Thursday, August 8 

Saturday, August 18

Sunday, August 19

Monday, August 20

Tuesday, August 21

Thursday, August 8

Saturday, August 18

Seminar: NYIGF Orientation, presented by Giftware News and Baby & Kids
8:30AM – 9:30AM, Javits Center, 1E01
Visiting NYIGF for the first time? Free daily NYIGF Orientation sessions will ensure that you don’t miss a thing contained in its three locations, ten divisions and miles of aisles! Moderator Helen Overly, NYIGF’s buyer services representative, will help you navigate the Fair, use the directory and search the Online Catalog Gallery, and Susan Tucker of Giftware News and Baby & Kids will offer additional tips for effective sourcing and shopping. All participants will receive a free tote bag, free magazine subscriptions and other materials to help you shop the show!
Tickets: $10 each, with $10 concession voucher for all attendees

Event: Handmade® Global Design Welcome Reception, hosted by NYIGF
8:45AM – 9:45AM, Javits Center Galleria
Join NY Market participants for an opening day Handmade Global Design welcome reception, hosted by NYIGF. Enjoy coffee and bagels while browsing and buying Handmade Global Design comprehensive collection of international craft resources with a focus on strong design, traditional techniques and quality workmanship.
Free for all retailers. No registration required.

Seminar: ART Retailer Roundtables – Gather. Share. Network at NYIGF
9:30AM – 11:00AM, Pier 94 Café
What’s on your mind? Retailers of all types are invited to share business, personnel and buying issues in open forum discussions facilitated by ART (Accessories Resource Team). Topics will include social media, in-store events, store operations, retail competition, open to buy budgeting, credit card policies and more!
Tickets: $10 each, with $10 concession voucher for all attendees

Seminar: Social Media Marketing Made Simple, presented by CRAFT
2:00PM – 3:00PM, Javits Center, 1A02-03
Social media marketing shouldn’t be intimidating or overwhelming… Like any other form of direct marketing, it simply needs to be utilized properly and wisely to be effective. Join Wendi Caplan-Carroll of Constant Contact for an overview of social media marketing: why it works as well as how to integrate it with email marketing, use it to engage customers and prospects, create content and grow a network. She’ll also address how to measure results.
Tickets $20 advance/$25 onsite; or $30 advance/$40 onsite for both sessions

Seminar: Using Digital Marketing Tools to Promote In-Store Events, presented by CRAFT
3:30PM – 4:30PM, Javits Center, 1A02-03
Maximize the impact of your in-store events with digital marketing! Join Wendi Caplan-Carroll of Constant Contact and learn how to minimize your workload while maximizing attendance. She’ll share tools, tips and best practices for event promotion with digital marketing.
Tickets $20 advance/$25 onsite; or $30 advance/$40 onsite for both sessions

Event: At Home Welcome Reception, hosted by NYIGF
5:00PM – 6:00PM, Pier 94
There’s no place like “At Home”! Join NY Market participants for an opening day At Home welcome reception, hosted by NYIGF. Enjoy a glass of wine while browsing and buying At Home’s comprehensive collection of 300 hard lines for the home – from contemporary to traditional and indoor to outdoor. During this very special hour, ASID’s NY Metro Chapter will bestow its “Best of the Best NYIGF Summer 2012 Awards” to select At Home exhibitors in seven categories – Imaginative Product Presentation ; Innovative Product Design; Social Responsibility / Ecological Sensitivity; Lighting; Accessories; Textiles; and Wall Art.
Free for all retailers. No registration required.

Sunday, August 19

Seminar: Strategic Planning in the Global Marketplace for Handmade Products
8:00AM-9:00AM, Javits Center, 1C04
How is the global marketplace for handmade products changing today? What new marketing techniques are being employed by wholesalers and retailers in this sector? Join Karen Gibbs and Colvin English from By Hand Consulting for an exploration of major shifts within the global handmade market distribution chain and discussion of ways to capitalize on these changes to expand market share and sales.
Free. Pre-registration required

Seminar: NYIGF Orientation, presented by Giftware News and Baby & Kids
8:30AM – 9:30AM, Javits Center, 1E01
Visiting NYIGF for the first time? Free daily NYIGF Orientation sessions will ensure that you don’t miss a thing contained in its three locations, ten divisions, and miles of aisles! Moderator Helen Overly, NYIGF’s buyer services representative, will help you navigate the Fair, use the directory and search the Online Catalog Gallery, and Susan Tucker of Giftware News and Baby & Kids will offer additional tips for effective sourcing and shopping. All participants will receive a free tote bag, free magazine subscriptions and other materials to help you shop the show!
Tickets: $10 each, with $10 concession voucher for all attendees

