Carolina Phonograph Show -- March 24-26

[Shawn]

Folks,

My objective in making this post is two-fold.

• Provide a fact-based account of the North Carolina Show

• Make a plea to the phonograph community

North Carolina Show

The recent North Carolina show was a phonograph show, appended to an existing radio club show. Though a few individuals put in great efforts and expense to set up and promote the show, there were only six phonograph dealers. In the past, there have been as many as 30 - 40 dealers. Two of the six dealers for this show came from out of state. There were very few phonograph collectors from the North Carolina area that attended the show. The Radio Club had over 90 dealers in the parking lot and was very well attended.

My objective for travelling 10 ½ hours to go to this show was to visit with friends, share details on the upcoming Midwest EXPO, and have the opportunity to look at and buy phonograph items. I had a great time visiting with friends, but based on the lack of attendance, I was unable to achieve my other two objectives to any satisfactory level.

My Plea

Phonograph shows have historically been one of the main ways by which we perpetuate our hobby - buying, selling, learning, and building community. Putting together a show requires a significant amount of work and expense. A lack of attendance and support will quickly signal that shows are no longer the way we perpetuate the hobby, and shows will no longer be.

My plea to you is that if you have enjoyed and benefited from a phonograph show in the past, please consider making extra effort to attend upcoming shows. If you've never been to a show, being in person with other collectors, learning, seeing lots of phonograph items is an experience I have treasured and would encourage to any current and potential collector. The upcoming shows that I am aware of include:

• Mechanical Musical Extravaganza in Wayne New Jersey April 24, 2022

• Midwest Music EXPO in Schaumburg, IL June 11 - 12, 2022

• West Coast EXPO Buena Park, California Aug. 20 - Aug. 21

• Mechanical Musical Extravaganza in Wayne New Jersey September 18, 2022

There may be other shows that I am not immediately aware of.

I know that as individuals we may each have challenges, barriers, or issues in attending any particular show. However, the bottom line is that good or bad, our voice as a phonograph community, expressed by our support of these shows, will dictate the future of phonograph shows.

Shawn O'Rourke - [email protected]

[Fonotone]

Thanks, Shawn. Wonderful post, right on the mark. And thanks for sharing the pictures, Bob. I just wish I hadn't been scowling. I must have just finished one of those donuts they were serving in the parking lot.
-- Grant

[MATTROSE94]

Folks,

My objective in making this post is two-fold.

• Provide a fact-based account of the North Carolina Show

• Make a plea to the phonograph community

North Carolina Show

The recent North Carolina show was a phonograph show, appended to an existing radio club show. Though a few individuals put in great efforts and expense to set up and promote the show, there were only six phonograph dealers. In the past, there have been as many as 30 - 40 dealers. Two of the six dealers for this show came from out of state. There were very few phonograph collectors from the North Carolina area that attended the show. The Radio Club had over 90 dealers in the parking lot and was very well attended.

My objective for travelling 10 ½ hours to go to this show was to visit with friends, share details on the upcoming Midwest EXPO, and have the opportunity to look at and buy phonograph items. I had a great time visiting with friends, but based on the lack of attendance, I was unable to achieve my other two objectives to any satisfactory level.

My Plea

Phonograph shows have historically been one of the main ways by which we perpetuate our hobby - buying, selling, learning, and building community. Putting together a show requires a significant amount of work and expense. A lack of attendance and support will quickly signal that shows are no longer the way we perpetuate the hobby, and shows will no longer be.

My plea to you is that if you have enjoyed and benefited from a phonograph show in the past, please consider making extra effort to attend upcoming shows. If you've never been to a show, being in person with other collectors, learning, seeing lots of phonograph items is an experience I have treasured and would encourage to any current and potential collector. The upcoming shows that I am aware of include:

• Mechanical Musical Extravaganza in Wayne New Jersey April 24, 2022

• Midwest Music EXPO in Schaumburg, IL June 11 - 12, 2022

• West Coast EXPO Buena Park, California Aug. 20 - Aug. 21

• Mechanical Musical Extravaganza in Wayne New Jersey September 18, 2022

There may be other shows that I am not immediately aware of.

I know that as individuals we may each have challenges, barriers, or issues in attending any particular show. However, the bottom line is that good or bad, our voice as a phonograph community, expressed by our support of these shows, will dictate the future of phonograph shows.

Shawn O'Rourke - [email protected]

Great post Shawn! I am thinking that a lot of long-standing phonograph collectors didn’t attend the show due to COVID fears and/or lack of advertising. The same thing happened at the Akron, Ohio phonograph show last August from what I have heard as well. I hope that the Mechanical Music Extravaganza is well attended by both patrons and attendees in a few weeks, as I already know of a few well known venders who are not attending due to COVID fears.

[Lee]

Shawn, thanks for the post about the Charlotte show. My wife and I drove there from Richmond, Virginia which wasn't too bad. I had never been to this show. I was hoping to see a little more material, but still had fun. Sold and bought some stuff. Overall, it was successful trip. Thinking about driving to Wayne, NJ with my wife on Saturday the 23rd and attending the show on Sunday the 24th. Is there a better way to go than straight up 95? Not looking forward to the intense traffic. Thanks, Lee

[Fonotone]

Shawn, thanks for the post about the Charlotte show. My wife and I drove there from Richmond, Virginia which wasn't too bad. I had never been to this show. I was hoping to see a little more material, but still had fun. Sold and bought some stuff. Overall, it was successful trip. Thinking about driving to Wayne, NJ with my wife on Saturday the 23rd and attending the show on Sunday the 24th. Is there a better way to go than straight up 95? Not looking forward to the intense traffic. Thanks, Lee

Lee,

If you're driving from the Richmond area, and you want to avoid 95 (a good idea, always) take 64 west to to 81 north, then 81 north to the 81/78 split around Hershey PA. From there, take 78 east into western NJ. Different routes from that point, but the fastest is usually via 287.

-- Grant

[Lee]

Grant, thank you greatly. This is exactly the information I was looking for. I will study it! Best, Lee

[Fonotone]

Double-post. Deleted.