We’re just 12 days away from the highly anticipated Pelikan Hubs event! Soon, thousands of enthusiasts will gather in hundreds of cities across dozens of countries. No other pen manufacturer sponsors anything quite like it—a global celebration of camaraderie and shared passion. First and foremost, it’s worth recognizing the incredible effort of the many Hub Masters and Mistresses who organize their local events. Some coordinate gatherings of more than a hundred people, which is no small feat. Pelikan, too, deserves credit for managing the registration process that brings everyone together and for providing the generous swag that helps make the night special. And it’s that swag that’s the focus of today’s post. This year, some may be surprised to find that things won’t be quite the same as in years past—a change that could prove disappointing.
A Beloved Tradition
Since the first Hub in 2014, Pelikan’s annual gathering has grown from a small grassroots experiment into a worldwide phenomenon. What began as a handful of pen lovers meeting in a few cities has become an evening that enthusiasts now circle on their calendars each year. For many, the Hub swag is part of the excitement—an assortment of branded goodies that often includes notebooks, ink samples, postcards, and other thoughtful mementos. The contents have varied over the years, particularly when it comes to ink. In 2015, for example, attendees received cartridges of Edelstein Amethyst and the 2022 post-pandemic event was devoid of ink all-together. Since 2016, however, Pelikan has more often than not included a bottle of that year’s Ink of the Year, which has become a de facto theme for each Hub event.
The 2025 Shift
This year marks a noticeable departure from that long-standing practice. Rather than exclusively featuring the 2025 Ink of the Year, Apricot Achat, Pelikan is taking a more mixed approach. Some Hubs are receiving bottles of Edelstein Tanzanite, others Rose Quartz, and a few are even reporting combinations that include Apricot Achat alongside one of these previous inks. The reason for the change remains unclear—perhaps logistical constraints, leftover stock, or a broader effort to diversify what attendees receive.
When queried about the situation, Pelikan’s response has been consistent:
“I would like to confirm that the mix of inks you received is intentional. This is to ensure that each participant receives a gift, while also bringing some variety to the event. All participants will still get a Pelikan ink, though not necessarily the Ink of the Year 2025.”
The packaging that accompanies the swag appears to be Apricot Achat-themed, suggesting there was at least an initial plan to proceed as usual. If we give Pelikan the benefit of the doubt, perhaps supply constraints simply couldn’t be overcome in time, and this approach allowed them to show appreciation to everyone for their attendance and enthusiasm for the brand. The cynic in me, however, suspects less charitable motives—such as an opportunity to clear out old inventory. Given the sporadic distribution among Hubs, the proposed “variety” explanation rings a bit hollow.
Understanding the Change
While it’s easy to feel disappointed, it’s worth remembering that the spirit of the Hubs has always been about connection, not commodities. The true “gift” of the event lies in the conversations, the friendships, and the shared appreciation for fine writing instruments, be they Pelikan or any other brand. That said, Pelikan’s decision does alter the fabric of the Hubs—and it’s natural that collectors and long-time participants might feel something has been lost. For a brand so steeped in tradition, even small changes can ripple widely.
Many will actually welcome the change, as Apricot Achat is a very particular shade that lacks broader appeal or everyday use. Others who already have bottles of Tanzanite may have been looking forward to trying something new and will no doubt feel disappointed. None of us wish to seem ungrateful—especially over a free bottle of ink—but a little more transparency from Pelikan about the reasoning behind this year’s shift would go a long way.
Looking Ahead
If this shift helps ensure the Hubs remain sustainable, perhaps it’s a necessary evolution. Pelikan may be signaling that the event’s continued success depends less on what’s in the bag and more on who’s in the room. Still, one hopes the company continues to find meaningful ways to express appreciation for the global community that has championed the brand year after year.
No matter what’s included—or not included—this year’s Hub will still bring together thousands of people united by a shared love for fine pens, good conversation, and the joy of writing. That’s something no amount of swag can replace.
