Nation's Only Public Toy and Game Fair Returns to Chicago, Honors Toy and Game Inventors

Nation's Only Public Toy and Game Fair Returns to Chicago, Honors Toy and Game
Inventors

CHICAGO, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- From the greatest classics to the hottest
new toys and games on the market, the Chicago Toy and Game Fair (ChiTAG) --
the nation's only public toy and game show -- will feature something for
everyone. Kids, parents, toy and game enthusiasts and other curious minds are
invited to play and learn.
ChiTAG showcases products from around the world just in time for the
holidays, Saturday November 22 and Sunday November 23 at Navy Pier, Festival
Hall A. Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley serves as the honorary chair.
"We are thrilled to bring ChiTAG back to Chicago -- a city that our
industry considers the toy and game capital of the world," said Mary Couzin,
ChiTAG organizer. "We want to emphasize the importance of play in all of our
lives -- children and adults alike."
In addition to a concentration on fun, ChiTAG focuses on the importance of
games in education, incorporating play into family life and securing safe toys
in the market.
In a nation where we grant industry awards to people in TV, movies, music
and books, we fail to recognize the inventors of toys and games that sell by
the hundreds of millions, are in every American household, and have a shelf
life of 50+ years. The first-ever Toy and Game Inventors Event (TAGIE) awards
will recognize the people who invent the toys and games that are so integral
to American culture.
The TAGIE awards dinner takes place November 21 at Chicago's Museum of
Contemporary Art, and will announce winners of Inventor of the Year for
Excellence in Toy Design, Inventor of the Year for Excellence in Game Design
and Inventor of the Year for Rising Star (rookie) Inventor. They will also
honor Jeffrey Breslow, retiring president and co-founder of Big Monster Toys
(creator of such well-known toys as Ants in the Pants), with a Lifetime
Achievement Award for his contribution to the toy and game industry. The
awards dinner is open to the public, and is sponsored by Hasbro(R) and
Mattel(R). For nominee profiles and to vote for a winner, visit
http://www.toyandgameinventors.com/ and click CAST YOUR VOTE!
Additional features of this year's fair include:

-- Star Wars Breakfast and Integrity Toys' Dynamite Girls Breakfast
-- 501st Star Wars Legion Walking Fair and Star Wars Droid Hunt
-- The Young Inventor Challenge, open to youth under 18
-- Renaissance Knights Chess Tournaments
-- Inventor Forum
-- Brookfield Zoo Characters
-- Radio Disney on stage
-- Track-tested NASCAR race car and NASCAR tailgate games at Fundex Games
booth

ChiTAG is working with American Library Association and Chicago Public
Library System, Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the U.S.A, Brookfield
Zoo, CARES Mentoring, Games for Educators, Girls on the Run -- Chicago, Kohl's
Children's Museum, Mayor's Office of Special Events, Museum of Science and
Industry, Renaissance Knights chess organization and more.
For general event information, please visit: http://www.chitag.com
For entire press kit, including schedule of show, please visit:
http://proofs.jtpr.com/103008/CHITAG/
For TAGIE information including finalist profiles, please visit:
http://www.toyandgameinventors.com

SOURCE Chicago Toy and Game Fair

Ellie Abrams, +1-312-573-5516, ellie_abrams@jtpr.com, for Chicago Toy and Game
Fair