DENVER, Oct. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The third annual Rocky Mountain Hobby-Expo (Expo), expanded its trade activities to include games and specialty toys in addition to a suite of STEM activities geared towards connecting hobbies and education.
"The closure of Toys R Us has accelerated the growth of toy and game sales within traditional hobby stores," said the event's Executive Director Jim Marski. "The Expo provides a single trade event for hobby, game and specialty toy stores to access product to expand their markets."
The Expo, sponsored by the Hobby Manufacturers Association, is a combined consumer/trade show covering all categories of the hobby industry, one of a handful of such opportunities around the country.
"We want to include hobbies and activities for the whole family, and for every age group possible," explained Marski. "We're at a point where psychologists and educators are recommending more non-screen time for everyone in the family – especially kids – and this is the perfect place for retailers to come find fun, challenging, and engaging products to offer their customers."
The show offered opportunities for both retailers and the public to explore STEM/STEAM, remote control cars, trucks, planes, and boats, drones, trains, slot cars, rockets, scale model kits, LEGO, gaming and polymer clay products. There were many hands-on demonstrations and activities, including opportunities to race cars and boats, fly drones, run trains, build model kits and rockets, play games and participate in STEM activities.
The show also differs from traditional trade events because of its innovative community partnerships with organizations that promote educational and career advancement. This includes local and national non-profit organizations, including Rocky Mountain PBS, FirstInspire, Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, CodeSpire, the Children's Literacy Center, Denver Public Library, University of Colorado Denver, Shades of Blue and the International Association for Astronomical Studies (IAAS).
"We work with school districts, Rocky Mountain PBS and the Denver Public Library to provide advancement opportunities throughout our region," said Marski. "We have partnered with the Adams 14 school district to make STEM activities available to their students and families, as well as provide a program to connect Gifted and Talented and CTE students to engineers, designers, entrepreneurs and hobby industry executives."
Contact: Richard Matthews
(203) 853-7095
Richard@mattmedia.com
SOURCE Hobby-Expo LLC
