With some 40 clubs across the country and Canada, there is always something going on for the collector. At the national level, there are the annual conventions and regional swapfests to which collectors come from as far away as England and Australia. On the local level, clubs are continually holding meetings, anniversary and Christmas parties, hosting information booths at fairs, putting up public displays within their communities, etc. At any of these activities, visitors are always welcome. Learn more about the hobby, get information on how to get started as a collector, make contacts with people who have the same interests as you do.

The Five Major Events:

- The Rathkamp Matchcover Society is the national hobby organiztion, and the annual RMS Convention in August is always the largest activity in the hobby. Convention sites rotate around the country and Canada annually. You can always find current RMS Convention information at Convention Central

- The AMCAL Convention is the largest activity in the West. Put on each April/May by all of the four California clubs in Fresno, it's always an eagerly anticipated event. Current AMCAL Convention details can always be found at AMCAL Central

-The Trans Canada Swapfest is the Canadian entry. In May, it normally features Auctions, trading, and more. Swapfest details may always be found on the TCMC web site.

- The United Eastern Swapfest is the largest stationery get-together in the East. Details are always to be found below as soon as they become available each year.

- The Southern Swapfest, normally sponsored by the Mid-South and Southeast matchcover clubs, is the biggest such activity in the South. Details are always to be found at Southern Swapfest

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CURRENT CALENDAR

SOUTHERN SWAPFEST 2011: March 13-17, 2012. Hampton Inn, 151 North Douglas Ave. Altamonte Springs, FL 32714 (407) 869-9000. Room: $70.

 

AMCAL 2012: April 19-21, 2012. Hotel Lafayette, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA. More info coming.

 

TRANS CANADA SWAPFEST: May 2012. Details coming

 

UES 2012: June 6-9, 2012. Ramada Plaza Hotel, Halfway Blvd. at 1718 Underpass Way, Hagerstown, MD. $65/$75/$105 room rate. Display theme is ‘Maryland’. FMI: Linda Clavette, 13 Creekstone Dr., Mont Alto, PA clavette32@aol.com

 

71st RMS CONVENTION: Sep. 9-13, 2012. Ramada/Coral Suites Hotel, Niagara Falls, Ont. CAN. Room: $73/$103. The biggest-the best! More details coming

 

LONG BEACH SWAPFEST: October 21-22, 2012. Details coming

 

KEYSTONE-LEHIGH WEEKEND: Last weekend in October 2012. Details coming

 

PHILLU-QUEBEC SWAPFEST: October 2012. FMI: cpelletier@sympatico.ca