Fremont Toy Show co-organizer, Sandy Overmyer, said people come from as far away as Canada to purchase toys at the show. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

FREMONT – Nearly four decades ago, a group of parents decided to turn their passion for vintage toys into a way to support Fremont Future Farmers of America (FFA). They founded the Fremont FFA Toy Show, now simply called the Fremont Toy Show, and it is still going strong.

The 39th Annual Fremont Toy Show will be held at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds on March 15 and 16. The show is one of the most popular toy shows in the country, drawing dealers from multiple states and attracting customers from as far away as Canada.

“They always say it’s the best toy show next to the national one,” said event co-organizer, Sandy Overmyer.

The toy show was inspired in part by Overmyer’s late husband’s love of old farm toys. He was a farmer, and he, along with some other local men, wanted to reconnect to their childhood through toys.

“It started with the guys collecting toys. One day, he said I’d really like to find some old toys,” Overmyer said. “When my husband started, we couldn’t find any, so we began going to antique shops.”

The Overmyers eventually made connections in the toy world, and as their collection grew, starting a toy show with other parents was a natural progression.

“It was just a childhood passion. He wanted his toys back,” Overmyer said.

Dealers will fill four building and 235 tables at the Fremont Toy Show. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

The toy show served as a Fremont FFA fundraiser for many years until the Fremont FFA decided to move in a different direction. Today, the Clyde FFA, under the leadership of Clyde High School ag teacher, Barrett Zimmerman, helps with set up and tear down of the event, and the show organizers gift them a donation as a thank you.

“We couldn’t do this without Barrett Zimmerman,” Overmyer said.

After their children graduated high school, the Overmyers and other parents continued to host the toy show. It not only creates a unique opportunity for toy dealers and buyers to connect, but it also boosts the local economy. Dealers travel to the show from several states, including Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. They fill four buildings and 235 tables.

All of those visitors stay in hotels, eat in restaurants and shop at local stores.

“People come from all over, so we bring a lot to the local economy. The visitor’s bureau tells us that,” Overmyer said. “We do this for the economy and the Clyde FFA.”

The toy show will feature a wide variety of vintage and new toys, including farm toys, dolls, Nascar, Legos, G.I. Joe and Barbies. Attendees can find comic books, custom-made toy trucks, kids’ pedal trucks and a dealer who creates farm shop reproductions with a 3-D printer.

A large selection of farm toys will be available at the Fremont Toy Show. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

“There is just an array of all kinds of toys. We never know what’s coming,” Overmyer said.

Overmyer said the success of the toy show is largely due to their investment into advertising. She said the Beacon is especially easy to work with, and Beacon Account Executive Gina Monak-Miller is professional and prompt and creates beautiful ads. She can tell that Monak-Miller cares about her clients.

“If other papers were as easy to work with as The Beacon, advertising would be a breeze,” she said. “Other shows struggle because they don’t advertise.”

Advertising has paid off for the Fremont Toy Show.

“Dealers fight to get spots. We have a long waiting list,” she said.

The 39th Annual Fremont Toy Show will be held on Saturday, March 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, March 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds, located at 901 Rawson Ave. in Fremont. Admission is $4, and the lunch stand will be open.