PLATTSBURGH — Storm clouds and graduation traffic failed to keep crowds away from this year’s Spring Plattsburgh Card and Collectibles Show featuring over 130 vendors and a number of special appearances.
“We have 136 vendors here, the 802 Ghostbusters with their Jeep and a 15-foot Stay Puft, Spider-Man, Pikachu, and the Ninja Turtles.” Adam Guillette, Plattsburgh Card and Collectible Show organizer, said.
“I am feeling really good about it.”
Held on Saturday, May 17, at the Champlain Centre, the event transformed the space into a hub of nostalgia, fandom and family fun stretching from Target to Old Navy.
The card and collectible show, which began in 2019, has become a staple in the collectible community for its variety of sports, Pokemon and Magic The Gathering cards, comic books, vintage video Games and toys, action figures and various other collectible memorabilia.
“People are coming from all over and look forward to it until the next one.” Guillette said.
Some highlights of this season’s show include the 802 Ghostbusters from Vermont, Green Mountain Turtles, Pikachu & Spiderman and Bill “The Crusher” Bigelow.
“It’s bigger and better than ever,” Ellie Jent, Chief Development Officer at JCEO, one of the event’s partners said.
“We’re so grateful for the community support, despite the weather and graduation weekend.”
The event was free and open to the public, all vendors table fees were donated to the JCEO Community Action Angels’ Backpack and Fostering Komfort.
Both are projects of JCEO’s Community Action Angels & the Plattsburgh Kiwanis Breakfast Club.
Fostering Komfort provides children entering into foster care, or transitioning between foster homes, with a backpack containing comfort items.
The Backpack Program sends food-insecure students home with a backpack filled with an appropriate amount of food, drinks and snacks they may need when not in school.
According to Guillette, he visits other collectible shows through-out the year to spread the word and “recruit,” new vendors.
“We spend a lot of time going to other shows and getting the word out, recruiting,” he said.
Among the newcomers was David Cena, a first-time vendor trading sports and Pokémon cards.
“This is my first time ever on this side of the table,” he said.
Cena said the “nostalgia,” sparked his interest in trading cards again.
“I guess I started as a child, but I’ve been collecting for about five to six years,” he said.
“It lets you block out reality and feel like a kid again.”
According to Guillete, the event is typically held “twice a year,” on the third Saturday of May and October and he is already “looking forward to it,”
“If all goes to plan, the next one should be October 18,” he said.