Latest news from Great American Stamp Show 2024:

A tentative schedule will go online soon. However, the show is running out of time slots (there is a limited number of rooms), especially the better ones. Also, the printed program will go to press soon, and you’ll want your event in that. Fill out this form.

Also, have you pre-registered yet? It only takes a minute, it’s free and there’s no obligation — no one will be taking attendance! Then you won’t have to wait in line to get your badge and the badge itself will look so much nicer than the handwritten ones. That link is here.

There are only a handful of dealer booths and society tables left for Great American Stamp Show 2024 (August 15-18 in Hartford, Conn.) Societies that aren’t sure whether to take a table (which involves a commitment to STAFF it) should consider sharing with another society. The same is true if all the society tables are gone: Share. You’ll find the links for societies, dealers and more here.

Don’t think this is a fluke because the show is in the Northeast. Next year will be even tighter: It’s a smaller space. Moral of the story: Book early, whether it’s booth space, hotel rooms or anything else. (Some may call me “Lloyd the Late,” but I made my hotel reservation in mid-November.)

The third block of rooms at a special rate obtained by the American Philatelic Society for Great American Stamp Show has now sold out. The APS does not plan to try to obtain another block for its August 15-18 show in Hartford, Conn.

However, the Capitol Hotel at 440 Asylum Street (part of the Choice group and shown on the right here) may have rooms available; it did as of March 22nd. It is located near Stop #6 of the free dash shuttle bus service and a few blocks from Amtrak’s Union Station.

Hartford is Connecticut’s capital city and has an abundance of hotel rooms for when the legislature is in session, so it should still be possible to obtain accommodations for GASS 2024.

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Calle To Design Great American Stamp Show Cachets
Popular Artist Will Be at AFDCS Booth To Sign Covers, Meet Collectors

Professional artist Chris Calle again will design the official show cachets for Great American Stamp Show 2024. He also will be at the American First Day Cover Society booth during the show to autograph covers and stamps with his designs and chat with collectors. He is shown on the right at last year’s GASS.

During his 20+ years as an illustrator his artwork focused on historical subjects and the theme of Space Exploration produced in paint and pencil for publications, advertising, coins and FDCs. Chris has designed more than 35 postage stamps for the United States and hundreds more for countries as diverse as Sweden and the Marshall Islands, as well as designs for the United Nations. Chris’s US postage stamp design work includes the two stamps celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the first Moon Landing jointly designed with his father Paul Calle who designed the iconic #C76 First Man on the Moon stamp in 1969. Perhaps Chris’s most well-known solo artwork is the $2.40 Priority Mail stamp design of 1989 (Sc. 2419, shown here), which depicts Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin planting the American flag on the Moon.

For more than a decade Chris has designed the show cachets for the major U.S. summer stamp collecting shows as well as many regional stamp shows throughout the country.
Among other stamp and cover design awards, Chris’ first day cover cachets have won the top prize in the annual AFDCS contest several times and he has now passed the torch of cachetmaking to his children Arianna and Ian. Since they were five years old, Arianna and Ian’s entires in the youth category have both won many awards in the AFDCS contest. In fact, two years ago Arianna took first place in an adult category (right). She is now a sophomore in college!

His first U.S. stamp design, for the Harry S. Truman definitive, is shown here.

Today in his fine art career Calle’s oil paintings and pencil drawings focus on the history and future of manned space exploration.

As an official NASA artist, Chris covered two of the early Space Shuttle missions, producing artwork that is now in the collections of the National Air and Space Museum and NASA. His artwork is in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian museums, other space and science Museums throughout the United States, and corporate and private collections worldwide.

Chris is the author of Celebrating Apollo 11, the Artwork of Paul Calle, which details the elder Calle’s involvement in the NASA Fine Art Program and focuses on the on-the-spot artwork Paul created as the only artist present during the breakfast and suiting up of the Apollo 11 crew on the morning of their historic launch to the Moon.

Chris portrayed his father Paul in the 2018 movie “First Man,” the story of Neil Armstrong. Chris sketched Ryan Gosling and the cast during the breakfast and crew walkout, using the same sketchbook and pens Paul used in 1969.

The AFDCS is a co-sponsor of the Great American Stamp Show, which includes the Americover first day cover exhibition and announcement of the results of its annual cachetmaking contest. GASS this year is being held in Hartford, Conn., August 15-18, 2024. Admission is free.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 27, Greer, SC 29652-0027.

The question is, for how much longer will these rooms at the Capitol Hotel in downtown Hartford be available? And, if these sell out, will the APS be able to get a fourth block of rooms?

The Great American Stamp Show rate is $114. The Capitol Hotel (part of the Choice group) is about a mile from the convention center, but still on the free Dash shuttle route. It appears to be near Stop 6.

Click here to go right to the GASS/Capitol reservation page. It appears to work better with Chrome than with Firefox.

More hotel rooms available: The second block of rooms for Great American Stamp Show 2024 is now online: Click here or call Hilton at {800} 754-7941 and request the “APS Stamp Show” room block.