Thank you for the Info.
You’re welcome. Best that people don’t get blindsided. Hate to see anything mar the evening.
Hi Joshua thank you for the info.
We had our First Pelikan Hub in Las Vegas,NV! Only 5 members so far. Any suggestions how to motivate, keep the spirit up? Where can I find info about other Hubs around the world? Maybe others will post their experiences online, I shall wait. Thank you so much!
Five is how the Philadelphia Hub got its start back in 2014. It’s really just communication and word of mouth. Try to partner with any local pen vendors. Utilize social media, mostly Facebook in my experience, and looks for the petlikanhubs group/hashtag. Lots of ideas there.
Our Hub in Knoxville, Tennessee, all received Tanzanite. I was happy as it’s a color I like, and I didn’t have it. I think others were disappointed even though our Hub Master told us up front that we were getting Tanzanite ink. One in our group messaged someone else, and they either all received Rose Quartz or their group received a mixture of inks. On another note, I was looking to see what cities in Kentucky had a Pelikan Hib, and there wasn’t one place; not even Louisville or Lexington! That surprised me! Anyway, our group of about 30 had a great time.
30 is a great number and makes for a nice sized gathering. The inks were variable and a hit or miss with hub goers. It all seemed very random. Tanzanite is a great color though and many would say superior to Apricot Achat.
Interesting! If my hub gets a variety of bottles; I think that would be a lot of fun. There’s the element of surprise, and there could be trading afterwards among attendees. If we all get (for example) Rose Quartz, which most of us got at a previous Pelikan Hubs, that’ll be disappointing. Thanks for this report– I had been wondering what to expect.
That is a very healthy perspective. I know there are those that will be disappointed not to get the IOTY which is why I wanted to put the information out there.
Regardless of considered opinions that certainly will vary, what matters most is that this good function continue. We pen & Pelikan aficionados appreciate the opportunity to convene. Can you name other maker brands who do the same? I can’t & I’ve been a pen guy for decades: user, designer, distributor & consultant to over 12 global brands. So, OK, bring it!
Agreed. The Hubs continuing on and the community that supports it is more important than any swag provided.
Good enough for me!! Happy to meet Pelikan lovers..!!
And ink or no, the event is always wonderful for that!
It was to be my first hub this year, but so far I’ve been really disappointed in Pelikan Hub’s responses to me and the Hubmeister. They said they’d contacted her (and hadn’t) and I’ve had no contact from the Hubmeister with any update from Pelikan. I don’t think Pelikan has shared our contact details yet 😔
Sorry to hear that the experience hasn’t been a good one for you. There are definitely regional variations. I believe that the Hub masters have all received the contact information for their attendees by now.
I went to my first Pelikan Hub last year, having had Pelikan pens for at least twenty years. It was my first encounter with other pen enthusiasts in person and since then I have found my community. This is rare, and special. Pelikan has my heart as a result of a simple effort to sponsor people meeting.
That’s awesome! The hobby gets a lot richer when you can share it with others.
We don’t have a regular pen group here in our smallish city, so the Pelikan hub is very precious and much appreciated regardless of gifts. I also really appreciate NOT having to volunteer to be hubmistress – so thanks to the people who do that too!
So many places don’t have regular pen groups which is a shame. Glad that the Hub can give you some of that experience.
Thank you for the write-up, Joshua. My hub was one of the ones that got Tanzanite and, for the most part, people have been grateful to get an ink and for it to not be Apricot Achat. I went ahead and got a second bottle of Apricot Achat for everyone to get a sample from (thus far, only one attendee has expressed a preference to receive Apricot Achat over Tanzanite). I have even toyed with the idea of making some “local ink of the year” stickers for putting on the Tanzanite boxes.
I agree that the gathering itself is actually more important than the ink. The first local hub (and my first time as a hub master) was in 2022, when we received notepads and publicity magazines. Everyone enjoyed an evening of spending time with other people who love fine writing and having an opportunity to show off their prized pens with friends — new and old — who would appreciate them.
