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Press Contact:  Amy Dufour – 678-285-0597
adufour@urban-expo.com

 Freezy Freakies Takes Show’s Best New Product Award

ATLANTA (January 29, 2019) –The January 4-7, 2019 edition of the Philadelphia Gift Show welcomed retailers from throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Tri-State areas who came to see the newest introductions for spring, and shop the cross-over selection offered by the three collocated events, which included the premiere of the Philadelphia Souvenir & Resort Expo and the Philadelphia National Candy Gift & Gourmet Show, held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center.

Further strengthening the versatile selection for retailers, the winter edition welcomed more than 81 new, first-time exhibitors. Headlining the new resources on the show floor, Freezy Freakies (pictured left) took the “Best New Product Award” for its rad color-changing gloves from the ‘80s for both adults and kids.

“Launching the Philadelphia Souvenir & Resort Expo in conjunction with the Philadelphia Gift Show and the co-location with the Candy   was a resounding success,” says Lisa Glosson, Vice President of Gift & Souvenir, Clarion UX. “The souvenir and resort product category has always been an integral part of our winter offerings and we gave it an even bigger platform by expanding the resources and the business opportunities for buyers and exhibitors alike. We’re looking forward to growing this event and bringing the retail tourism businesses located in the northeast and Mid-Atlantic market even more resources so they can continue to shop closer to home.”

Buyers and exhibitors alike raved about the new souvenir and resort expo.

“The new Philadelphia Souvenir & Resort Expo was a great addition to the selection of products offered by the Philadelphia Gift Show. “I shop the show regularly and I’m always finding lots of new products,” said Isabel Danielak, Silverton Pharmacy, Toms River, NJ.

 "I found several vendors that were suitable for our Zoo & Aquarium Group (ZAG) buyers and sponsors at the show,” said Steve Fairchild, Sedgwick County Zoo Wichita, Kansas. “The new Souvenir & Resort Expo was perfectly timed for filling inventory gaps and finding new vendors for spring.”
 
Philadelphia Gift Show Winter 2019 Recap/page 2
“I love the variety here at the show,” adds Mary Davis, 1758 Co., Bedford, Pa.

"It was the best show we've done in 10-15 years,” says Pamela Falfin, Village Square. “We'll be back next year!"

"I was surprised by the number of resort stores that were so close to the show,” adds Marc Turiner, Authentic Resortwear. “The sales were better than I expected."​

Adding to the show excitement of the Philadelphia Gift Show and Philadelphia Souvenir & Resort Expo, retailers had the chance to vote for a number of awards, including the Freezy Freakies’ Best New Product award and Best Made in America award, which went to Manassas Park, Virginia-based QMT Windchimes (pictured right) for hand-tuned wind chimes it has been manufacturing in the US for more than 30 years.

“This is awesome,” said Hans Reichstetter, co-founder of Buffonery Factory, LLC. “We revived Freezy Freakies in January 2015 on Kickstarter, bringing back the original ‘80s glove designs for adults and kids, and we chose the Philadelphia Gift Show as our first trade show. Back in the heyday of the ‘80s, Philadelphia was the number two market for sales for Freezy Freakies gloves. We've had a great response and interest from retailers here at the show.”

The winter 2019 edition once again co-located with the Retail Confectioners Association of Philadelphia's (RCAP) 139th Philadelphia National Candy Gift & Gourmet Show giving retailers throughout the northeast region the opportunity to take advance of cross-over buying opportunities afforded by the show’s selection of candy, chocolate, gourmet specialties and other ideal impulse items.

The Philadelphia Gift Show continued many of its convenient onsite buyer services. On Thursday, January 3, the show partnered with CRAFT to co-host a pre-show seminar, “All About Wholesale,” designed for artists and makers’.  The show’s Discovery Zone featured a number of complimentary seminars led by speakers Diana Kauffman of Diana Kauffman Designs and Shirley Frazier, president of Sweet Survival along with daily retailer prize giveaways, popcorn socials, and the "stay for the last day" promotion inviting buyers to shop the last day of the show and enjoy free lunch and show specials offered by exhibitors on Monday, January 8.

As a new, annual event, the Philadelphia Souvenir & Resort Expo offers a convenient winter market place for souvenir and resort retailers based in the northeast and Mid-Atlantic region to source product for their busy tourist season. The Philadelphia Souvenir & Resort Expo will return January 24-27, 2020 to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center where it will collocate again with the Philadelphia Gift Show and the Philadelphia National Candy, Gift & Gourmet Show.  www.phillysouvenirshow.com

The Philadelphia Gift Show will return July 21-24, 2019 to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. For exhibitor information, contact Jeannie Dorchak, Sales Manager, Clarion UX, 1690 Roberts Blvd NW, Suite 111, Kennesaw, GA 30144. Phone: 678-370-0340, email: jdorchak@urban-expo.com. For buyer information or to register, attendees can call 800.318.2238 or visit www.philadelphiagiftshow.com
 

ABOUT CLARION UX
Founded in 1995, Urban Expositions, now operating as Clarion UX and owned by Clarion Events, produces and manages a portfolio of 36 trade and consumer events, serving a range of industry sectors including Gift, Souvenir, Apparel, Art, Auto, Fire and Rescue, Foodservice, Specialty Retail, Gaming, Power & Energy, and Enthusiast Lifestyle, with offices in Kennesaw, GA, Trumbull, CT, Portland, OR, and Boca Raton, FL. www.clarionux.com