The latest MADA logo from Instagram stating the fair is scheduled for the NEC on March 28-30, 2025. However, organisers say it is currently consulting on its plans for next spring.
It is now planned for 2025 and its location is under review.
Organised by Stable Events in association with LAPADA, the event was earmarked for April 5-7 at the West Midlands venue this year. However, in January the organisers announced it was being postponed until this autumn. The team has now rescheduled for next spring.
James Gower, Stable Events managing director, said the location of the fair is being reviewed and Stable Events is undertaking an “industry consultation” on the future plans for the event with the NEC among the locations being considered.
Separately, Classic Antique Fairs, which held its inaugural event in July last year at the NEC, announced new dates for this year.
Organised by ceramics dealer and collector John Andrews, working with InLoco Events, the fair plans to return to Birmingham on July 12-14 and again on November 29-December 1. It also plans the event at a new location: at Farnborough International Airport ’s Exhibition & Conference Centre for September 20-22.
An NEC Group spokesperson said: “Due to the postponement of MADA 2024 until spring 2025, the only antiques fairs confirmed for the NEC this year are Classic Antique Fairs on July 12-14 and November 29-December 1.”
Stable Events and LAPADA have other fairs scheduled this year. The Art & Antiques Pavilion in Association with LAPADA at The Game Fair at Blenheim Palace is on July 26-28 and LAPADA’s Berkeley Square Fair is set for October 22-27.
At the pavilion, now in its fourth year, around 35 traders and galleries are set to exhibit including Martyn Gregory, The Hunt Gallery, Shapiro and Co and S Greenstein & Co.
New appointments
LAPADA has recently made two new appointments.
Talia Kozielek has been promoted at LAPADA.
Talia Kozielek, LAPADA’s membership and marketing officer, has been promoted to fair coordinator and the association has hired Amanda Bucknall as office administrator.
Amanda Bucknall has joined LAPADA.
Previously an admissions executive at Whitgift School, Bucknall is the daughter of an antiques dealer so is familiar with the trade.
Other Midlands fairs on the way
Also in the Midlands, International Antiques & Collectors Fairs (IACF) is pushing ahead with its plans for the ‘Celebration’ of Antiques at Stoneleigh. As reported in ATG No 2605, the event at the National Agricultural and Exhibition Centre (NAEC) at Stoneleigh, south of Coventry, is scheduled for both the Easter weekend (March 29-30) and October 25-26.
It is a return to Stoneleigh for IACF: it first held events there (when it was part of DMG Fairs) from around 1993 to 2000 and made a brief return from 2013.
However, this time significant improvements have been made: the event will include both indoor and outdoor stalls and the car park is now within the venue premises.
Will Thomas, director of IACF, said hall two is sold out and hall one is filling up. He added: “We have outside pitches and marquees which is exciting as nobody, to my knowledge, has ever done that at this venue.”
