Te Puke record fair at Anann this weekend

Brian Wafer has organised a record fair on Sunday at Anann — Pineapple Bar, Palmer Place.

Vinyl, 45s, LPs, records — whatever you call them, they are part of many people's past.

They are also, once again, part of the present.

Records have made something of a comeback in recent years, and that has sparked a rebirth of the record fair.

Brian Wafer has organised several and, on Sunday, is holding one with around half a dozen vendors at Te Puke's Anann - Pineapple Bar on Palmer Place.

"I've done a few of them — just for a bit of fun really. This is my social life," he laughs.

"You get like-minded souls and you meet like-minded people."

He has organised fairs at Mount Maunganui's Totara St venue and The Jam Factory in Tauranga, but this is his first in Te Puke.

"I spend a lot of time in the Te Puke area at Little Waihī, so I thought let's do one. I was having a beer [in Anann] and talking about it and I said 'we should do one here', and they said 'OK, let's do it'."

Brian says he thinks vinyl is once again enjoying popularity partly because covers are easier to read than they are on CDs.

"The other thing is, they look better and they sound better and you've got something tangible in your hands. A download from Spotify or wherever, it's disposable. Records are like — if you like it you can keep it forever, if you don't like it, you can move it on again."

He doesn't know exactly what the vendors will be bringing to Sunday's fair, but that is one of the beauties of them.

"I don't go looking for my favourites as such. I'm more looking for new old things — things that are new to me.

"The vendors are basically trading the stuff they don't want to buy the ones they do want."

He says there may be some rare and collectible records.

"You never know what other people have — but there's always all sorts of everything.''

Brian says there will be new imported vinyl and second-hand records.

"One guy has a lot of Beatles, Rolling Stones, blues and jazz, another guy I know will have lots of 90s indie pop stuff. There will be a little bit of classical, but exactly what will depend entirely on each vendor, what they are bringing. The element of the unknown — that's the best part.

"The other good thing is, it's in a bar. You can have a beer and a feed while you are listening and trading and discussing.''

The record fair will run from noon until 4pm on Sunday.