Over 20,000 records on sale as the Jersey Record Fair returns

Saturday 14 October 2023

Local vinyl collectors and music fans will have the chance to grab a bargain as the Jersey Record Fair returns this weekend with over 20,000 records on offer.

Held annually at St Peter's Parish Hall, the Record Fair has more than doubled in size since it was first held in 2015.

John Dalton and Ollie Michaels – friends who share a love for vinyl – organise the event each year to raise money for local charities. 

More than 20,000 old and new vinyl records, as well as CDs and tapes, will be available at the fundraiser.

Rock, progressive rock, indie rock, ska, punk, heavy metal, post-punk, soul, funk, and reggae are just a few of the genres available to music fans.

Pictured: Record fair organiser John Dalton with some of his vast vinyl record collection in his St Helier home. (Jon Guegan)

Since 2015, the event has raised just under £8,000 for local charities, such as The Shelter Trust, Jersey Hospice Care, RNIL, and JSPCA. 

The Record Fair has even hosted some famous faces in the past including Will Sergeant, lead guitarist of Liverpudlian rock band Echo and the Bunnymen, who made a surprise appearance at the fair in 2018.

Mr Dalton got the idea for the Record Fair from his favourite band.

"It was my love of Pink Floyd that inspired me to launch the Jersey Record Fair," he explained.

"It all started in 2011 when I bought a Pink Floyd T-shirt at a Gorey car boot sale. It included an image from the 'Wish You Were Here' album, with two males shaking hands and one on fire."

This rekindled his memory of listening to Pink Floyd records as a child in Dublin, prompting him to begin collecting original Pink Floyd LPs and LP picture discs, which he proudly placed on the wall's of his home. 

Pictured: Jersey Record Fair co-founders Ollie Michael (left) and John Dalton (right) with Echo and the Bunnymen guitarist Will Sergeant (centre), who was a surprise guest at the 2018 event. 

Over the years, he realised he had accumulated too many records and decided to arrange a record fair to find "new homes" for them.

He said: "I met with my friend Ollie Michaels and asked him to help me arrange the fair – and so it was the Jersey Record Fair was launched.

"We held it in St Peter’s Parish Hall and it was a great success. The rest, as they say, is history!"

GET INVOLVED...

The Record Fair will be held on Saturday 14 October from 9:00 until 16:00, and Sunday 15 of October from 11:00 until 16:00. 

It will take place at St Peter's Parish Hall and entry is £2.00 with proceeds going to charity.

The organisers will also be running a competition for all attendees in which a winner will be randomly selected and given a prize.

You can find out more information about the Jersey Record Fair on their Facebook page. 

Pictured top: Stall holders from last year's Record Fair holding their favourite vinyl albums, with organisers John Dalton (kneeling, far right) and Ollie Michaels (standing, far right).