but has been cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic crisis.

The next planned home, gift and fashion retail event will be Autumn Fair, together with Moda, at the NEC Birmingham on 5th-8th September 2021, while Spring Fair will return as an in-person event, 6th-10th February 2022.

Hyve and the team behind Spring Fair, JWF, Glee at Spring Fair and Moda are now working to deliver an enhanced virtual forum with product features and exclusive seminar content designed to educate and inform participants.

More information on Spring Fair @Home will be available on the Spring Fair website, while Fashion Together can be found on the Moda website in due course.

Julie Driscoll, managing director, UK Retail, said: “While it is regrettable that we won’t be able to meet in person at Spring Fair and Moda in February due to the new UK government rules, we are incredibly excited to host Spring Fair @Home and Fashion Together.

“Following the success of this year’s virtual forums, we’re looking forward to providing our clients and customers another touchpoint to be inspired and stay connected with the retail industry.”

Ian Taylor, managing director, NEC Group Conventions and Exhibitions, added: “We’re saddened to not be welcoming the retail community to the NEC for Spring Fair in February 2021, but are pleased to hear that retail professionals and suppliers will still have an opportunity to connect with each other in early 2021, albeit in a virtual environment with Spring Fair @Home.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the NEC in person for Autumn Fair and Moda in September 2021, with Spring Fair itself returning in February 2022.”

Spring Fair continues to provide exclusive webinars, industry news and product updates that keeps the home and gift retail community informed, connected and inspired on The Community hub.

The London Stationery Show confirms new May dates for 2021

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The London Stationery Show will be making its return in 2021, taking up a new summer slot across May 18th and 19th at the Business Design Centre.

Exhibitions in the UK have been halted over the course of the pandemic and were originally due to resume in October. The government Department for Culture, Media and Sport has already approved the event industry’s Covid-19 guidance, and was also satisfied with pilot events which took place in September.

It is now expected that events will be allowed to restart from March 2021.

The London Stationery Show is the latest in a calendar of events to have to adapt to the current climate and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this week, the organisers of the annual Spring Fair confirmed that its 2021 show would not be going ahead, but instead be held as an all-virtual event ahead of the return of its physical format with Autumn Fair 2021 and Spring Fair 2022.

Last month, the British Toy and Hobby Association made the decision to call off London Toy Fair.

“We are confident that exhibitions will resume in the spring,” said London Stationery Show’s event director, Alex Butler “And to ensure we’re in the best position possible to host a second-to-none event, we have secured a slightly later date than usual for next year’s show.

“From speaking with exhibitors and visitors over the course of this year, we know that everyone is craving the opportunity to meet face-to-face. The industry is in agreement that nothing can replace the organic business which comes from an exhibition.

“The health and safety of everyone involved will continue to be at the core of our planning, and we will be working hard to communicate our plans to ensure everyone feels confident attending the show.

“We are ready to safely open London Stationery Show’s doors and cannot wait to see everyone there.”

London Stationery Show will take place on Tuesday 18 May and Wednesday 19 May 2021. For more information you can contact the team at stationeryshow@oceanmedia.co.uk.