I get a lot of electronic correspondence from around the world concerning all things Pelikan but the question that I am asked most frequently is without a doubt in regard to the Pelikan Hubs event. It is a testament to the impact that the Hubs event has had on the fine writing community. Beginning in 2014, the Hubs was conceived of as a way of bringing together fans from within the pen community from all around the globe in order to share in our combined passion for fine writing. The event became a tremendous success, growing in magnitude each year. The last event held was in 2019 and it occurred in 200 cities spread out amongst 46 countries with over 5,646 participants and future participation showed no signs of slowing down. Then COVID came and forced the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 events to everyone’s great disappointment. In the end, Pelikan simply had no choice, and the cancellations were wholly justifiable amidst one of the biggest public health crises of the 21st century. While COVID is not gone and Monkey Pox is on the rise, there have definitely been signs of improvement and people have been able to once again gather with proper precautions. Pelikan must think so too as we awoke this morning to news that Pelikan Hubs 2022 is a go but the registration window is short so you must act now in order to not be left out. Read on for all of the details regarding Pelikan Hubs 2022.

The global coronavirus pandemic has now been raging for well over a year with no clear end in sight. There have already been almost 211 million cases reported across the globe with 4,413,638 lives lost. The death toll will likely continue to grow as long as vaccinations lag and the delta variant rampages. It’s easy to get lost in the numbers as they are an inconvenient barrier for our desire to return to some sense of normalcy. It’s important to resist becoming numb to the carnage, a global death toll slightly larger than the entire population of Los Angeles, California. I have been at the bedside for hundreds of these people, watching their health deteriorate despite maximal medical therapy until their lives were felled by the ravages of the virus. With the global situation far from under control, it should come as no surprise then that Pelikan announced via their newsletter today that Pelikan Hubs 2021 would indeed be cancelled. Long suspected to be a foregone conclusion at this point, it is nice to finally have an official statement from the company about the state of the Hubs event. I commend Pelikan’s decision, even if it was the only responsible choice they could make. While these are sad times, there is reason to have hope for a brighter future. Despite the 2020 and 2021 events having been necessarily cancelled, Pelikan began their notice with a statement tinged with optimism, a commitment to not letting the Hubs become a casualty of the pandemic.

Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and the COVID-19 infection that arises from it have changed the face of our world.  We now find ourselves in a place that could scarcely be imagined just a few short months ago.  With 5,580,000 people infected and 350,000 dead worldwide, there has hardly been a corner of the globe that has escaped unscathed thus far.  In fact, only 15 countries and 11 permanently occupied territories are known to be without any confirmed cases of the virus (and some of those are suspect).  Our invisible enemy has no consideration for whom it infects and does not discriminate based on any race, color, creed, or social stature.  Perhaps the one thing that makes this tragedy just slightly more bearable is the fact that children have largely been spared its ravages.  The upheaval in daily life almost all of us are facing will have far reaching implications for years to come.  The impact can be felt in even the smallest aspects of our usual routines.  Whether it is social distancing, homeschooling, wearing a mask when out in public, self-quarantining, working from home, or losing one’s job altogether, I think that it is safe to say that whatever “normal” we land on when the dust settles will not be the normal we took for granted a precious few months ago.  

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June 30th marked the end of the registration period for Pelikan Hubs 2019.  A lot of new cities were chosen this year which is a testament to the buzz surrounding this event and the enthusiasm of the pen community.  With each passing year, the Hubs have grown larger and more diverse and this sixth annual gathering looks to be no different.  Perhaps the most important byproduct of this growth has been the ability to expand the Hub locations in order to provide access to more people.  While not everyone has a Hub convenient to them, each year makes it just a little easier to find a nearby location.  Using the most recent version of the map publicly available on Pelikan’s website (as of 7/3/19 at 10:00pm EST), we can get a feel for this year’s chosen venues and number of registrations.  These numbers will be subject to some fluctuation between now and the actual day of the event so the analysis that follows should not be considered a final tally.  Still, I’m hopeful that the insight the numbers provide will be of some general interest.  Nearly two dozen new cities have been added to this year’s line-up, representing a 10% increase over last year.  Growth continues to be steady with each year bringing more registrations than the one before it.  For 2018, Pelikan reported that there were 181 individual Hubs spread across 44 countries with 4,896 registered participants.  Based on the map data currently available, this year’s event will span 200 cities spread out amongst 46 countries with over 5,646 participants.  That represents at least a 15% increase in anticipated attendance over last year and an eye opening growth of 475% since the first Hub event in 2014.  The United States continues to play host to the most chosen cities and registrations with the Philippines, Canada, Australia, and India rounding out the top five.  Just in case you need a reminder, this year’s Hub event will take place on Friday, September 20, 2019 at 6:30pm local time.  Pelikan’s designated Hub masters should be reaching out in the next few weeks with additional details for each individual location.  Of course, if you are unable to attend this year’s event, you can follow along via the hashtag #pelikanhubs on your preferred social media platform.  Similar to last year, I have put together a series of maps and graphs to help better depict the information outlined above.  Read on to see this year’s line-up and where your city/state/country may rank.

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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.

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