But this block at the Hilton was also getting snatched up. The APS is planning a third group of rooms, but at some point, the tap will run dry.

Remember that your credit card will not be charged until you check in and you can cancel your reservation at no charge until a few days before check-in. Never use a debit card for a hotel stay.

Stay Sunday night: The AFDCS again plans a “Dutch treat” post-show dinner at a local restaurant. It’s a great social event, a chance to unwind after the show and discuss your philatelic successes or your (grand)children. We’re still working on details.

No AFDCS events are planned for Monday, but travel in the summer is better during the day on a weekday during the summer anyway.

DASH around Hartford: The city has a free downtown shuttle bus service, called DASH. Normally it only runs Monday through Friday 7 to 7, but service is being extended for GASS 2024. Its stops include the convention center/Marriott, the Hilton, the art museum, the train station, and historic sites. Click here for a route map.

Inexpensive Airport Shuttle: It appears CT Transit has a $1.75 bus to and from the airport, the Bradley Flyer, with stops at the convention center and train station. We’re still checking it out. (If you’ve used it recently, please let us know how well it works.) Shuttle Information By the way, the airport’s code is “BDL” (Bradley).

Exhibit: Great American Stamp Show 2024 has a separate Americover 2024 first day cover exhibit of 156 frames. Entry forms are due May 3rd.

Also, there will be a discussion of where we stand on international exhibiting of FDCs on Saturday. The outlook is good!

Connect Online: While the AFDCS website is undergoing reconstruction, visit us on Facebook, either the Americover page (search for “Americover”) or the AFDCS group.

Also check out the APS’ GASS section.

The second block of rooms for Great American Stamp Show 2024 in Hartford is now online: Use this link or go to the APS website’s GASS section. Don’t wait! Last year, the second block sold out quickly. You won’t be charged for your rooms until you check in, so there’s no reason not to book now.

If you are told “your dates are not available” (or something like that), modify the dates. Earlier Friday, within hours of the new block being posted, Sunday night had sold out (and was re-stocked by the APS). You can then change the dates closer to the show.

The Hilton is at 315 Trumbull Street, about 8/10 of a mile from the convention center (according to Google Maps, and depending on the entrances used for either building). It is also on the DASH free shuttle bus service which will be extended for those attending GASS: 7 am to 11 pm Wednesday through Saturday and 7 am to 5 pm on Sunday. It also goes other places of possible interest to those attending the show. A map can be found here or you can click on this picture for a larger version without the “stops” listed.

The convention center is at 100 Columbus Boulevard.

From the AFDCS:

Have you booked your hotel rooms yet? The initial block of rooms arranged by the APS at the adjacent Marriott is all but sold out — just like last year. The APS is working on more rooms — just like last year — and most are likely to be at another hotel nearby. And — just like last year — that second hotel will sell out and you’ll be on your own.

The APS prices are often better than what you can get on your own. Many of the early morning and evening events will be at the Marriott, the “show hotel.”

The AFDCS doesn’t get any benefit from where you stay; we just want our members to have a great time at the show, so reserve your rooms today. (You can always cancel or change later.) Start at www.stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/travel

GASS 2024 Preregistration is now open. Save time (and get a better badge!) at https://stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/preregistration

New Show Chair: Catherine O’Connor will steer our Americover efforts, after many years of great leadership from Foster Miller. You can still reach the committee at showinfo@afdcs.org Foster still heads our Sales and Membership Departments.

Chris Calle (right) will design the official show cachet and will be at the AFDCS booth during the show to autograph covers and chat with collectors. There will be at least two pictorial postmarks each day plus the first-day cancels for Pinback Buttons and Autumn Colors.

ATA is celebrating its 75th anniversary at the show. Like the AFDCS and APS, the American Topical Association is a cosponsor of GASS, and plans a two-hour celebration Friday afternoon.

Volunteer! We are looking for members to help staff the AFDCS booth. Shifts generally run about two hours. The tasks may include sales, talking about first day covers, and referring those with collections to an appropriate dealer. Contact Americover 2024 volunteer coordinator Ralph Nafziger, nafziger@peak.org if interested. The APS is also looking for volunteers, especially in putting up exhibits and working the registration booth, and has details on its website at www.stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/volunteer

Connect Online: While the AFDCS website is undergoing reconstruction, visit us on Facebook, either the Americover page (search for “Americover”) or the AFDCS group, www.facebook.com/groups/afdcs

If you are having trouble booking your hotel rooms for Great American Stamp Show 2024 at the show hotel (Hartford Marriott), try again later this week. But, yes, the initial block of rooms is almost completely sold out! The APS is working to secure a block of rooms at a second hotel.

For the link to the hotel reservations at the Great American Stamp Show rate, go to www.stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show . Travel / hotel is the second item on the left, or go directly to www.stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/travel

The show is August 15-18. It includes Americover 2024, the 69th annual convention of the American First Day Cover Society. Pre-registration is now open, too. It’s free and non-binding.