10th Annual Marx Toy & Train Collectors
National Convention
Not quite sure what these conventions are all about? Or maybe you'd just like to "wax nostalgic" about past years' events? Why not visit our new "Marx Convention Memories" page by following the link below!
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The dates for our big 10th Anniversary Marx Convention have already been set!
The 10th Annual Marx Convention will be held June 20-21, 2008! And we're planning some SPECIAL surprises for this big 10th anniversary, including a special giveaway for registered attendees who come to the convention ONLY! Wonder what it will be?
Thursday June 19th:
- 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM: During regular museum hours, those of you arriving to town early can stop at the museum, pick up your registration packets, and tour or browse the museum. If you've found yourself too busy with your tables during the show, HERE'S another chance to see the museum!
- 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM For early arriving table holders, the trading halls will open for an hour on Thursday evening for you to place your boxes on your tables ONLY. This is NOT a trading time, just a setup time for our dealers' convenience.
Friday June 20th:
- 9:00 AM Registration Desk Opens / Tableholders may unload and setup.
- 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Convention attendees only swap meet.
- 12:00 Noon: Signups for the 4:15 PM tour to Iron Bay Model Company will open. We can ONLY take the first 40 people who sign up on the trip, so be sure to register early for this sure to sell out (although it is FREE for conventiongoers) trip!
- 1:00 PM: Meet and greet with some of "Santa's Elves", former Marx employees, plus perhaps a few other surprises!
- 3:00 PM: Workshop - John Bowers has agreed to bring a portion of his enormous Marx prototype collection to share with us! For those who saw John's presentations a few years ago, you know this will be a truly spectacular showing!
- 4:15 PM: We have a VERY special treat planned for a select few conventiongoers! A tour has been set up of the Iron Bay Model Company of Wheeling! They are the world's largest manufacturer of flyable model aircraft (the kind you see at parks and airfields in the summertime), and they have agreed to let a VERY LIMITED number of our convention attendees tour their factory! There is NO preregistration for this one, folks, ONLY onsite sign up! To make it fair, sign ups will start at NOON on Friday, so that everyone has a chance to get here to register!
- 6:30 PM: We're holding an evening "get together" at Undo's of Elm Grove! Not an organized "banquet" mind you, so each will be responsible for their own food/beverage costs. But a great chance to kick back and have an evening of fun with fellow Marx collectors!
Saturday June 21st:
- 8 AM to 9 AM table holders can load and unpack.
- 9 AM to 3 PM All Marx Swap Meet, museum building (this session will also be open to all
museum visitors).
- 11:00 AM: Workshop - Unusual or rare Marx display and discussion - bring along your favorite Marx
toy or train to show off to fellow collectors! Some rather interesting items have been
showing up at these sessions!
- 1:00 PM: Workshop - John Twarog is going to give a presentation on Marx patents. He's been researching this topic extensively, and has uncovered some really unique facts!
- 3:00 PM: Workshop - TBA, but probably going to be something for the Johnny West and Marx action figure fans out there, to lead into this year's JohnnyCon!
- 3:00 to 5:00 PM Pack up of tables, final tours of museum. Also, towards the end of the show, the action figure collectors among us will start their JohnnyCon event! They're once again having a custom action figure contest (the THIRD ANNUAL one already!), with voting both at the convention and online. Why not check it out on their website, and perhaps even consider an entry this year! Here's their site:
Information on this year's Custom Action Figure Contest!
- 7:30 PM Show at Victoria Vaudeville Theatre, downtown Wheeling, WV. (NOTICE - The Vic has moved their shows to SATURDAY nights now!!!
You'll need to get tickets for this direct from the Victoria theater; you will be able to purchase them at the door if you choose)
OR
- 7:30 PM: We'll meet in the museum parking lot for anyone interested in some evening entertainment (other than the VIC), and take a trip to Wheeling Island Racetrack & Gaming Center. Video slot machines, greyhound racing, and the cameraderie of your fellow collectors!
Have a safe trip back home! We hope to see you next year!
| [Click HERE to go to the Marx Convention Registration Form!!!] |
- Tours of the Kruger Street Toy Museum will be taking place from 9 AM to 5 PM on Thursday, June 19th,
Friday, June 20th, and Saturday, June 21st. Your convention name badge will serve as your
pass to tour the museum. You are also free to return to visit any of the displays during
the course of the convention.
* Tickets for any ticketed events (Saturday's Victoria Vaudeville show, for example) will need to be purchased from those sites directly. You should be able to get tickets for those events/sites at the door once you are in Wheeling, or you could contact them directly. Check the museum's Links page to get to their websites!
** YOU are responsible for items on your table at all times when the convention area is
open to all attendees. The Museum will provide nighttime security. Please be sure to watch
your table(s).
Want to be placed on our convention email list?
Just send us an email telling us this, and you will receive an email copy
of the convention registration materials each year as soon as they are finalized!
Email us at museum@toyandtrain.com.
Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum
144 Kruger Street
Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 242-8133 or 1-877-242-8133
| [Click HERE to go to the Marx Convention Registration Form!!!] |
The Victoria Vaudeville Theatre in Wheeling, where some of us will be going on Saturday
night, is nationally known as the "No. 1 Variety Show in America".
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