Just some quick info for those looking for it! Note: I am not an employee of Yoseka and don’t have any official information other than what I’ve gathered from going to Stationery Fest and from their social accounts.
- The first thing I’ll say is, once I made it into the venue, I had a lot of fun. Yes, it was worth it. The show is a mix of people you would see at any fountain pen show (which is super fun) but also sooo many overseas stationery vendors that we rarely get to meet in the U.S.! Some favorite stops for me were: Lennon ToolBar, Nagasawa, Kakimori, and Hanabi Glass Studio, Yamamoto, and lots of artists selling their stickers and prints.
- Lots of people came early for the first day and the line for registration started before 9am and grew from there (registration opened at 9 and the venue opened at 11). I arrived before noon and waited about 2.5 hours to get registered. Other people who arrived later in the afternoon said it was considerably faster.
- Yoseka staff shared on socials today that they would be making some logistical adjustments for tomorrow and expected things to be smoother. I also overheard a lot of people saying they might not make use of their multi day tickets, which makes me think day two will be less chaotic. As for the chaos itself, I’m giving them grace because the first time doing an event this big is always a huge learning experience. I understand however that a lot of people traveled really far and spent a lot of money to come here. So I hope everyone is at least able to have enough fun to make up for the frustration. It helps that a room full of stationery nerds and creatives is always super good vibes.
- The weather forecast in NY is for rain all three days of Stationery Fest. It’s also fairly cool (60s and 70s). I dressed in waterproof clothing and stayed warm and dry, so the wait wasn’t that bad for me. A lot of people came in hot weather attire and cotton clothing (not optimal for rain) however, and the weather compounded frustration. So if you’re able, I would recommend coming prepared (including emotionally) to potentially stand outside in the rain for a while, because it’ll make a huge difference.
- The great thing about Stationery Fest being in New York is that there are so many ways to make the trip worthwhile even if it doesn’t go perfectly smoothly. If you need a break from the crowd, there’s a lot to do and see within walking distance.
- Note if you’re traveling in a group and need to coordinate: depending on your carrier, the signal inside the venue isn’t great. I have Verizon and did ok, but others said they weren’t able to send and receive messages.
- The venue is pretty airy and nice and the crowd control once inside wasn’t that bad. Some vendors had longer lines than others. I would recommend against bringing large backpacks because it can be a little challenging to maneuver around the aisles.
- I didn’t spot any places to fill water bottles so I would recommend bringing yours full. And if you like iced matcha lattes a stop by the Kettl table just outside the marketplace area is well worth it.
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