Record fair to feature classics, rarities and limited editions

VINYL lovers and music collectors, mark your calendars – the Bendigo Record Fair returns on Sunday 13 April with dealers from three states bringing more than 15,000 records, CDs and memorabilia to trade.

Founded in 2014 by Peter Pascoe as the Bendigo Record, Comic and Toy Fair, the fair was spun off in 2018 and since then has existed in its own right.

Mr Pascoe, who himself has a collection of around 1200 records and 2500 CDs, said he believes the resurgence in the popularity of vinyl over the past couple of decades is because it “engages nearly all of the senses.”

“You can see a cover much better when it’s a 12-inch, so there’s artwork to dive into,” he said.

“There’s obviously the music side of it, which excites your ears, then there’s the tactile feeling of going through the lyrics, looking at the cover, putting the record on the turntable.

“Often, with new records and old, there’s a smell about them as well, so it just makes for a deeper experience, I think.

“And, at the end of the day, artists can’t sign an MP3, so if you happen to be lucky enough to catch one, you’ve got something you can physically hand to them.”

Mr Pascoe encouraged hard core collectors as well as hobbyists to attend because “you just never know what’s going to turn up on the day.”

“Because a lot of it is second-hand, there’ll be stuff that’s just not readily available in record stores here in Bendigo or even record stores in Melbourne,” he said.

The Bendigo Record Fair takes place at the All Seasons Resort Hotel on the McIvor Highway on Sunday 13 April.

Entry is $5 after 10am, while the extra super keen can get first dibs one hour earlier for $10.