Canadian Society of Military Medals and Insignia Annual Show

[Bill A]

Thanks for the clarification. As far as I know there is nothing that compares with the Max show in Canada. In fact, many US shows are far bigger than anything held in Canada. Militaria collecting is small in Canada. Again, the answer to your question depends on your location. If you could indicate a region, eg Maritimes, Quebec, Ontario, Man/Sask/Alberta, west coast, someone may have suggestions.

[cw2311]

Bill,

I can go anywhere in Canada if it is worth the trip. I would even be interested in any good shows in the UK if anyone has any they recommend.

Thanks

[RCN]

Originally Posted by Bill A

Hi Bryan, Your sentiments were expressed by more than one vendor. At least 3 others said the same.
There are hundreds of factors that affect the success of a show, but one that is hard to shake off is reputation/noteriety. Personally, I haven't made a decsion, but then I did well at this show even with the poor attendance. But, the reason I did well was in part due to some pre-arranged meetings.

I hear you Bill. I had same reaction from some vendors also -the MAIN topic tho was LACK of attendees, but saying that, I think those that did attend were buying as I saw cash change hands many times. No doubt some vendors did well, the vendor beside me did nothing on Fri but Ok on Sat, at least he made his expenses & took some cash home, unlike me!

B

[RCN]

Originally Posted by cw2311

Bill,

I can go anywhere in Canada if it is worth the trip. I would even be interested in any good shows in the UK if anyone has any they recommend.

Thanks

Your best bet would be Etobicoke show held at Etobicoke Olympium,
590 Rathburn Rd, Etobicoke -- its on this Sat Jun 15. Its always well attended, actually at times it can be downright claustrophobic! You need to be there early tho, between 0830 & 1100 - its virtually all over by noon.
I have not attended a Jun show for a few yrs but I expect it will be well attended & you wont be disappointed,

RCN Bryan

[cw2311]

Thanks Bryan,

Will do.

[RCN]

Originally Posted by Bill A

Thanks for the clarification. As far as I know there is nothing that compares with the Max show in Canada. In fact, many US shows are far bigger than anything held in Canada. Militaria collecting is small in Canada. Again, the answer to your question depends on your location. If you could indicate a region, eg Maritimes, Quebec, Ontario, Man/Sask/Alberta, west coast, someone may have suggestions.

The show held in Calgary is quite good & quite large I have been told - I am certain its been mentioned on the forum, perhaps by QSA Mike. Never attended it but would like to if I am ever out west when its on. Jamie Cline of Marway would know all about it.

RCN Bryan

[RCN]

Originally Posted by cw2311

Thanks Bryan,

Will do.

If you are coming off QEW/427 via Burhamthorpe & thru the residential area off Rathburn Rd, or West Mall -- TAKE IT EASY ON SPEED!! Have seen radar in that area a few times I have attended early in morning.
B

[RCN]

cw - the fall Sep 28 show is no longer held at Etobicoke.
The new location is HANSA House, 6650 Hurontario St, Mississauga.

Admission is $8 for those shows.

B

[DavidS]

Originally Posted by RCN

The show held in Calgary is quite good & quite large I have been told - I am certain its been mentioned on the forum, perhaps by QSA Mike. Never attended it but would like to if I am ever out west when its on. Jamie Cline of Marway would know all about it.

RCN Bryan

I'd beg to differ on the 'good' part. The best show I'd been at was three years back, when there were a lot of fresh dealers in attendance, including from eastern Canada. I got all excited about that trend -- or flash in the pan. The two shows since have been back to 'same old, same old': loads of guns (it is the Alberta Arms & Cartridge Collectors Society's baby, after all), a lot fewer military dealers, and a general lack of variety in badges. This last show, I walked out pretty much unscathed -- money in my pockets I couldn't beg to give away, since there wasn't anything I found of interest, outside of a single pity purchase. Okay, there was that one weird old codger with the maker marked RCMP KC cap badge who wouldn't let me buy it, once he knew I was interested in it, even if he couldn't tell the difference between KC and QC ("Why do you ant this one? Take that one, it's just the same.").

I'm going to go out on an uncomfortable limb and blame the dealers here. The stock for some hadn't significantly changed over the past three years, and more than once they'd say they didn't really bring a lot, as they didn't know what would sell. Counter-intuitive, from my point of view; you can't sell what you don't have. As well, the other issue with Calgary at least is the vendor swap before the general public gets to crash the doors. Maybe my chances would be better in Calgary if I bought a table just so I could get a crack at what was really there before the wheeling and dealing started.

Local community shows tend to be in pretty much the same boat, and are personally just as unproductive.

I'm holding out hope for an Edmonton show this August. If nothing else, the scenery will be different & I can visit my daughter.

[RC Sigs]

I attended the show on Saturday, although I didn't buy anything there were many interesting items to be had and it's always great to see Bill A and some of the other members and vendors
.
I have to say the new show location in Oshawa (Same organziers as Etobicoke )is by far the worst location I have ever seen a show at. Tables jammed into the hall and onto a stage, which I was almost pushed off by another buyer in a hurry. Will never attend that show again and they are moving the Etobicoke show to another location Hansa House which I know and it will be crammed in there also.

So that leaves it to the Ottawa shows and Peterborough which is small but I always find something interesting there.

[Pylon1357]

My 2 cents worth in all this is simple. I have never attended a CMMISIS ok wrong letters. Anyways, I have never attended a show, it is on my to do list, but honestly, for me, the whole name thing has me put off. To me it seems like it may be a high end, super collectors show. If that is the percieved notion, the show is doomed.

