Those who have been involved or who have attended IDEX received this letter today:
IDEX 2014 CANCELED
The collectible doll and teddy bear trade show IDEX Premiere has been canceled for 2014 and will discontinue all show operations moving forward. While we have enjoyed working with the doll and teddy bear industry over the last decade, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the show and all of its related events and workshops.
IDEX, a trade show dedicated to the celebration of dolls, teddy bears, toys and collectible playthings, ran without interruption for twenty-two years. Held in cities all over the country, most recently in Orlando, Florida, IDEX was for many years the premiere place to see what trends and developments were to come in the industry, meet and mingle with fellow collectors, and learn crafting skills at a myriad of workshops. While we are sad to see IDEX come to an end, we have a wealth of great memories and personal friendships that will stay with us for a lifetime.
In closing, we would like to thank all of the artists, exhibitors, manufacturers, buyers and collectors who made IDEX a vibrant and exciting environment for more than two decades. We wish you all the best.
Sincerely,
Susan Fitzgerald
Vice President, IDEX
What we saw last April, was a huge decrease in attendance of larger manufacturers such as Madame Alexander. I had not attended the prior two years but three years ago, the showroom floor was a bustling area with more than one could take in in a day. This time it was downright boring. Except for 4 or 5 booths, little was worth the time and/or effort to look at.
It is entirely possible that part of the demise of IDEX is due to the changed date from winter to spring. February is Toy Fair in New York. January has been the month to attend IDEX. And the hotel change was a mistake as well. I loved the Rosen Shingle Creek. In a blog post created on 9/26/10, I describe the hotel.
Soon all business will be conducted without talking to a real human in person. That's what's 'trending.'
