A huge crowd turned out to last year's Nanaimo Record Show.
Crank up the gramophone mamma,
the Nanaimo Record Show returns April 27
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The magical comeback of the vinyl record gathers more steam. Off the heels of the worldwide phenomenon of Record Store Day is the ninth annual Nanaimo Record Show at Bowen Park on April 27.
From its humble beginnings shoehorned into the Branch 10 Legion a decade ago the show has become the premier event in the record world on Vancouver Island. It survived the pandemic and came back with more interest than ever before. Last year the event recorded over 400 vinyl enthusiasts joining the party.
So who’s buying all these records? It seems there is a wide demographic of people wanting vinyl. Event promoter Jack Tieleman reports “It’s a bit of everybody. We see kids with parents, young people building a collection, older folks rebuilding a collection and those that have never stopped buying records. The idea of having records in the house appeals across ages and genders.”
In terms of what kind of records will be there you can count on a multitude of styles as well. Past shows have offered everything from punk to soul, blues to metal, hip hop to jazz with a heap of classic rock. “That’s the big draw of the show.” Tieleman adds. “You just never know what you might find. Collectors lose sleep over what may turn up! It is the best day of the year”.
The show provides a rare opportunity to see thousands upon thousands of records from dealers from all points on the island and mainland. This year’s event sold out vendor tables in two days. “It was by far the biggest demand for vendor spaces.” Tieleman adds. “You know it’s a success when vendors travel to sell. There will by sellers that have done every one of our shows to those just getting their feet wet.”
The interesting offshoot of the record show is how it has grown into a community event. Where it was initially a place to shop, it has taken on a social aspect where you can see friends, visit with people and take a break from the world for a few hours and hang out. This is augmented by having the JLA Food Truck there. “People come for the records but stay for the social part” says Tieleman. “You can see folks throughout the day just having a good time. They shop, grab a bite to eat come back into the venue and really take advantage of the day.”
The show runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bowen Park Auditorium. Admission is still only $2 and kids under 12 are free. Lots of free parking