DALLAS – Dallas Market Center (DMC) reported the strongest attendance in five years for its August markets, with new buyers accounting for nearly a third of the total attendance.
According to a release from DMC, the August markets – which included the Apparel & Accessories Market, KidsWorld, American Equestrian Trade Association (AETA) and Western & English Sales Association (WESA), all running concurrently Aug. 18-21 – saw a substantial rise in combined attendance compared to previous years.
In addition to an increase in new buyers, the markets also had more attendees from each region compared to last year and saw a surge in international attendance.
“Our market is where top retailers from coast to coast are choosing to do business,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of DMC. “Four markets under one roof, all hitting new highs in the same week — that’s buyers and exhibitors telling us that Dallas is where they can get more done and get inspired.”
Individually, each market hit new highs: KidsWorld reported its strongest performance on record, with retailer attendance up roughly 40 percent year-over-year. Meanwhile, AETA saw retailer attendance double compared to last year, while WESA represented roughly a quarter of all buyers from the August lineup. The Apparel & Accessories Market also posted its highest new-company count in recent years.
Exhibitors were feeling the buzz, too. Navneet Singh, founder of leather bag brand Hyna, said, “New clients. Real B2B relationships. A hundred small conversations that added up to something real by the end of the fourth day. Every person I spoke with treated a first-time exhibitor from India like he already belonged there.”
The next edition of KidsWorld will run concurrently with the Gift & Home Market and Dallas Design Week, running Sept. 15-17. Buyers will have one more opportunity to source the latest fashion for 2026 at the October edition of the Apparel & Accessories Market, running Oct. 20-23.
A full calendar of Dallas Market Center events can be found online.