Seminar: Open House – What’s Hot in Home Design?
8:30AM – 9:30AM, Javits Center, 1A02-03
Explore trends influencing home products – from materials and color to commerce and branding – in this special session, presented in connection with NYIGF’s “Open House” display, sponsored by Home Textiles Today and Home Accents Today, Pantone and One Kings Lane. Warren Shoulberg of Sandow Media will moderate the panel discussion, including Susan Feldman, One Kings Lane co-founder and chief merchandising officer, and Laurie Pressman, Pantone Vice President Fashion, Home + Interiors.
Tickets $20 advance/$25 onsite

Seminar: “Importing 101”
9:00AM – 10:00AM, Pier 92
Thinking of importing? Don’t miss this overview of the basic components of volume importing handmade goods from overseas vendors. This hour-long session will address the logistics of the process, the required vocabulary and the roles and responsibilities of both exporter and importer. Participants will learn how to build international business relationships and to assess the risks and opportunities inherent in the international marketplace. Presenter Carol MacNulty has specialized in handmade and artisanal products for more than 25 years, working directly with both overseas artisans and domestic entrepreneurs to develop and strengthen business skills and to bring the richness of handmade goods into the U.S. market.
Free. Pre-registration required

Seminar: CRAFT Power Hour: Website Essentials
11:30AM – 12:30PM, Javits Center North
What do you want your website to do? Whether your business is new to the web or an online veteran, make sure you’re not missing the essential components of a successful website. Graphic designer Donna Calcavecchio will cover three areas: Purpose, Content & Navigation, and Optimization. The presentation will include a vocabulary list and explanation of technical design web teams for the layperson.
Free for retailers. First come/first seated. No pre-registration required

Seminar: Social Media: Building Business by Building a Buzz
12:00 Noon – 1:00PM, Javits Center, 1A02-03
Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, daily offers… The vast array of social media tools can be overwhelming. Learn how to choose which tools are right for your business and identify which will bring traffic into your stores and strengthen relationships with your customers. Join a panel of digital buzz-building experts, including blogger Hollister Hovey, Joanne Domeniconi, co-founder and chief discovery officer for dailygrommet.com, Ian Borowski, product manager for SnapRetail, and Jack Wrigley, co-founder of QWIQQ  in an exploration of social media options and opportunities.
Tickets $20 advance/$25 onsite

Author Appearance & Book signing: Alice Medrich, Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts
2:00PM – 2:45PM, NYIGF Bookstore, Javits Center North Concourse
Meet Alice Medrich, “the first lady of chocolate” and author of Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts, and register for a chance to win a free trip to one of the destinations featured in the bestselling book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die! Browse and buy a unique selection of more than 25 cooking and design titles – including new launches, best-sellers and top authors – at 30% off retail or up to 57% off wholesale for your store. The NYIGF Bookstore is sponsored by Artisan, a division of Workman Publishing, and author appearances are hosted by Gourmet Insider.
Free. No registration required.

Seminar: CRAFT Power Hour: The Power of AMPs: Transform Your Business
2:30PM – 3:30PM, Javits Center North
If you’re feeling challenged by the turbulent times, success and creativity coach Lisa Kellogg can help you manage your mindset and clarify your business mission. Lisa’s talk will cover three keys to help you energize, refocus on your business, and have more fun while you’re at it!
Free for retailers. First come/first seated. No pre-registration required

Seminar: Read It and Reap! Increasing Profits with Gift Books
3:00PM – 4:00PM, Javits Center, 1C04
Expand your merchandise mix – and your sales – with gift books! Join Marilyn Barnett, director of gift book sales Artisan, a division of Workman Publishing, and learn how to use books to boost 4th quarter business, as well as year-round “add-on” sales. This image-rich presentation will offer ideas for merchandising, as well as cross-merchandising with complementary products, and offer key talking points sales staff can use to boost your bottom line.
Tickets $20 advance/$25 onsite

