About EMCS

About Edmonton Music Collectors Show

A Passion for Music … A Wealth of Information

We believe that the city of Edmonton and the community of Northern Alberta needs a special event where music lovers, appreciators, and collectors of all ages, tastes, and backgrounds can come together. The inaugural Edmonton Music Collectors Show in 2011 was the first event in Edmonton in over a decade dedicated solely to buying, selling, trading, and discovering music and music-related memorabilia.

We see EMCS as a community-building endeavour designed to foster a community of music appreciation and develop a music knowledge exchange. The Edmonton Music Collectors Show is definitely a place to add to your record collection, buy vintage concert posters and t-shirts, or find that out of print CD by your favourite local band. But it is also a place to network with other collectors, promote your own self-produced music, gain insight into the value of your own collection, and celebrate music culture.

The first Edmonton Music Collectors show on April 17, 2011 drew over 500 attendees and attracted some of Western Canada’s premium vendors, including top retailers from Edmonton and Calgary like Blackbyrd Myoozik, Freecloud Records, Sound Connection, Listen Records, Permanent Records, Too North Records, and Grant Fidelity, as well as some of the region’s most prolific private collectors from as far out as Saskatoon and Kamloops. All of the top retailers and many private collectors returned for the Spring 2012 show on April 22, 2012, which saw about 500 attendees come through the doors.

In 2012, we expanded EMCS to twice a year, with our first Fall event on September 30, 2012 in a new venue, the Central Lions Seniors Recreation Centre. The fall show attracted 31 of Western Canada’s highest quality vendors, including independent retailers and private collectors, and about 400 attendees. We received lots of positive feedback about the beautiful venue. It is bright and spacious, with plenty of room to move and a much more comfortable and less crowded experience for people attending the show. A nice lobby area outside the show hall with comfortable chairs and tables allows participants to take a short break, rest, and admire their purchases. Parking is plentiful, and the central location makes it highly accessible via public transit as well.

Our Spring show on April 21, 2013 saw our most successful show to date, with 650 attendees and record numbers through the door during the collectors hour as well. We look forward to our next fall show on October 20, continuing on at the Central Lions.

The Edmonton Music Collectors Show is the brainchild of George Gawlak and Dave Chorley, two of Edmonton’s leading independent record collectors and two of the most knowledgable minds in buying, selling and trading music in the city. They have exhibited in the past at the Edmonton Pop Culture Fair, the Calgary Music Collectors Show, and Love & Records in Lethbridge.

It all sounds good …

Diverse selection: The largest and most diverse selection of rare and vintage vinyl in Northern/Central Alberta, as well as memorabilia, collectibles, and more! Unique items across every genre.

Networking opportunities: Meet new people with shared interests. Make contacts and friends who are passionate about music the same way you are! An incredible knowledge base.

Appraisals: Have something laying around and always wondered what it was worth? Some of Western Canada’s most knowledgable music collectors, gathered in one place, can tell you!

Local Artists: If you or your band has a CD or other merchandise, or even a YouTube channel, take this opportunity to get your name out there, meet some potential fans, and introduce yourself to Edmonton’s top independent music retailers!

Where Music’s Past Meets Present

We want to bring together music appreciators and collectors of all ages and music collecting experience. We want to celebrate music through the ages, the best of what today has to offer and the best of what’s to come. Most of all, we want to provide something for everyone.

A Flavour for Every Taste

There will be lots of classic rock, vintage pop, and iconic recordings available at this event, but it’s not just about the stuff you hear on the radio, no matter what station you listen to. There will be tons of opportunities to discover something new, discover something by an old favourite you never knew existed, and build your own collection, whatever you’re into.