2026 SUPERSHOW
SEMINARS
Seminars are included in your paid admission to the SUPERSHOW but seating is limited to 30 - no registration required unless otherwise noted.
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Seminars are held on the Lower Level in the Junior Ballroom.
​​FRIDAY​
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10 - 11 - Get the Point!, Laura from Pen Boutique and Bill from Pilot - registration required
12:30 – Fountain Pen Basics, Vanness Pen Lounge
1 – 1:30 – Maximize Your Pen Show Experience, Rachel Crawford
2 – 3 – Let’s Talk About Traveler’s Notebooks, Jacqui Williams
2 – Ink Swatching with Olive Octopus, Vanness Pen Lounge
3 – 4 – Junk Journaling, Penny Post
3:30 – Notebook Systems Overview with the Gentleman Stationer
4 – 5 – Collecting Victorian Writing Instruments, David Nishimura & Jon Veley
4:30 - Fountain Pen Basics, Vanness Pen Lounge
5 - Meet Up, Vanness Pen Lounge
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​SATURDAY
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9:30 – 10 – Maximize Your Pen Show Experience, Rachel Crawford
10 – 11 – Pilot Vanishing Point, David Rzeszotarski
10:30 – Fountain Pen Basics, Vanness Pen Lounge
10:30 – 11:30 – Your WRITE Beginning to Fountain Pens, Pen Boutique - registration required
12 – Ink Swatching with Olive Octopus, Vanness Pen Lounge
12 – 1 – Papa’s Got A(nother) Brand New Bag!, Mike Matteson
1 – 1:30 – Thoughtful Penabling, Rachel Crawford
1:30 – 2:30 – Q & A with FIGBOOT, David Parker
1:30 – Fountain Pen Basics, Vanness Pen Lounge
2 – 3 – Let’s Talk About Traveler’s Notebooks, Jacqui Williams
2:30 – Notebook Systems Overview with the Gentleman Stationer, Vanness Pen Lounge
3 – 4 – Junk Journaling, Penny Post
3 - 4 - Introduction to Collecting Vintage Pens, David Silber (Noyesville Pens)
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SUNDAY
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11 – 12 – Get the Point!, Laura from Pen Boutique & Bill from Pilot - registration required
1 – Fountain Pen Basics, Vanness Pen Lounge
1 – 2 – Let’s Talk About Traveler’s Notebooks, Jacqui Williams
2 – 3 – Junk Journaling, Penny Post
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 7
10 - 11 Get the Point!
LAURA PETTIX (PEN BOUTIQUE) AND BILL PEARCY (PILOT)
This is a fun and educational hands-on seminar about Pilot's vast array of nib offerings. You will have the opportunity to try all of Pilot's nibs in a small setting with no pen show crowds.
Limited seating and pre-registration required: POINT
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12:30 Fountain Pen Basics
VANNESS PEN LOUNGE
Learn how various types of filling systems work and how to clean pens as well as what nib might work best for you.
Sponsored by Exaclair - rhodia notebook included.
1 - 1:30 Maximize Your Pen Show Experience
RACHEL CRAWFORD
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Many people treat their first few pen shows like kids at a candy store, but there's so much more to do at a show. Learn about some of the most important things to do to maximize your early pen show experiences.
2 – 3 Let’s Talk About Traveler’s Notebooks
JACQUI WILLIAMS
Learn how to set up, correct mishaps, or simply where to start on a blank page.
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2 Ink Swatching with Olive Octopus
VANNESS PEN LOUNGE
Whether you've never swatched an ink before, already have cards or notebooks full of ink swatches, or anything in between - learn practical and creative strategies for ink swatching that can be a valuable resource, a creative expression, or both.
3 - 4 Junk Journaling with PENNY POST
What do you do with all the fun ephemera you collect during the show? If you want a fun and creative way to document your pen show experience through mementos from the show, join our journaling meet-up!
Bring your favorite notebook, and all the fun stuff you collected during the show. Chat and create with other pen lovers as you create your junk journal spreads - no journaling experience necessary!
