Mind Blown - DC Pen Show!

[NJturner]

I just returned from attending my first trip to the Washington DC Pen Show in Falls Church, VA. What an amazing show!! In a digital age, you would think few people would be interested in an analog way of communicating like writing with fountain pens, but the literally thousands of people attending the show blew that misconception away.

The show highlighted the pen community through organizing the 4 show floor rooms into different focus areas - the makers room, the manufacturers area, a vintage collectors area, and a mixed area for vendors providing related products like inks, leather binders journal books and fountain pen friendly paper. Each room was packed with vendors showing their goods - over 300 different vendors from around the world. Throughout each of the rooms, every vendor I stopped to chat with took the time to discuss with me features of their wares, how they came to be there, techniques, design suggestions and a myriad of things that have caused my brain to hurt in overload! If you bought something, great - but most vendors seemed just happy to chat and talk as well. I spoke to so many great people that I am afraid to name specific names as I know I would forget someone, but if you are reading this and know we chatted, consider this post to be a part of my thanks!!!

I took a couple free seminars on fountain pen design, properties of inks and colors, cleaning a fountain pen, and learned a bunch to help me in my goal to make the best pen I can. From a makers prospective, the show is different than MATE or MPG in Chicago - the show was focused at people coming to buy a pen or pen related items, not tools or raw materials to make a pen, but I was still able to blow my makers budget! I found and bought some new blanks (ebonite and resin), obtained a few really unique materials for turning, bought a bunch of nibs and converters, sampled and bought some wonderful inks, and generally was like a kid in a candystore the whole time. And yes, I did buy a pen after all!

I also had an opportunity to meet people I know from different forums and podcasts, and spent a really fun evening with an IAP member or two over meals! Meeting those folks in real life that I consider to be rockstars of the makers community was just an extra treat - and all of them were friendly and welcome to my many questions!

In summary - if you have considered this show in the past, and didn't go, I'd consider attending the 2026 event - just buy your tickets and rooms early on - this place was PACKED, so demand is high. I was thrilled to add this to my life experiences!

Kevin

 

[montmill]

Thanks for the report. I think people want at least a part of their life analog. We live among an Amish community so we get our feet on the ground regularly.

 

[Woodchipper]

A museum curator a while back said there is an interest in fountain pens. Seems the younger generations are more interested in the personal touch rather than text or email.

 

[d_bondi]

Great post Kevin! I could not have summarized my experience there any better.

John (@Woodchipper), It is very interesting and refreshing to see younger people, not just young(er) adults, but middle school age kids, at these shows.

 

[bmac]

Sounds like it was an amazing event and you had a great time Kevin. And, it's always good to be able to put a face to a name at events like these, the IAP and it's members are a great group of people.

 

[NJturner]

A museum curator a while back said there is an interest in fountain pens. Seems the younger generations are more interested in the personal touch rather than text or email.

I would agree! It was interesting looking at the people at each of the areas. There were lots of younger people waiting in line to mix a custom color for their pens - a number of specialists available to help them wind their way through a myriad of choices, bottling it, and then being able to have a custom name applied to the label - with the end result a truly personalized purchase and share when they wrote something to friends. There was even one pen company offering a DIY pen - they had lots of pieces of things you could choose from to slowly build a totally custom pen to purchase - not just picking a cap and body, but literally picking accent rings, clips, nibs, attachments and a few other pieces to build a very personalized final fountain pen.

I think a fountain pen can provide you a lot of personalization - line widths, colors, fancy calligraphy, that plain old electronic devices or ballpoints can't provide, so they are growing in demand.

Kevin