The Monday After: Political items collectors to display memorabilia from past and present

History is repeating itself in the worlds of politics and pop culture.

For the second time in two years, dealers of political items and popular culture memorabilia are finding a new venue at which to display their collections in Stark County.

The Political and Pop Culture Show will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at MAPS Air Museum off Route 241 on the west side of Akron-Canton Regional Airport.

Last year, the show traditionally held in downtown Canton, was forced to move to the St. George Serbian Center in North Canton because of renovations starting at its normal host site in the McKinley Grand hotel. This year, coronavirus concerns caused the Serbian Center to decline and it moved to MAPS, said Jack Dixey, Ohio representative of the American Political Items Collectors and the organizer of the Stark County show.

"I booked the room and told them (MAPS officials) they could keep the ($5 per person) admissions," said Dixey. "That way people can see the show, see some planes and also help the museum. And on Sunday is the military show, which MAPS had lined up earlier. It's a similar show, but it's military memorabilia."

The American Political Items Collectors is resuming its 2020 show season with the Stark County event, Dixey noted.

"It's a political year and this is a political show, so we wanted to get it in," said Dixey. "We cancelled the national show and all of the (earlier) collectors shows. This is our first show since March."

The show is being held before the presidential election in November despite the Covid-19 pandemic, but keeping the coronavirus safety concerns in mind.

"MAPS is going to insist on safe distancing, hand sanitizer stations and masks, along with all the other pandemic safety protocol."

Current Campaign

Displayed along with historical items this year are political souvenirs promoting the current presidential campaigns of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.

Among the soon-to-be-memorabilia from the current campaign will be additional evidence of the time we live in -- coronavirus safety masks promoting the presidential candidates.

"One of the big things this campaign is to have a mask with the name of your candidate on it," said Dixey. "We'll have both Trump and Biden masks."

Also inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic is a quarantine-inspired bust created by Akron artist Ron White.

"I call him the Angry Pandemic Man," said Dixey. "He has a roll of toilet paper in this left hand, and a bottle of hand sanitizer in his right hand."

As deadly as the coronavirus has been in the United States and throughout the world, Covid-19 also has become collectible, noted Dixey.

"People are picking up on the pandemic," Dixey said. "It's become collectible within the hobby of collecting pop culture items."

Historical Interest

Still, when more than 30 vendors from throughout the country set up about 50 tables of items for show visitors to peruse, the abundance of those items they display and sell will be from eras farther back in history, Dixey predicted.

"A guy from Florida who collects Teddy Roosevelt stuff, he's going to be bringing a display of both Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt items," said Dixey

"And Matt Dole of Newark (Ohio) will be bringing McKinley things, including a big McKinley banner."

Also among the McKinley memorabilia to be displayed will be china dating back to the McKinley presidential campaigns.

Dixey noted that the show has been returning to Stark County for years because of both the area's interest in history and its welcoming reception to such collectors shows.

"The Canton area always has risen to the occasion," Dixey said. "And the MAPS museum has been very welcoming. In fact, they had heard my story about the McKinley Grand canceling last year and wanted to help out when a similar thing happened again this year."

ABOUT THE SHOW

WHAT Political and Pop Culture Show

WHERE  MAPS Air Museum at 2260 International Parkway, Green

WHEN  9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday Oct. 23 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday Oct. 24

WHO  American Political Items Collectors

WHY  Gathering collectors of political items and popular culture memorabilia from several states to sell and display

HOW  Admission is $5, which goes to MAPS Air Museum and entitles visitors also to tour the museum

DETAILS  For information, contact Jack Dixey at dixeycitylimits@yahoo.com or call MAPS at 330-896-6332