We will bring our favorite supplies from Penny Post for you to use, and our team will be on hand to provide inspiration.
3:30 Notebook Systems Overview with the GENTLEMAN STATIONER
VANNESS PEN LOUNGE
Join Joe Crace from the Gentleman Stationer for an overview of different notebook systems, including those from Traveler's Company, Lochby, Midori, Roterfaden, and many more! Joe will have samples available to handle in person and will be available to answer questions. Due to the number of options available in today's market choosing a notebook system can feel intimidating, but it's all about matching the system to your needs. Joe will also bring a limited selection of organizers and notebook covers for purchase.
4 - 5 Collecting Victorian Writing Instruments
DAVID NISHIMURA & JON VELEY
It was in the 19th century that virtually every writing technology that we enjoy today came to fruition. The mechanical pencil, steel nibs, tipped gold nibs, and the fountain pen were all first brought to marketable form in the 1800s.
Intense innovation and competition left behind a bewildering variety of designs from dozens of makers. While most who made the jump to fountain pens remain well known today, the contributions of the other pioneers of mechanical pencils and gold nibbed dip pens have largely been forgotten.
This workshop will focus on those pioneers, and on the collecting and appreciation of their products. We will begin by providing an historical overview of the era’s primary design innovations, followed by a closer examination of typical and unusual examples from our personal collections. Patents and patent research will also be discussed, along with the basics of repair and restoration. Participants may bring in items for examination and discussion.
4:30 Fountain Pen Basics
VANNESS PEN LOUNGE
Learn how various types of filling systems work and how to clean pens as well as what nib might work best for you.
Sponsored by Exaclair - rhodia notebook included.
5 Meet Up/Hang Out
VANNESS PEN LOUNGE
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Want to test hard to find pens and paper?
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Want to share and trade pens, paper and ink samples with fellow show attendees?
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Coming to the show by yourself and simply want to socialize and meet other enthusiasts in person?
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SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
9:30 - 10 Maximize Your Pen Show Experience
RACHEL CRAWFORD
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Many people treat their first few pen shows like kids at a candy store, but there's so much more to do at a show. Learn about some of the most important things to do to maximize your early pen show experiences.
​10 - 11 Pilot Vanishing Point
DAVID RZESZOTARSKI​
Pilot’s Vanishing Point is one of the most unique and interesting fountain pens ever made. Collector David Rzeszotarski will share his extensive collection of these fascinating pens from their origins to the latest models made today.
We’ll look at the history, advertising, and evolution of the Vanishing point over the last 60 years.
UPDATE: One lucky attendee will win a Pilot Vanishing Point SE in Black Marble (MSRP $460) courtesy of Pilot Pen
10:30 - 11:30 Your WRITE Beginning to Fountain Pens
PEN BOUTIQUE
Are you new to the fountain pen world and just don't know where to start? There's so much to learn, from pen anatomy and filling mechanisms to pen maintenance. But, don't worry! That is where the Pen Boutique team come in, Ali and Kristi have YOU covered. You will learn all their favorite tips, tricks, and basics to help you get the most out of you fountain pen journey.
Limited seating and pre-registration required: WRITE
10:30 Fountain Pen Basics
VANNESS PEN LOUNGE
Learn how various types of filling systems work and how to clean pens as well as what nib might work best for you.
Sponsored by Exaclair - rhodia notebook included.
12 - 1 Papa's Got A(nother) Brand New Bag!
MIKE MATTESON
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Join pen, ink, and bag enthusiast Mike “Inkdependence” Matteson for a chat about the bags we use to carry our pens and other essentials. This year we’ll focus on the smaller side of bags: smaller backpacks, messengers, and the increasingly popular sling bags. Mike will bring lots of examples in these categories, but please feel free to bring your own bags, questions, and use cases to talk about!
