Chicago Toy and Game Fair - Nov. 21, 22

The annual Chicago Toy and Game Fair (CHITAG), scheduled to take place at the Navy Pier in downtown Chicago on Nov. 21 and 22 (which is an event I highly recommend if you can make it), will once again be preceded by the Toy and Game Inventors Expo (TAGIE).

TAGIE, which will take place on Nov. 19 and 20 at the Navy Pier, is designed to help toy and game inventors and entrepreneurs by providing networking and educational opportunities, along with a chance to meet face-to-face with some of the industry's top professionals. This year's speakers include Mike Hirtle and Michael Gray from Hasbro, Dave Okada from Mattel, Max Osterhaus from Out of the Box Publishing, Steve Toth from Fisher Price Toys, John Bell from Buffalo Games, and Ellen Heaney-Mizer, game buyer for Barnes & Noble.

TAGIE will culminate in the Toy and Game Inventor Awards the evening of Friday, Nov. 20. TAGIES will be awarded to the Toy Inventor of the Year, the Game Inventor of the Year, Rising Star Inventor of the Year, and Young Inventor of the Year. The awards will be presented by actresses Daryl Hannah and Hilary Shepard (who designed the party game Liebrary), game designer Leslie Scott (Jenga), and game designer and author Tim Walsh (Blurt, The Playmakers).