NYIGF Shortens Annual Event to Five Days Starting This Summer

Home Textiles Today Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 3/4/2012 2:00:00 AM

WHITE PLAINS , N .Y. - Prompted by a shift in traffic patterns and exhibitors' feedback on a recent survey about market timing, the New York International Gift Fair is adopting a new five-day format that calls for the event to open Saturday and close on Wednesday as opposed to Thursday.
     This new approach will be implemented at the fair's upcoming summer 2012 edition, scheduled for Aug. 18 to 22 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal's Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 & 94 in New York City.
     NYIGF's 10 divisions will continue to have staggered opening and closing dates, with Pier divisions - At Home at Pier 94 and New York's Newest at Pier 92 - and Handmade Designer Maker and Handmade Global Design at the Javits Center running Saturday through Tuesday; and Accent on Design, At Home featuring Home Textiles, Baby & Child, EX•TRACTS, General Gift, Personal Accessories featuring Details, Studio and Tabletop running Sunday through Wednesday at the Javits Center.
     The Gourmet Housewares Show at NYIGF, which is presented annually during the summer market, also will run Sunday through Wednesday.
     "An overwhelming majority - 85%-plus - of exhibitors surveyed is in favor of reducing the length of the fair by one day," said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM svp. "Based on daily traffic and attendance patterns over the past few shows, we anticipate that attendance will not be affected negatively by this change."
     All NYIGF divisions and locations will open at 9 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. daily
     However, on Aug. 21 - the Tuesday of the event - At Home at Pier 92, New York's Newest at Pier 94 and Handmade at Javits will close at 5 p.m. On Wednesday, Aug. 22, all remaining divisions at the Javits Center will close at 2 p.m.
     NYIGF noted these changes do not impact the summer 2012 launch of Artisan Resource, a new artisan production-sourcing event for U.S.-based importers, direct import retailers and wholesalers, alongside NYIGF.