So, a hypothetical question: I eventually purchased the M205 Apatite, which matched the color for the year I was first a hub master. Last year’s hub master bought the M200 Golden Lapis, which matched the color for that year. He didn’t feel similarly inclined about the M205 Rose Quartz, however. What Pelikan pen do people think best captures Tanzanite? I recently acquired a blue-black M400 and am thinking that it will serve for me, but I’m curious what other people think.
What pen matches Tanzanite? In my opinion, that would be the M405/605/805 Dark Blue or the M800 Nord/LB and Nord/LB-LBS. Perfect matches in my opinion.
Thank you for the update! I personally would love and prefer to receive Pelikan Tanzanite rather than the Pelikan Achat! Still, I’m just excited to get together with like-minded pen friends.
That is the most important thing, for sure!
Much of the pen community, to the degree I had heard about it, seems to mostly convene on line via various social media outlets. As someone who is not conversant with most of those platforms and prefers face-to-face meetings, the hubs have been a great resource for me. My version of social media is correspondence, with pen and paper. I attended my first hub in 2023 and it was my entry into the pen community. I will be forever grateful for that. Pen shows are my other entry point into this community; I wish I would see more Pelikan presence at these. Pilot has had a table with company representatives at most pen shows I’ve attended, and with every pen and nib they currently have on the market available to try. I really wish Pelikan would do that. I’m also very disappointed with the timing of the distribution turnover. Gary, the previous North America representative had been scheduled to attend to our local hub, and no he no longer represents them. Huge disappointment, Gary is a fine human being..
Face to face opportunities are more plentiful for some than others, depending on where you live. I agree with you though, there is no substitute for that face to face connection. It would be great if Pelikan did that but that is really up to the local distributor. Perhaps with a new distributor, we’ll see something a bit different. I hope Gary still gets to the hub. Even though he no longer reps the brand, he is still enthusiastic about fine writing.
I told our local pen club about this after I saw the post/response on FB. I wanted to make sure everyone understood and if some did/didn’t receive the ink of the year it was just chance.
We have over 150+ people registered at our hub and it’s honestly best to let everyone know in advance and that the whole point (still) is to meet, talk about fountain pens and inks (and paper!) and have fun. We have a fantastic group of regular attendees and about 30% new hub attendees which makes it especially fun.
I think it’s fantastic you’re getting the word out!
Best to manage expectations ahead of time, for sure. 30% new attendees is phenomenal. Great growth!
Hi there, I signed up for my first pelican hub on August 5th, 2025 in Phoenix Arizona. I still have yet to be contacted. Who can i contact to see if my registration was received. I did receive a confirmation back then. But nothing as of today. Help???
I hope that you are able to attend. The best thing that I can tell you to do is to contact Pelikan at hubs@Pelikan.com and solicit their advice. Hope it works out.
Hi Joshua, thank you! They did reach out to me. I appreciate your help!
Glad that it got worked out!
We had a great hub in my hometown last night. Everyone was excited to get their goft boxes – no matter what they received. I made up stickers for the boxes that had Tanzanite that read “Unofficial Ink of the Year”, which got some good laughs.
I finally decided that my Tanzanite pen would be a Blue Marble M205 and it is on the way. I was tempted by several larger pens (especially the Marine Blue M605), but decided that, since the pens each year are M20x, that the Blue Marble was the way to go.
A feature of every hub we have had is a puzzle. This year, I made a pretty challenging crossword puzzle. My original idea (having every clue simply read “Pelikan Ink”) was a bit too challenging, so I had to tone it down by adding “Edelstein”, “4001”, or “Edelstein Ink of the Year 20xx”. I still had to give some hints (discreetly posted around the place where we were gathered) for people to complete the puzzle.
Awesome. Glad to hear that a good time was had. That’s a good pen/ink pairing. The puzzle idea is great. Love to hear stories of Hub masters doing things like that.