WESU 88.1 FM’s Fall Record Fair: Spinning Together

On Saturday, Oct. 3, the first floor of Exley Science Center looked a little different than it does on an average weekend. Students, Middletown residents, and record collectors gathered for WESU 88.1 FM’s fall record fair. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., its hall bustled with shoppers browsing tables packed with vinyls and CDs. Vendors from across New England also offered cameras, lamps, T-shirts, and books. Student organizations like United Student Labor Action Coalition (USLAC) joined the mix, handing out pamphlets and bringing another vibrant part of campus life to the fair.

For vendor Sam Sigg, who returned for his second University record fair, the event was another stop in his long journey of collecting vinyl. He recalled that he began his collection around 1988 and that as listeners embraced CDs, he found an opportunity to buy up the vinyl they were discarding.

“People started putting their vinyl [up for sale],” Sigg said. “They thought, okay, vinyl’s done, everything’s going to be CDs now.”

At tag sales, records could cost him as little as a quarter. For Sigg, those prices made it possible to become a bulk collector of a format whose vintage sound he already loved.

“I’m just going to start buying records because I love the sound,” Sigg said, recalling what he thought back then. “And so that’s when I started collecting.”

Building his collection meant looking beyond typical sources. Instead of visiting record stores, he checked newspapers for tag sales, made a map, and headed out on Saturday mornings to visit them. He became well acquainted with estate sales, thrift stores, and antique shops in search of more new and unknown pieces for his collection.

WESU’s event differs from most record fairs he attends. The conversation draws him here just as much as the chance to buy and sell records.

“I love this fair because so many people are so knowledgeable,” Sigg said. “There’s a lot of professors here. There’s a lot of people who know about classical music, avant-garde music, [and] electronic music.”

While vendors brought their own collections, WESU 88.1 FM members used the event to raise money for the station. According to DJ Agnes Peebles ’29, WESU sold records and merchandise in a separate area outside Exley to support equipment purchases and employees’ pay.

“We’re fundraising for the station to basically keep it going,” Peebles said. “But it’s also just a passion thing.”

For Peebles, that enthusiasm began her first semester at the University, when the WESU booth caught her attention at the club fair. After a semester of training, she began hosting her own radio show. She described WESU as a community where DJs get to explore their interests without excessive pressure.

That independence shapes the station’s day-to-day activity. A DJ can host a show alone or with a friend, but events like the record fair bring everyone together, allowing them to spend time with the wider WESU community.

“It’s fun when we have the events that bring us together,” Peebles said.

For both Sigg and Peeble, the fair’s appeal lies in the community it creates. Over the years, DJs who typically work alone and collectors with different musical outlooks and experiences have developed a bond together.

Sigg’s outlook on the day was simple.

“I really enjoyed it,” he said. “Great conversation.”

Charles Hirsch can be reached at chirsch@wesleyan.edu.