Seminar: Turning Trends into Dollars, presented by the Day Spa Association
3:30PM – 4:30PM, Javits Center, 1A02-03
Product trends, consumer trends, shopping trends… Translate data and new directions into product selection, promotion, and positioning for increased sales! Allan Share of the Day Spa Association and Patti Biro of Patti Biro and Associates will outline growth opportunities in the personal care market, connected with gender-based selling, green and organic product trends, niche marketing and more. Understand and leverage the information to reach new markets while also expanding a current base! As an added bonus, each registrant will have the opportunity to join the DSA for $114.50 (half of the annual $229 membership).
Tickets $20 advance/$25 onsite

Event: Baby & Child Snack, hosted by Earnshaw’s
4:00PM – 5:00PM, Javits Center, Hall 1D
Enjoy a kid friendly snack, compliments of Earnshaw’s, while browsing and buying Baby & Child’s juried collection of well-designed, sophisticated and purpose-driven products for babies, toddlers and kids (through age 10) and their families.
Free for all retailers

Event: 61st Annual Retailer Excellence Awards
6:30PM – 10:00PM, The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers
Join Gifts & Decorative Accessories in celebrating the 61st Annual Retailer Excellence Awards, which recognize excellence in retailing and individual achievement. During this festive industry gathering, 2012 finalists will be recognized, retail category winners will be announced and special recognition awards will be presented. As part of this very special evening, Gift For Life, the gift and home industry’s only charitable organization, will present its 2012 Industry Achievement Award to Umbra co-founders Les Mandelbaum and Paul Rowan. For information, visit www.giftforlife.org.
Tickets $185 each, including cocktails and dinner, are available through www.giftsanddec.com.

Monday, August 20

Event: GHTA Industry Summit: Marketing to Today’s Women
7:30AM – 9:30AM, Javits Center
A special roundtable dialogue hosted by GHTA, and moderated by Gifts & Decorative Accessories, will focus on marketing to today’s women as a precursor to more in-depth discussion at GHTA’s 2012 Conference. An exclusive panel – including top retailers, suppliers, and industry service providers – will address key drivers to reaching female consumers in today’s dynamic marketplace. The panel’s findings and recommendations will be reported, via a GHTA white paper in Gifts & Decorative Accessories. Submit questions, or concerns, by email to GHTA (info@giftandhome.org), by August 6th.
By invitation only

Seminar: NYIGF Orientation, sponsored by Giftware News and Baby & Kids
8:30AM – 9:30AM, Javits Center, 1E01
Visiting NYIGF for the first time? Free daily NYIGF Orientation sessions will ensure that you don’t miss a thing contained in its three locations, ten divisions, and miles of aisles! Moderator Helen Overly, NYIGF’s buyer services representative, will help you navigate the Fair, use the directory and search the Online Catalog Gallery, and Susan Tucker of Giftware News and Baby & Kids will offer additional tips for effective sourcing and shopping. All participants will receive a free tote bag, free magazine subscriptions and other materials to help you shop the show!
Tickets: $10 each, with $10 concession voucher for all attendees

Seminar: “Importing 101”
9:00AM – 10:00AM, Pier 92
Thinking of importing? Don’t miss this overview of the basic components of volume importing handmade goods from overseas vendors. This hour-long session will address the logistics of the process, the required vocabulary and the roles and responsibilities of both exporter and importer. Participants will learn how to build international business relationships and to assess the risks and opportunities inherent in the international marketplace. Presenter Carol MacNulty has specialized in handmade and artisanal products for more than 25 years, working directly with both overseas artisans and domestic entrepreneurs to develop and strengthen business skills and to bring the richness of handmade goods into the U.S. market.
Free. Pre-registration required

Seminar: Color Trends and Practical Applications, sponsored by IFDA
9:00AM – 10:30AM, with continental breakfast and networking starting at 8:30AM,
Javits Center, 1A02-03
Join New York City’s International Furnishings & Design Association (IFDA) for an exploration of color theory and its practical applications. Doty Horn of Color Voyant, a visionary color marketing company servicing businesses through color positioning with an international perspective, will preview color trends for 2013-14. Additionally, Lisa White, creative director of WGSN, the leading online trend-analysis and research service providing creative and business intelligence for the apparel, style, design and retail industries, will present their seasonal Macro Trends which predict interior and fashion translations of these color directions.
$25/$15 IFDA members/student members, $40/$20 guests/student guests prior to August 17; and $40/$25 IFDA members/student members, $50/$30 guests/student guests after August 17.
RSVP to IFDA at 212-686-6020, or email ifdanyny@verizon.net.

