Nostalgia is a powerful emotion, especially when it relates to a fond memory of a familiar toy. Maybe it’s a Smash-Up Derby playset, a Lite-Brite, an Easy Bake Oven or a Tickle Me Elmo plushie.
Toys are ageless, timeless and some are highly sought-after, and worth a pretty penny. Collectibles are big business, but isn’t it more fun taking the toy out of the box to play with? Collectors would cringe at the very thought.
On Mar. 2, the Rocky Mountain Turf Club Event Centre will host the 2024 Lethbridge Toy Show and Sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“You’ve got over 50 tables to shop from,” says organizer Judy Meier, who took over the event three years ago. There’s comics, coins, a comic artist, Lego and of course, Barbies.
There will also be treats, including freeze dried candy and cotton candy. “For those who have a sweet tooth,” says Meier, and beef jerky will also be coming in.
“There will be characters you can have your pictures taken with either Captain America or Disney’s Ariel or Aurora,” adds Meier. “I’ve got farm toys coming in. There’s a huge amount.”
Meier, who was organizing a Christmas market at the time, took the event over from the original owners of the Lethbridge Antique and Toy Show, who were retiring. Meier decided to change the moniker and switch-up its content, while creating a unique and family fun-filled day.
“I revamped it. There’s a lot of events in Lethbridge that do have antique to it. I took out the antique and I’ve geared it a little bit differently. Where there’s a little bit for everybody,” notes Meier.
According to Meier, there’s a lot more to the show and sale than just toys – for those maybe a bit unsure of the event. “There is the collectible aspect to it, and I do bring in different things. Sometimes it’s the case of your significant other doesn’t really want to go. There are other things to look at and shop for too. It gives you that happy medium for everybody.”
But overall, Meier says, the show is geared towards collectors who want to start collecting things. “Or for people looking for that old nostalgic toy you grew up with.”
“My husband had this Jeep when he was six or seven. I found that Jeep at the first show I did and I gave it to him. He thought it was the coolest thing. Now, it sits in the garage, and he looks at it all the time. It’s a memory thing because you have toys you grew up with and you’re attached to that good feeling,” says Meier.
Meier says people sell collectibles or entire collections for a plethora of reasons, including family members who no longer want to hold onto an old toy being passed down, “and they are selling it off bit by bit for other people to enjoy.”
“Everybody’s got a different story of why they sell,” says Meier, and on the flipside, teenagers are now getting into collecting things, which is great news for collectible shows.
For more information about the upcoming show and sale check out the event’s Facebook page.