To celebrate Jellycat’s 25th anniversary, the Institute of Contemporary Art, or ICA, stocked up on the beloved plushies and attracted hundreds of customers Saturday for an anniversary party.
The event began at 10 a.m., but Jellycat enthusiasts were already bearing the cold weather and lining up at the doors of the ICA prior to the museum opening. Attendees came from a variety of backgrounds and ages. Parents with children, teens with their friends and young couples were all excited to get their hands on a brand new Jellycat.
Once the museum opened, attendees were directed to the museum gift shop where the Jellycat stock was located. There was no entry fee, which definitely drew in more customers as they could instead spend their money on adorable plushies. Some of the Jellycats available included bunnies, elephants, flowers, manatees, croissants and eggs.
The small gift shop quickly became packed as attendees hurried to the back corner to find their new favorite toy. Employees constantly restocked the shelves to keep up with customer demand.
While some people only bought one Jellycat, many bought multiple as it can be hard to find stock of the United Kingdom-based brand in Boston. Luckily for attendees, those who spent over $100 received a free keychain of the Jellycat mascot.
At checkout, customers were able to enter a raffle to win a limited edition Jellycat and were also treated to a special 25th anniversary bag for their Jellycat. Purchased Jellycats were sent off to their new homes with mini party hats to mark the occasion.
While the event was hectic due to the large amount of people crowded into such a small space, attendees were clearly happy when they were able to find a Jellycat to take home. There were smiles all around as friends gushed over their finds and parents were able to help their little ones pick out a new toy. The iconic plushies didn’t fail to bring joy to their fans.
