Ephemera Fair | March 17 10 – 5 pm & March 18 11 – 4 pm

Mark your calendar for the Ephemera Society of America’s thirty-eighth annual conference, “Let me Entertain You!” on March 15–18, 2018, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Old Greenwich, Connecticut.

ABOUT
This year’s conference selects eight subjects from the vast field of entertainment, dating from the early 19th century to the present day. Our speakers — museum curators as well as entrepreneurs and independent collectors and scholars — will use ephemera — broadsides, posters, invitations, tickets, handbills, programs, advertisements, articles and other memorabilia — to illustrate their subjects: the early days of the American circus, traveling entertainers at the turn of the 20th century, one of New York’s earliest pleasure gardens, American’s oldest winter festival, a controversial female silent film director, the age of jazz, the short-lived national craze for competitive aviation, the birth of the crossword puzzle, and the history of rock and roll.

In other words, they will use ephemera to take us ‘backstage’ at the traveling shows of the large circuses, the smaller peripatetic acts, and barnstorming aviation racers; the dramatic performances of early “garden” theaters and controversial silent films; as well as quintessentially American winter carnivals, crossword puzzles, jazz, and rock’n’roll. What drew people to these diversions, and what characterized the lives of these performers and their managers? As a 2018 audience, we will experience the hucksterism of the past.

SCHEDULE
Attendees who come early, on Thursday, may attend an afternoon presentation on the use of ephemera by college students in the classroom. On Saturday and Sunday, ESA will present our widely anticipated Ephemera Fair considered by many the best in the country.

Following the Fair on Saturday, the Ephemera Society will hold its annual fund-raising auction, preceded by cocktails and followed by our banquet, open by reservation to all ESA members. Our banquet presentation will feature a presentation by Craig Inciardi who is the Curator and Director of Acquisitions for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. And on Sunday morning we will feature a presentation by Will Shortz who is the crossword editor of the The New York Times and puzzlemaster for NPR.

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
Benjamin Feldman
Art Groten
Moira F. Harris
Craig Inciardi
Marty Norden
Hank O’Neal
Will Shortz
Pat Sweeney
Matthew Wittmann

***EPHEMERA FAIR DETAILS***
The Fair runs from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday, however, there is an early preview for Ephemera Society members only at 9 am. On Sunday the Fair runs from 11 am to 4 pm. There will be exceptional material from a wide spectrum of knowledgeable and experienced dealers, displaying their freshest and best ephemera relating to the myriad topics ESA members search for. You can attend just the Fair if you are not able or interested in attending the conference.

Website

Hyatt Regency | 1800 E Putnam Ave, Old Greenwich, CT 06870