Record show returns May 9 with BBQ fundraiser for Fort Erie Radio

The Fort Erie Record Show will raise money for Fort Erie Radio on May 9, adding a barbecue and door donations to support local news.

The event at Sessions on the River will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Organizer Craig Waters told Fort Erie Radio the partnership grew from the station’s past promotion of the show and concern over shrinking local radio and independent news services elsewhere.

Waters said Fort Erie Radio has promoted the record show since its start without asking for money from the event.

“They’ve always kind of championed the record show, so I wanted to make sure that we could kind of help them out as well,” said Waters.

Waters said local radio matters because residents need news that is specific to their own town. He pointed to Hamilton’s CHML, which ended operations in 2024, while explaining why the fundraiser made sense.

“I lived in Hamilton for 10 years, and one day CHML didn’t exist overnight,” said Waters. “I think radio, whether it’s terrestrial or online, is important.”

The fundraiser adds to the show’s normal door donation model, which Waters said usually raises between $300 and $500 for a local organization. He said some past totals came in closer to $150, which led to the barbecue idea.

“There are other ways to make money for your organization down here if we just kind of put our heads together,” said Waters.

The show will also have new and used vinyl, CDs, record cleaning from The Vinyl Spa and vendors who have never been part of the Fort Erie sale before.

Waters said the show is meant for longtime collectors, first-time buyers and families since buyers can often find records at lower prices without needing a large budget.

“It’s kind of a show for everybody and there’s a ton of price range as well. You want to bring 40 bucks, I’m sure you could walk away with a bunch of stuff,” said Waters.

The event has also become a place for people looking to sell record collections. Waters said sellers can bring records, but a list is preferred when the collection is large.

The Fort Erie Record Show runs Saturday at Sessions on the River, which is located 133 Niagara Boulevard.

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