Folks,

I've had a whole bunch of things pop up out in the Real World and haven't found the time/energy to post about some topics I promised. Still, I wanted to share this with the group.

This past weekend I flew up to San Francisco to take in the 2024 International Pen Show. I'll be upfront that the primary showrunners for this event are friends of mine, and I'm always rooting for their success. However, I don't even have to sweat it anymore, because it is not only ridiculously successful, to the point of spawning a 2nd show for Spring 2026 (focusing on stationery, etc), but it continues to be the show on the forefront of the hobby/interest as it is today.

To go to this show gives one a clear picture that the pen hobby is in a phenomenal period of growth and change. The number of newcomers (as evidenced in online forums and our local San Diego Pen Club) continues unabated. More importantly, because times change, interests modify, and a new 'pen economy' is in full swing, you see stuff at the SFIPS that one would never have dreamed of in times recent. Young innovators are coming out with many new and remarkable products. Artisans are pushing the boundaries of things as niche as custom bespoke nibs (you'll see in the article). There are so many new products, even if you restrict yourself to pens, it is hard to keep up... but the ink world has exploded, there are tons of accessories out there, and - as implied above - the upsurge has melded with an already deep community that is into all things stationery. The latter is something that has been the norm in Japan for a long time, and it is no surprise that the SF show has built strong bonds with many Japanese vendors.

I won't blather on, because the point of this post is to introduce an excellent article that was published today in the SF Gate, and fortunately, it isn't behind a paywall. If you want a good look at the leading edge of pen shows and how so many people can have an absolute ball diving into a crowd of afficionados, it's all here. Enjoy!

The massive SF show you haven't heard of draws international crowds

Cheers,
Jon