Seminar: CRAFT Power Hour: StorySelling: The Power of a Story in Today’s Marketplace
11:30AM – 12:30PM, Javits Center North
In an ever-expanding global market, making an emotional connection can help you stand out and connect with today’s sophisticated consumer. In this discussion, Sparrow Hall will examine examples of storytelling that directly affect customer choices, and demonstrate how to implement simple storytelling techniques into the way you package and promote your products and company.
Free for retailers. First come/first seated. No pre-registration required

Seminar: Social Responsibility: The New Metrics for SustainAbility
12:00 Noon – 1:30PM, Javits Center 1A02-03
Thinking “green” is no longer enough. Savvy businesses are living their values by implementing corporate responsibility into their business planning and practices. Join Dirk Olin, editor of Corporate Responsibility Magazine for an overview of social responsibility and its seven core components, measurement techniques and principles of philanthropy. Panelists Andrew Kassoy of B Lab and Madeline Kreider Carlson of Fair Trade Federation will share real-time examples of how social responsibility is redefining business success.
Tickets $20 advance/$25 onsite

Author Appearance & Book signing: Shax Riegler, DISH: 813 Colorful, Wonderful Dinner Plates
2:00PM – 2:45PM, NYIGF Bookstore, Javits Center North Concourse
Meet Shax Riegler, author of DISH: 813 Colorful, Wonderful Dinner Plates, and register for a chance to win a free trip to one of the destinations featured in the bestselling book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die! Browse and buy a unique selection of more than 25 cooking and design titles – including new launches, best-sellers and top authors – at 30% off retail or up to 57% off wholesale for your store. The NYIGF Bookstore is sponsored by Artisan, a division of Workman Publishing, and author appearances are hosted by Gourmet Insider.
Free. No registration required.

Seminar: CRAFT Power Hour: Guerrilla Publicity: Savvy Tactics for Getting Published
2:30PM – 3:30PM, Javits Center North
Find out how to create compelling stories around your brand and connect with the publications, broadcasts and blogs most influential to your audience. Learn “best practices” for Twitter, Facebook and blogging, and what aspects of an event make it newsworthy. Public relations consultant Susan Harkavy will offer tips and techniques you can use to generate awareness and spark sales.
Free for retailers. First come/first seated. No pre-registration required

Seminar & Book signing: DISH with Shax Riegler – Tabletop Design from Now and Then
3:00PM – 4:00PM, Javits Center, 1C04
Artisan Book’s DISH is a globe-trotting, century-hopping celebration of dishes – from classic blue-and-white to colorful Fiesta and beyond – and how plates bring color, art, and craftsmanship to our dinner tables. With a bold, lively mix of pieces, DISH is a visual extravaganza of more than 800 plates—spanning time periods and styles—delivering a feast for the eyes of collectors and casual admirers alike. Author Shax Riegler is features editor of House Beautiful and has worked with publications including House & Garden, Martha Stewart Living, Travel & Leisure and Vogue, and is completing work on a PhD dissertation about the history of decorative arts and design at the Bard Graduate Center.
Tickets $20 advance/$25 onsite

Seminar: Leverage the Power of “Small Business Saturday” to Drive Traffic & Increase Profits, presented by GIFT SHOP
3:30PM – 4:30PM, Javits Center, 1A02-03
In 2011, more than 100 million consumers shopped on “Small Business Saturday,” a national initiative encouraging customers to support independent community-based businesses on the day after “Black Friday” (the Saturday after Thanksgiving). This information-rich seminar will include 50+ innovative ideas that you can use to drive current and new customers to your store on November 24. Join Patricia Norins, publisher of GIFT SHOP and Small Business Saturday spokesperson, and find out how to incorporate this event into your 2012 holiday marketing strategy and give big box stores a run for their money!
Tickets $20 advance/$25 onsite

Event: A Night on Broadway, featuring GHOST
8:00PM – 10:30PM, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 West 46th Street
Adapted from the hit film, GHOST is a timeless fantasy about the power of love. The story follows Sam and Molly, a young couple whose connection takes a shocking turn after Sam’s untimely death. Trapped between two worlds as a ghost, Sam refuses to leave Molly when he learns she is in grave danger. Desperate to communicate with her, he turns to a storefront psychic, Oda Mae, who helps him protect Molly and avenge his death. GHOST is adapted by its Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin and directed by Tony Award® winner Matthew Warchus (God of Carnage, The Norman Conquests). The original score is by multiple Grammy® Award winners Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) and Glen Ballard, and includes the emblematic “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers.
Tickets, normally priced at $137, are specially priced at $89 for NY Market participants, with the difference being absorbed by NYIGF.

