Northeast Toy and Gift Show returns to Springfield for third year

The North East Toy and Gift Show is filling a hole that mattered long before the holiday rush: a nearby buying floor for independent retailers who cannot justify the expense of larger national trade events. For stores building fourth-quarter assortments, that changes the calendar in practice, giving them earlier trend access, lower travel costs and a better shot at finding differentiated gifts before the season hardens.

The show will return for its third annual run Aug. 30-Sept. 1 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. Organizers say the event will use three main venues, with space for only 320 10x10 booths and about 150 brands expected. Booth costs start at $1,400, a price that underscores the show’s role as a lower-cost regional option for both exhibitors and specialty buyers.

NETS was created by Christine Blumberg and Alan Blumberg, with Lea Culliton part of the founding team, after specialty retailers in the Northeast were left without a key regional show when Toy Fair moved to a fall slot. Its roots stretch back to a 2022 New England Game & Kit Day, which drew such a strong response that stores asked for a larger format. The show launched in 2024 as an economical way for retailers to review full lines and meet vendors without the expense of New York or Atlanta.

Springfield is central to the pitch. Organizers say the city is easy to reach from two major interstate highways, about 20 minutes from Bradley International Airport and accessible by train. They also say the Northeast has the largest number of specialty retailers within a three-hour radius of the show, while New England and Mid-Atlantic states hold the nation’s largest concentration of specialty toy, gift and game stores.

That geography matters because holiday assortment planning is increasingly about precision, not volume. Brigitte Drew of Henry Bears Park, the nine-store specialty toy chain based in Arlington, Massachusetts, has pointed to the location as a practical reason to bring staff. Ravensburger’s Tracy Jojokian said the company is backing NETS because customers in New England and the Mid-Atlantic asked for it. For a category built on discovery, the show’s Game & Kit Night adds another edge, giving retailers hands-on time with products that can translate directly into better floor recommendations and sharper holiday selling.