Posted on

Garden Gate: Episode 109 – A visit to the Toronto Gift Fair

CHEX TV airdate: Feb. 17, 2016 6:50am and 5:20pm
Click link to watch this episode online.

Every year my husband and I attend a few gift shows to look for new products, meet artists and chat with industry leaders to learn what’s on the horizon!

The Toronto Gift Fair is held two times per year at the Toronto International Centre and the Congress Centre. Approximately 40,000 square feet of space is occupied by a wide variety of wholesalers. We have to do a lot of preparation in advance of the show to narrow down who we want to see. In January we usually spend two days at the show and in August just one.  Believe it or not, we have to think Christmas in January!

Because we focus on Canadian made and Canadian artisans, we tend to focus most of our time to one Hall at the Congress Centre where the majority of the Canadian made products are.  This section is maybe 5% of the whole show.  We need to make this section larger and continue to ask for Canadian made products if we are to support our own country, neighbours and friends!

Tune into this episode to see some video of the new artists and products coming to the shop this year.