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Last Year, 2004 was the first year that the show location had been moved in Idiana state. Amazingly it was my first time. So thats why there is two names for the show. Some people still remeber it by the Lafayette name. It was held at the Holiday Inn for more than 20yrs. The reason why they moved it because the Holiday Inn was an old hotel and it finally closed due to its unsafe building. You might stop and think why is a toy show held at a hotel? Why not at a school, a fair grounds, tractor show, firehall.... Every show is different. If they were all the same going to them would not be fun.
The benifit of having a show at a hotel is that everybody(buyer, sellers, publications) have a place to stay overnight. Thus allowing someone to stay for the whole show and not drive somewhere else to stay. The Ramada Inn is a medium size hotel. Lots of rooms to spare. Its Consists of two parts. the old building and the new building. There is a long hallway that connects the two. The first parts is the where most of the excitement is. In the lobby is where you can find Toy Farmer, ErtlRC2 with Bill Walters, SpecCast. And not far is Standi, Burkeholders, and a few other big names. On Saturday there is a auction in the only ball room. That mostly constists of 1/16 toys. There is also two floors in both buildings.
Now in the rooms that you stay in also is where people sell stuff out of. For a first timer this can be a unique experience. I know it was hard for me to get used to. Some of these rooms is where people sleep. My own room was one of them. My room mate Wayne Cooper has sold stuff there for more than 15 years. Its hard to walk in to an open hotel room becuase of privacy and do not disturb signs. Most sellers know this so they advertise by "farmtoys sold in room ### please stop by". So nobody should feel hesitant to go in an open room. There just might be a treasure chest right around the corner.
At this show Toy Farmer and Ertl show off their newest prototypes and just releast toys. This years 2005 national show tractor will be an Oliver 2655. Ertl is doing a great job with the 1/32 and 1/64 show tractors. Most people couldnt believe they decided to go with an Oliver again. Their last Oliver was the 1950-T with fwa and duals. They hinted it was under the White name. Ertl Also showed some surpirses for this year. The biggest was a 1/16 precision 2+2 3588. It is the most detail IH yet from Ertl. Also the 1/64 3388 from the chopper set was there. By the time you read this they will be out. They also had the 1/64 John Deere 7720 combine that looked great. What just came out and what was all over the show was the value sets from ertl. John Deere, Case IH, New Holland are the brands they chose. They replicate 6420, Mx, TG series, and large frame tractors, 4wds with singles, chisel plows, wagons, and pickup trucks. They are made for children ages 3+. They are mostly plastic. they are industructible and they are inexpensive. I watched a couple vendors who had them for sale. By Saturday evening most of these toys were all gone. It seems they are a really hot item. I think customizers snatched some up for the wheels. they still used the current Ertl wheels.
On Sunday the show winds down. The vendors that sold in the second building are told to move where the auction took place on Saturday in the ball room. So the public doesnt have to wander throught hotel and so the hotel can start cleaning. Some vendors dont even sell until Sunday. But there is still good finds if you look hard enough.
I am very sad to say this show does not push for toy displays or give out trophies. I dont know why but if one would display they could get lots of spectators. That is one thing that makes Lebenon a lot different from St. Louis. I wish there was toy displays there.
I hope you find or attend a unique show that is different from all others. Of course everyshow should be different becuase you never see the same people at a toy show. Lebanon is like a family reunion for all the big name people and a bunch of others who help start the show. We all can find a show where we have toy friends who make the most of a toy show.
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