As for the Etobicoke show, I usually try to attend. I find it pretty good most times. Sometimes its fantastic, other times its ok. I collect to a Toronto Unit so it makes sense to go to a show in the area.

I also find that Etobicoke gets some local tire kickers and looky loos who are just simply there to see what all the hype is about. I think that is very good, as it can bring in new collectors, also it can draw some sweet items out of the general public who have 'granpa's war stuff' in a box in the attic.

[RCN]

Originally Posted by Pylon1357

My 2 cents worth in all this is simple. I have never attended a CMMISIS ok wrong letters. Anyways, I have never attended a show, it is on my to do list, but honestly, for me, the whole name thing has me put off. To me it seems like it may be a high end, super collectors show. If that is the percieved notion, the show is doomed.

The CSMMI might have been considered a "high end" show back in the heyday of the 1970-80's, when it was primarily seen as a medal show with very superb medal displays put on by collectors from Canada, US & Uk, but certainly would not be classed as "high end" now.
Altho I have to say what the vendors have had on offer at recent CSMMI shows has certainly been a lot better than some of the junk frequently seen at other 905 area shows.

& as RC Sigs has mentioned in a previous post the new hall in Oshawa does leave a LOT to be desired! At least at Markham, altho not a great location & not a good looking venue, there was certainly no loss of space!

RCN B

[thirdgreenham]

Originally Posted by Bill A

Here is a link to the date. Double check on the December date, as there was discussion about cancelling it.
http://www.thecsmmi.com/CSMMI-Web-Pa...s-for-2013.htm

Great, thanks for that!

Andy

[thirdgreenham]

Originally Posted by RCN

Been following this discussion & feel I should comment as I too had a table at the the Fri/Sat show & the conclusion I have come to is it is the last time I will set up at this show.

I could go on about former CSMMI shows as I have been attending them both as a vendor, displayer, & attendee since the "old days" of the 1970's, but I will try to be brief as I don't wish to bore readers ---

This show back in the 1980's period was a super show, actually it would have been the "main attraction show" of southern ON back in those days - many dealers attended from UK & USA & the displays were of a very high quality - comparable with the major shows in the UK & USA.
The decline stated when the show moved to the St Catharines location around the mid '90's & I cannot say why this decline got going but it did over the yrs, & both vendor & attendee attendance gradually became poorer & poorer. The show moved briefly (2 yrs I think) to Kitchener & this turned out to be a disaster.
The decline continued with one exception in 2007 when the MCC & CSMMI put on a combined show & this show was quite successful. I did very well at this show & the displays were first class.
I missed the next two yrs but returned in 2010 & this show was a disaster also, primarily due to a conflict with another show in the 905 area that no one seemed to know about, & it seemed as if the CSMMI organizing committee was unaware of it also, thus attendance was way down on all three days of the show. Many vendors were complaining about the poor attendance & resultant loss of revenue.

The show moved back to Burlington I think in 2011. I attended as a spectator in 2012 & noted the attendance on Sat morning was poor but the displays were much better than 2010.

So I thought I would give it one more go this yr as the format was now two days (Fri/Sat) with the Sunday eliminated.
Unfortunately this years show was also a disaster with poor attendance on both days. I checked at the front desk on Fri before departing & was told the 36 had come in the front gate. I did the same at varying times on Sat & just before I left at 1330, 55 had been thru the gate. Now numbers like this are very very poor for a so called 'major show'.

So why is this decline occurring??? Why is Etobicoke & Markham (now Oshawa) so successful at attracting attendees?

& that question I don't have an answer for! Perhaps its the location, cost of tables (as mentioned by Clive) could be a factor when you include the other additional expenses (& they can mount up quickly), perhaps time of year??
Weather was not a problem last weekend.

But I do know if the collectors don't attend then the dealers will cease to attend as its just not cost effective for them!

I know I lost money at this show & it was (for me) the worst show I have attended in as long as I can remember, thus I have decided I wont be attending any more CSMMI shows in future yrs.

& If I've bored anyone I apologize, but I guess I just had to get this disaster off my plate.....

RCN Bryan

Great post, thank you so much for sharing.

I love to hear the history of shows, and how they are progressing. Whether they're growing or dying off, it's still important information.

Sometimes, and I'm not saying this is the case, the promoters do not put enough emphasis on advertising their shows, and thus you get a very small attendance.

For this last show.....55 paid attendees is pathetic. Could be many reasons for this, though.
-A conflict with another show
-poorly promoted
-no change in vendors or vendors' stock
-stigma attached to it due to previous shows
-nice weather/poor weather

My thoughts are that militaria is not slowing, in fact it's got a great following and a large demand for premium material. In fact, that may be the key. Perhaps the lack of decent material (at fair prices), show after show, is a main reason for lack of attendance.

I'm just thinking out loud, and please, if there is a representative from the CSMMI here, I'm not attacking your show, just trying to think of reasons why the attendance was down and why many dealers were reporting it as a bad show that day.

Andy

[rillette]

Just a thought, but no one seems to mention the elephant in the room. With evilbay and all the other online auctions and dealer websites we now pretty much have access to a 24/7 worldwide virtual show where the worst and the best goes to the highest bidder by a simple click of a mouse in the comfort of your very own home. I'm not sure how any show can compete against that. I know that the Montreal Gun Shows I have access to are just down right depressing and if it wasn't for the occasion of seeing some old friends, I really wouldn't have any valid excuse to account for the drive there or entrance fee.

Cheers,
François