It’s showtime again – and with more than 800 brands, Autumn Fair has plenty to offer. Toy buyers will this year find Kids, Toys & Play exhibitors have been included in the Gift destination

The UK’s seasonal retail showcase for Home, Gift & Fashion, Autumn Fair, returns on September 1-4 at the NEC Birmingham, offering retailers the opportunity to shop from more than 800 brands. 

Welcoming more than 12,000 purchase-ready buyers, Autumn Fair is the unmissable event for buyers looking to top up their offer and stock up their shelves for the festive season.

With a wealth of new products from the most coveted brands in retail – over 30% of which show exclusively at Autumn Fair – buyers will not only discover the latest toys and gifts, but also 10 definitive product sectors including the latest interior accessories, textiles, greetings, stationery and fashion.

More than 800 exhibitors and 500,000-plus products will be ready for immediate sale, offering a substantial pre-holiday season purchasing opportunity.

The Kids, Toys & Play sector has been edited into the Gift destination for the September show. Soraya Gadelrab, Autumn Fair’s event director, shares her outlook: “Over the past few years, especially post-pandemic, we have seen monumental changes in the industry that have shaped the high street and way that consumers and buyers shop. Feedback from our exhibitors and buyers from both Spring and Autumn Fair has told us that their product ranges are having to be more diverse to reach a wider range of customers. 

“Toy exhibitors are now seeing more gift buyers sourcing children’s gifts products than ever before. Our re-edit to integrate children’s gifts into the Gift section makes sense to keep our events relevant and drive a better ROI for our customers. Our changes have been welcomed by all within the industry. We are attracting a lot more new and lapsed customers and we can offer fantastic locations among gift brands at the show.

“The footfall will increase significantly. The re-edit now puts toy exhibitors in the heart of the Gift section, which is our largest market for attracting buyers to the show. Exhibitors will see a far wider range of cross-over buyers, especially from independents looking to source new children’s gift lines, as well as their next bestsellers. With over half of the buyers attending Autumn Fair being gift buyers, the re-edit for us makes sense to give Children’s Gift exhibitors the ideal opportunity to meet new retailers. 

“Buyers are always looking for the best of what is available, and for something someone else hasn’t had. Newness keeps the shows fresh, exciting and relevant. Best of British and Sustainable are key drivers within the industry as sustainability and locally made/designed products are at the forefront for consumers, so it is for retailers as well.’’

Spark your imagination at Autumn Fair

Buyers can tap into the hottest play trends and Christmas hits in the Kids, Toys & Play sector. A celebration of the latest must-have toys, brain-teasing puzzles, and high-tech gadgets, there’s also an extensive selection of licensed products from well-known brands such as Winning Moves, Willsow, and William Lamb. Lesser & Pavey will be launching its new R’PET Pals range of soft toys made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.

Consciously crafted from eco-friendly wood and silicone, Bigjigs Toys’ 2024 collection is a cut
above the rest. Rooted in sustainable play, the latest lineup joins the brand’s award-winning Simply Scandi collection and features one-of-a-kind stacking toys, shape-sorting puzzles, sensory activities, educational toys, and pretend play sets. 

Liz Ireland, founder and managing director of Bigjigs Toys, says: “A lot of thought and detail has gone into the design and craftsmanship of these new lines. Our talented product designers have spent months developing each item from the root idea to a product we know children will love – and Autumn Fair is an excellent opportunity for us to showcase the ranges to new and existing customers.” 

Also look out for Orange Tree Toys. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, the company is run by two sisters, Anuja Wilson and Lamani Simons. The toys are made from FSC-certified wood, with no plastic and recyclable packaging.  

Explore carefully crafted wooden toys that are built to be treasured for a lifetime from House of Marbles and Lanka Kade, and an enormous collection of cuddly animals and heatable plush toys from Warmies, Keel Toys, TY UK and Mary Meyer.

From well-known classics to new and exciting games, spark the imagination with a vast games collection from Winning Moves, Bubblegum Stuff, Professor Puzzle and Big Potato Games. Explore the latest innovations in gadgets, electronic toys, tablets and educational toys with Wilton Bradley and many more names such as Get Retro and The Leftfield Group. 

Designed to bring laughter and learning to little ones, look out for HippyChick’s range of educational and playful nursery toys, and gifts from Halilit and Bounce Sales & Marketing. The sector also showcases brain-teasing puzzles and the newest board games that will appear on everyone’s Christmas lists from Cheatwell Games, Asmodee and University Games.

To register for Autumn Fair, visit www.autumnfair.com/visitor-registration