Collectible toy show comes to Hastings

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - A popular show was back in the Tri-Cities, but in a new location. The 10th annual Collectible Toy Show was at Adams County Fairgrounds on Saturday. People were able to see and buy anything from trading cards to iconic toys.

For the past nine years the event was in Grand Island at Boarders Inn. Officials said changing locations was to have more space, and this year there were 133 tables of toy to 89 in previous years.

“We all like to talk bout what we collect or what we have and things like that, “ said Vicki Nichols, Coordinator of Collectible Toy Show. “We all think our things are treasures and they usually are you know. We like to look at different things too, and the camaraderie and just being ‘oh hey we seen you last year.’”

Nichols said all the vendors come together under the common bond of collecting, and they also learn from each other. The driving force of the show is the love of collecting.

“It’s just something I enjoy,” said Mark Wendelburg, vendor. “I’m not big into sports. So it’s my hobby, my pastime, obviously we come to these shows to add to our collections. Plus sell some to help other people grow their collections.”

For some vendors it can also be time to say their final goodbyes to an item they’ve had for a long time.

“You become attacked to it,” Nichols said. “You don’t want to redecorate sometimes either you know, and you’ve collected this for say 20 years, 40 years you know whatever, and you go ‘wow, do I want to let it go now?’ The answer is usually no, not yet.”

Nichols said collectors emotionally become attached to their items, adding even though it’s not a living being, it’s apart of them.

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