On May 15, Springvale Stadium will be a delight for children and collectors of toys with the city's first full-blown toy fair.
It is the brainchild of Steve who is basing the event on his overseas experiences.
"I lived in England for 10 years and over there they have toy swap meets, three or four on each week, five or 600 tables, massive things.
"That's where a lot of those toys were first manufactured: like Matchbox, Corgi and Dinky, certainly the cars because that's what I collect, but also a lot of trains like Hornby," he says.
"It's big over there ... but it's big here too, certainly bigger than you think, because there are a lot of people who collect toys but they won't tell you they do.
They got together and shared a table at the Wellington toy fair to sell off some of their spare toys and "bits and pieces".
The fair was poorly advertised and, therefore, poorly attended.
"We decided we could do better than that and we decided we'd run one in Wellington."
They met up with a man who had contacts with collectors and the three of them started the Wellington Toy Fair, an event that's now been running for 11 years.
"Basically, I've taken the formula or the pattern we use down there and brought it up here.
"One of the reasons I wanted to do it in Whanganui was because there wasn't anything here ... and other events were getting cancelled, events that were raising money for charities were getting hit on the head, so that gave me the idea of raising money for charity."
To help pay for everything, Steve has been gathering sponsors.
"I'm surprised at the number of people getting behind the idea," he says.
He has about 50 sponsors on board, but he was aware he might have trouble convincing people with so many events getting cancelled because of Covid.
"I came up with a pledging system, like the old Telethon they used to have. I went around and the first couple of people I approached loved the idea and were straight in."
He continued and built up a list of sponsors that way.
"If it goes ahead I go around and collect the money. If it gets cancelled, they keep their money. I think that's why people have been willing to get in behind it and give it a go."
To do that, he has asked if his "creditors" would defer payment until after the event. All have agreed.
Steve is looking at supplying more than 100 tables, and if it's successful, hopes to do it again, but bigger, next year.
Tables are $20 and stallholders pay on the day. Steve says it's an ideal opportunity for people to get rid of unwanted toys, and they can even be broken toys because some collectors are looking for parts.
Money raised from the Whanganui Toy Fair will go to the Whanganui Equine Therapeutic Centre, formerly known as Riding for the Disabled (RDA).
The Whanganui Toy Fair is planned for May 15, 11am to 2pm at Springvale Stadium. For tables bookings ($20 per table) and event information, contact whanganuitoyfair@gmail.com.
