The Truth About Pen Shows That No One Talks About

I’ve now been to a handful of pen shows in my life. They were fun and exciting at first but like most things, the shine starts to wear off a bit. After coming back from the 2025 Baltimore Pen Show, I realized that there isn’t a whole lot that changes, even within the same shows. It was almost the same exact line up of sellers, with the same tables, in the same places, with even the same pens in their cases as the 2024 show. I did end up running into a two-ish or so new vendors but more often than not, it’s just an echo of previous shows.

Pen Show Deja Vu

If you’ve attended more than a couple of pen shows, you’ll be familiar with the scenario. You walk through the doors of a large conference hall to be greeted by rows and rows of tables in the same standard table cloth. The lighting is uniform throughout the hall and vendors have set up their arrangements in a way that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a time loop. There’s almost an uncanny sense of repetition and familiarity which just makes you wonder: “Wait, haven’t I already done this?” The layout was almost exactly the same as last year. You’re going to see the big manufacturers in their prime locations as always while smaller indie makers were in another room or toward the middle tables in the showroom. After coming to this show twice before, I knew where almost every vendor was going to be setup. There’s logic to it, I understand that people want to secure the “best” or most visible spots in order to drive sales and marketing. The real reason I think they do it is to streamline logistics. Venues usually will keep the same floor plan year after year to avoid confusion. The consistency allows it’s returning show goers to know exactly where they favorite vendor will be. Pen shows are amazing. It’s an opportunity to talk with other pen lovers and indulge in handling new pens that you may have never had the chance to but once you’ve crossed a certain threshold of attendance, something shifts. What was once new and exciting becomes…predictable.

Another big reason for this feeling of deja vu is the inventory. Not everyone can release brand-new models every few months. So it’s natural that after attending a few shows, you’re going to encounter the same “latest releases” that were actually introduced a few shows back. Ive noticed that in the world of fountain pens, product cycles tend to be slow compared to other technology sectors. Which makes sense to me because a lot of indie or small scale makers are going to emphasize quality over quantity. The main stream companies are also slow to innovate in the space. They often recycle “limited edition” pieces where if you weren’t tempted to buy them when you first saw them, you’ll probably be just as indifferent this time around. The hype diminishes.

I kept walking around the show wondering “Is it me? Am I just not into fountain that much anymore?” It’s not that. I think pen show vendors and manufacturers have lost the plot.

The “Exclusive” That Never Was

Part of the draw of attending a pen show was the thrill of discovering new exclusive pens, limited editions, or even prototypes that you couldn’t find anywhere else. It might a particular translucent acrylic pattern or a special nib grind that was touted as being “only available here” but the truth is that these exclusive tend to linger. When they don’t sell out, they get rebranded or showcased at every event with a slightly new story or updated packaging. The same goes for show specific inks. A lot of brands partner with event organizers to create “official show inks”. While it’s super cool the first time you get one, it loses that spark of excitement when you realize that a lot of these inks are just a reissues or a close cousin of the previous formula.

The Psychology of Novelty vs. Familiarity

Humans are wired to seek novelty. That’s how we work. Our brains are wired to pay extra attention to anything that seems new, unusual, or potentially valuable. When we encounter something new, the brain’s reward system kicks in and releases a burst of dopamine that fuels our excitement and curiosity. This is why the very first time we attend a pen show, every shimmering acrylic body or shiny new metal pen seems thrilling and worth exploring. We’re essentially being rewarded, neurologically, for discovering something new outside of our usual routine. This burst of excitement doesnt last forever. As soon as our brains label something as “familiar”, that same dopamine release begins to drop. This process is called habituation. The more we encounter a stimulus, the more our brains adapt to it, and it lessens the spark we feel. In the context of a pen show, this means seeing the same tables setups, the same products, the same limited editions pens multiple times, your brain no longer perceives them as special. In hobbies like pen collecting, where part of the allure is discovering new aesthetics, technologies, companies, and craftsmanships, there’s a delicate balance between comfort and boredom. Too much novelty, like what i experienced at the DC Pen show my first time around, and we can feel overwhelmed or indecisive. Too much familiarity, like what I experienced in this year’s Baltimore show, and we can get bored or jaded.

Community and Engagement

What I think many pen enthusiast begin to realize is that to truly sustain their interest in the hobby, you have to pivot towards deeper engagement. This might look like learning about the history of pen making, focusing on craftsmanship, and most notable of all, immersing oneself in the community. With the familiarity we begin to develop at these shows, we start to develop a sense of ease and belonging. You start to see show regulars greet each other like old friends.

So why go to pen shows at all? Easy. The people. In essence, the social side is not a mere side note; it’s arguably the beating heart of any pen show. After all, pens alone can only capture your attention for so long. It’s the people we meet who make the show interesting. Pen collecting is niche hobby. It’s incredibly rewarding to connect face to face with others who share the same level of passion as you do. It’s about the stories we share and the community that forms around those stories. If you’re feeling that pen show burnout, it’s okay to step back. Skip the next couple of events. The people (and the pens) aren’t going anywhere. And whenever you decide you’re ready to rejoin the hustle and bustle of a pen show, your friends—and, yes, the same pen tables—will be there waiting.