Now in its sixth year, Pelikan keeps tradition alive with today’s announcement of Pelikan Hubs 2019. The company has launched a new “microsite” to facilitate registration and to serve as a source of information for prospective attendees. The Hubs have continued to grow year over year with new records for attendance being set annually. The 2018 gathering took place in 181 cities spread across 46 countries with over 4500 registered participants. That level of attendance represented a roughly 30% increase over the year prior which had shown tremendous growth itself. Much of that success is thanks to the pen enthusiasts who have relished gathering to share their experiences and passion for fine writing and all that comes with it. If you are new to the brand and unfamiliar with what the Hubs event is all about, allow me to fill you in. Pelikan Hubs is first and foremost a fan driven gathering of Pelikan aficionados from across the globe who meet on the same local date and time. I say fan driven because Pelikan itself only acts in a supporting role. Each chosen location is appointed a Hub master (selected through application) who oversees the planning of the event with the company providing some organizational framework and a few supplies. This is what allows the evening to take on a unique and individual flavor. There is no specified agenda and you don’t even need to own a Pelikan pen to attend. The result is that no two hubs are quite alike, but they are invariably an enjoyable affair. It is also heavily encouraged to utilize social media via the hashtag #pelikanhubs so that other locations and those who could not attend can share in the festivities. I have been a Hub participate from the beginning and look forward to this gathering each and every year. You can read about my most recent experience here. This year, Pelikan is requiring a minimum of seven participants in a locale to constitute a Hub, a change from prior years where the minimum was five. That is why it is important to spread the word to those who may be interested in your area. When you register, you will also have a chance to nominate yourself for the position of Hub master if you would like to serve as the local point of contact and organizer for the event. It is the Hub master who designates a centrally located meeting place and distributes the provided Pelikan swag to all of the registered guest in attendance. Read on for all of the details for Pelikan Hubs 2019.
“Pelikan Hubs connect people who are writing enthusiasts. A worldwide platform that combines knowledge with passion. A ‘hub’ is a pivot, a focus of activity. For Pelikan fans, a Hub is a place where they can meet, exchange experiences, and network worldwide.”
Pelikan Hubs 2019 will take place on Friday, September 20, 2019 at 6:30pm local time. Online registration for Hub participants is now open via the new microsite and the registration period will continue until June 30th. Once you submit your basic contact details via the microsite (name & e-mail), you will be sent a link to complete the registration process. It is this second step where you will choose your country and city or nominate one that may not have previously hosted a Hub event. This is also the section where you can nominate yourself for the Hub master position. Once again, I would strongly encourage anyone with even a remote interest in the event to sign up as it is inevitable that people get shut out every year for missing the deadline. Attempts to join the Hub after the registration closes can be a source of angst for the Hub masters due to the difficulty in selecting a suitable venue so please register which will also serve to help your city reach the critical mass required to qualify for a Hub. I have included the Hubs locations selected in 2018 below for your reference in order to give you an idea of where past meet-ups have occurred. There is no fee for the event and no penalty should you find yourself unable to attend later. Also, registering is the only way to qualify for any of Pelikan’s provided swag. Past examples of the company’s generosity have included pen holders, cases, note pads, and ink. Hub master applications will be accepted through June 30th as well. If you are nervous about taking on that responsibility, Pelikan provides additional support by hosting a closed Facebook page exclusively for Hub masters which has allowed veterans and newcomers to come together and freely exchange ideas. I also want to again stress that this is not just limited to Pelikan pen owners. Anyone who shares a passion about fine writing is welcome to attend. It is the diversity of pens and people that has been key to the event’s success. Not surprisingly, this year’s scheme will match the Edelstein Star Ruby 2019 Ink of the Year which is again expected to play a prominent role in the event.
Pelikan Hubs 2019 Microsite
Pelikan Hubs 2019 Registration Page (Direct Link)
Pelikan Hubs Terms and Conditions (PDF file)
Pelikan Hubs Facebook Group
Inquiries about the event can be addressed to hubs@pelikan.com
Got registered first thing this morning. Quick and easy.
Yes, I found the registration process relatively painless as well. Glad you signed up. Always a lot of fun.
YA!! I am registered and going to be able to attend a Hub!! CHEERS!
Got registered. Somehow I didn’t get registered last year, so I wanted to make sure I do this year. I definitely wouldn’t mind a freebie bottle of Star Ruby ink!
I’m sure that bottle will be part of the swag if Pelikan stays true to prior practice. I usually await the Hub before purchasing any IOTY and I’ve been itching to try this one.
I couldn’t access the microsite via the link in the email Pelikan sent me (very old Safari software), but there’s one on the Fountain Pen Network that worked. See you in London, thanks again, Pelikan!
I heard some were having issues which is why I posted the direct link to my site as well for anyone having difficulty.
To register for the Hub, I simply went to the direct link which you posted.
Out of curiosity, do you know how many attended the Albuquerque, NM Hub in 2018.
If I recall, there was something like 15 registrations for Albuquerque last year. Not sure how many actually ended up attending.
I’m waiting on the email to confirm my details. I went to my first Hub last year. Pelikan is generous in giving registered participants the ink and other gifts.
I used your micro link then the link on Pelikan’s site to sign up. I’m still waiting on the email that that links to selecting the Hub city.
It might be my service provider’s speed, I don’t know. For those who signed up, did the Pelikan email arrive quickly?
Mine came right away but it was early – 9 am EDT or so.
Mine still hasn’t arrived. I hope it will Thursday.
Might be worth attempting again if it hasn’t.
My email arrived very quickly. Check your spam folder if you haven’t found it.
Glad you liked it enough to come back. Pelikan is indeed generous with the swag though I think that it would be a great event even without that.
Joshua, huge thanks for this post. We have done step 1, but need to decide our city (WDC? PHL? COS?) before the finishing step. I recall seeing registration counts by venue in the past but can’t find it now. Ring any bells? Is there a link at hand? Thanks!
I did a post on registration counts by venue for last year’s hub. Maybe that is what you are thinking of. You can find that here.
Thanks, Joshua. Those are the numbers I’m interested in. Very helpful. Somehow I remember a simple text list by U.S. city. We are trying to decide which city.
Thanks for this, it answered some questions I was failing to find the answers to on the main site!
I finally got signed up by creating a new email address at a site my brother told me about that encrypts your emails (tutanota.com). The verification email arrived almost right away.
It still hasn’t shown up in my regular email account that’s ultimately yahoo, neither in the inbox nor the spam/junk folder.
Sorry you had to take the long way around but glad that you were able to get it sorted.
Interestingly Tutanota is also based in Hanover. I don’t mind having a second email address. I’ll have better control over it. I let my current one get far too many emails I do not care about.
Thank you for your kind comments. Pelikan pen fans are nice people.
I think pen fans in general are nice people. Something about a respect for the analogue I think is rooted in the desire to write and engage with others.
Definitely wish I had heard about this earlier!
I hear that a lot each and every year. Sorry you missed out on the registration. If you subscribe to the blog, you’ll get an alert with any and all Pelikan news and can keep abreast of developments such as these so you don’t miss out again in the future.