People of Play (POP) is the go-to brand in the toy industry, offering a comprehensive networking and resource hub for industry professionals, enthusiasts, inventors, buyers, and more. Founded in 2003, POP produces a series of exciting events that promote and celebrate play and innovation, including POP Week, held the week before Thanksgiving. Their flagship event, the Chicago Toy & Game Fair, is the largest public toy and game fair in North America, attracting over 30,000 attendees and generating over 1.

4 billion media impressions. POP also hosts the Inventor Pitch and Innovation Conferences, which bring together professional inventors, new inventors, and product acquisition executives from around the world for idea pitches, networking, and learning opportunities. Other notable events include the Play in Education (PIE) Conference, focused on incorporating play into the classroom for better academic performance, and the Toy & Game International Excellence Awards (TAGIEs), a gala celebrating global innovation in the industry.

Additionally, POP organizes the Young Inventor Challenge (YIC), providing young inventors aged 6 to 18 with the opportunity to showcase their original toy and game inventions, receive feedback from industry leaders, and compete for prizes, scholarships, and licensing agreements. With their recently launched platform, People of Play serves as a social platform and industry portal, offering up-to-the-minute news, live online events, expert resources, and a dedicated social feed for the toy industry. Their monthly newsletters reach a wide audience, including industry professionals, consumers, social media influencers, and educators.

Join People of Play and be part of a thriving community dedicated to the world of play and imagination