Tuesday, August 21

Seminar: Consumer Product Safety Commission: Make Sure Your Business Complies! hosted by Kids Today
8:30AM – 9:30AM, Javits Center, 1C04
U.S. consumer product safety requirements for children’s products have gone through significant changes in the past six months. Join Kids Today for an update on which products can be classified as a children’s product and subject to the fine print. Neal Cohen, Small Business Ombudsman with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, will present a practical overview on how to comply with new rules and regulations, as well as your rights and responsibilities as a manufacturer, distributor or retailer.
Tickets $20 advance/$25 onsite

Seminar: “Importing 101”
9:00AM – 10:00AM, Pier 92
Thinking of importing? Don’t miss this overview of the basic components of volume importing handmade goods from overseas vendors. This hour-long session will address the logistics of the process, the required vocabulary and the roles and responsibilities of both exporter and importer. Participants will learn how to build international business relationships and to assess the risks and opportunities inherent in the international marketplace. Presenter Carol MacNulty has specialized in handmade and artisanal products for more than 25 years, working directly with both overseas artisans and domestic entrepreneurs to develop and strengthen business skills and to bring the richness of handmade goods into the US market.
Free. Pre-registration required

Seminar: DOUBLE DOSSIER: Fashion Designers on Home. Home Design Redefined., presented by Fashion Group International
9:00AM – 10:00AM, with continental breakfast and networking starting at 8:30AM,
Javits Center, 1A02-03
The astounding commercial success and design influence of fashion and home designers who have crossed over to create major lifestyle brands has retailers reaping the rewards at the register.
Join the Fashion Group International for a discussion on lifestyle trends between the worlds of fashion apparel and home design – and the ways in which designers and manufacturers are influencing the way we live and dress.
$30/$45 FGI members/guests. RSVP to Fashion Group International at events@fgi.org.

Seminar: CRAFT Power Hour: The Mobile Web: How to Engage & Why
11:30AM – 12:30PM, Javits Center North
Today’s buyer shops locally and online, and on multiple mobile devices. Learn how to connect to your customer across multiple platforms and how to be where they are. Nicole Carroll will discuss how to tailor your online presence to keep pace with on-the-go consumers.
Free for retailers. First come/first seated. No pre-registration required

Seminar: Mythbusting: Fair Trade & Your Customer, presented by Fair Trade Federation
12:00 Noon – 1:00PM, Javits Center, 1A02-03
Learn how to separate fair trade myth from reality, as well as how to educate your customers. Join in the discussion on what fair trade is, and more specifically what fair traders do to really make a difference in the lives of craftspeople. The panel discussion will be moderated by Fair Trade Federation program director, Madeline Kreider Carlson, and will include representatives of Fair Trade Federation member companies.
Tickets $20 advance/$25 onsite

Author Appearance & Book signing: Katie Workman, The Mom 100 Cookbook: 100 Recipes Every Mom Needs in Her Back Pocket
2:00PM – 2:45PM, NYIGF Bookstore, Javits Center North Concourse
Meet Katie Workman, author of The Mom 100 Cookbook, and register for a chance to win a free trip to one of the destinations featured in the bestselling book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die! Browse and buy a unique selection of more than 25 cooking and design titles – including new launches, best-sellers and top authors – at 30% off retail or up to 57% off wholesale for your store. The NYIGF Bookstore is sponsored by Artisan, a division of Workman Publishing, and author appearances are hosted by Gourmet Insider.
Free. No registration required.

Seminar: CRAFT Power Hour: American Craft Week – Participate & Profit!
2:30PM – 3:30PM, Javits Center North
Hop on the Made-in-America bandwagon! Join retailer Diane Sulg and learn how artists and retailers can use American Craft Week – October 5-14, 2012 – as a marketing hook to increase traffic and sales. Now in its third year, this nationwide celebration publicizes, explains and promotes American Craft and all it contributes to our national aesthetic and economy.
Free for retailers. First come/first seated. No pre-registration required

Seminar: Building a Business Through Brand Awareness with Gourmet Business
3:30PM – 4:30PM, Javits Center, 1A02-03
Branding is so much more than a logo! Join Brian Igoe of Gourmet Business for an overview of branding, the importance of defining a brand image, how brands influence perceptions and how to utilize brands through product development, packaging and marketing. He also will address co-branding and making the whole much more than the sum of its parts.
Tickets $20 advance/$25 onsite