This past weekend the MFCA show was held in Valley Forge, PA. From reports on one forum, it was a great show. Other verbal reports stated that the show was awful. I did not attend this year as I had been to Plastic Warrior show and was still getting back into the swing of things. I do know attendance was down. One thing that hurts this show is their $15.00 admission. Their excuse is that it for a two day admission, but most people go for only one day. Because of that policy, people pass on the show. Likewise the high table rate and the cost of a peddler license, dealers have been dropping this show from their list.
Still a show becomes what you make of it. I am sure many had a good time. The only thing I want to say is MFCA is not an up and coming show like one poster said. MFCA has seen better days.
The one and only time I hit MCFA was the year it was held at Villanova University. I think that was sometime in the 1980s. I enjoyed the show. My wife and I both flew in from Michigan, and used the occasion to visit, for the first time, historic Philadelphis (Independence Hall/Liberty Bell/ Betsy Ross home), as well as Valley Forge Nat. Historic Park. We then traveled over to Gettysburg, which I hadn’t been to for 20 years, and spent two nights there. The whole trip, including the show, was quite fun, but I haven’t been back to the show since, primarily because of the distance from Michigan. Indy and OTSN are both quite a bit closer.
The admission back then was just the typical $2 – $3.00. I agree with you, a $15.00 admission seems awfully high, even in this day and age. Back then, my wife went into the show with me when we attended. If I went today, rather than pay a $30.00 admission charge, I’d let her just wait in the motel room. On two-day shows, I don’t think I’ve ever found the occasion to go back the second day.
I attended the MFCA show. It was okay. Not a lot of interesting stuff. I did buy an Elastolin doughboy band (with a Japanese snare drummer and flag bearer to round out the set). I think that the prices for the “junk” that I usually buy were a little high. The Elastolins, for example, were in okay shape, not a lot of paint missing, the cymbal player was missing an arm, but the dealer had it, so all I had to do was glue it back on. I paid $10 each for the figures, which I think was a little high, but since I collect bands (and these guys were the smaller size Elastolins) I didn’t mind paying that much since I didn’t have that particular band.
I like to root through the junk boxes, looking for figures I can repair or ones that can round out something I”m working on, but there were not a lot of junk boxes, so that disappointed me. Also, the little bit of junk I did buy was a little pricey.
Overall it was okay. The items submitted for judging were spectacular, I wish I was half as good as those guys. I’ll never be able to do that kind of work. I liked the show, partly ’cause it is the nearest and most convenient for me. Someday, when and if the economy improves, I’m sure the show will improve.
Oh, and by the way, I was disappointed that Britains didn’t have the Nile Gunboat on display. I really wanted to see that one in person. Maybe Ron Ruddell has one in his shop; I’m overdue for a trip to Emmaus, guess I’ll have to go see Ron to see the gunboat in the flesh.
George
I love junk boxes too. When I did MFCA last year there were very few junk boxes to go through.