Mike is a blogger, YouTuber, Twitch streamer, and (when he's not doing that) he is a philosophy teacher at a University in North Carolina. He has been accumulating pensfor as long as he can remember, and he's been talking about them on the internet since 2012. He is also a little too into cool bags and backpacks.
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Mike will be live streaming the SUPERSHOW so be on the lookout to say hi!
12 Ink Swatching with Olive Octopus
VANNESS PEN LOUNGE
Whether you've never swatched an ink before, already have cards or notebooks full of ink swatches, or anything in between - learn practical and creative strategies for ink swatching that can be a valuable resource, a creative expression, or both.
12:30 - 1 Thoughtful Penabling
RACHEL CRAWFORD
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We all have pens in mind to penable people with, but few of us tailor our recommendations to the new pen user. Whether you want to learn how to "thoughtfully" penable someone or your're curious about fountain pens and want to choose the "right" first pen, this class is for you.
​ Presentation and interactive Q&A discussion about creating reviews, social media, and how it relates to the pen world.
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Watch this brilliant interview with David and Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, a fountain pen collector.
1:30 - 2:30 Q and A with Figboot
David "Figboot" Parker
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1:30 Fountain Pen Basics
VANNESS PEN LOUNGE
Learn how various types of filling systems work and how to clean pens as well as what nib might work best for you.
Sponsored by Exaclair - rhodia notebook included.
2 – 3 Let’s Talk About Traveler’s Notebooks
JACQUI WILLIAMS
Learn how to set up, correct mishaps, or simply where to start on a blank page.
​
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3:30 Notebook Systems Overview with the GENTLEMAN STATIONER
VANNESS PEN LOUNGE
Join Joe Crace from the Gentleman Stationer for an overview of different notebook systems, including those from Traveler's Company, Lochby, Midori, Roterfaden, and many more! Joe will have samples available to handle in person and will be available to answer questions. Due to the number of options available in today's market choosing a notebook system can feel intimidating, but it's all about matching the system to your needs. Joe will also bring a limited selection of organizers and notebook covers for purchase.
3 - 4 Junk Journaling with PENNY POST
What do you do with all the fun ephemera you collect during the show? If you want a fun and creative way to document your pen show experience through mementos from the show, join our journaling meet-up!
Bring your favorite notebook, and all the fun stuff you collected during the show. Chat and create with other pen lovers as you create your junk journal spreads - no journaling experience necessary!
We will bring our favorite supplies from Penny Post for you to use, and our team will be on hand to provide inspiration.
3 - 4 Introduction to Collecting Vintage Pens
David Silber, Noyesville Pens
What is a vintage fountain pen, and why collect them?
What makes a pen a “fountain pen?” How pens hold ink, with some changes over the past 120 years.
“Rules” for collecting vintage fountain pens, or things to consider?
Costs: Some factors to consider when deciding on whether a price is right.
Cleaning and storage (if there is time)
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 9
10 - 11 Get the Point!
LAURA PETTIX (PEN BOUTIQUE) AND BILL PEARCY (PILOT)
This is a fun and educational hands-on seminar about Pilot's vast array of nib offerings. You will have the opportunity to try all of Pilot's nibs in a small setting with no pen show crowds.
Limited seating and pre-registration required: POINT
1 Fountain Pen Basics
VANNESS PEN LOUNGE
Learn how various types of filling systems work and how to clean pens as well as what nib might work best for you.
Sponsored by Exaclair - rhodia notebook included.
1 - 2 Let’s Talk About Traveler’s Notebooks
JACQUI WILLIAMS
Learn how to set up, correct mishaps, or simply where to start on a blank page.
​
​
2 - 3 Junk Journaling with PENNY POST
What do you do with all the fun ephemera you collect during the show? If you want a fun and creative way to document your pen show experience through mementos from the show, join our journaling meet-up!
Bring your favorite notebook, and all the fun stuff you collected during the show. Chat and create with other pen lovers as you create your junk journal spreads - no journaling experience necessary!
We will bring our favorite supplies from Penny Post for you to use, and our team will be on hand to provide inspiration.