Mark your calendars.

The 20th Annual 'It's A Gas!' petroleum collectibles show is less than three weeks away. Vendors from far and wide will be pulling into the Boone County Fairgrounds on Friday, January 13, to set up their booths for this indoor swap meet of all things related to the gasoline and service station businesses from early twentieth century to modern times. The popular show is attended by vendors and buyers from across the nation and is one of the largest shows of its type and the closest one to the St. Louis area.

I have been a regular at this event since as long as I can remember... at times as a vendor, but mostly as a buyer and/or browser. The hobby is more popular than most people would expect, and there is at least one monthly publication dedicated to what is known among followers as "petroliana". It's called "Check The Oil", and you can find out more about this publication at their web site, www.checktheoilmagazine.com.

What are you likely to find at It's A Gas!? Well, anything from vintage matchbooks to huge metal and neon advertising signs. I always find something I just "have to buy" when I go on my annual pilgrimage to Columbia, Mo., for this show. One of my favorites is the Phillips 66 gas price poster shown in this story. You'll remember this picture the next time you pull in to fill up your tank at a price more than TEN TIMES the amount advertised on this poster. Kind of brings a tear to your eye doesn't it?

In years past I have purchased everything from large porcelain signs to ballpoint pens; uniforms; antique water and oil cans; tire displays; neon signs and, well, you name it. The list goes on and on.

A perennial favorite is the vintage gas pump. You'll find them in conditions varying from rusted out "fixer-uppers" ready to restore all the way up to pristine restorations that look better than when they were new. Glass globes, which adorned the tops of the old pumps from the forties and fifties are also popular and often fetch surprising prices.

Whatever your interest, if it pertains to the petroleum industry, you're likely to find it at It's A Gas! And even if you're not a collector, it's worth the trip to Columbia for the day or weekend, just to stir up memories of the days when a uniformed attendant would greet you at the pump island, ask if you wanted regular or "Ethyl" (look it up on Wikipedia, Gen-Xers) and proceed to "check the oil" plus the tires, radiator, battery and clean your windshield to boot! Ah, those were the days.

If you are really interested in getting a bargain on a petroleum collectible, I would suggest you go on Friday and pay the $20 early bird fee to get in the show before everything gets picked over. That said, if you just want to visit the show for the memories and nostalgia, you still need to be there by opening of the doors on Saturday, January 14, as it is with most swap meets and flea markets, this one is an early event. Many vendors will begin packing up their wares by noon on Saturday.

I recommend taking a leisurely drive down to Columbia on Friday night and staying at one of the many hotels in the area. Rates are reasonable. My favorite is the Regency Hotel, right on Main Street in the heart of Columbia. There are lots of night spots with entertainment and cold beer to enjoy before turning in for the evening.

And if you want to enjoy a memorable dinner Friday night or Saturday after the show, you can't beat The Pasta Factory, Columbia's original Italian restaurant since 1976. You'll find the same impressive service and impeccable menu at their new location at 3103 West Broadway. You can call the owners Jennifer and Jason Dubinski at 573-449-3948 for more details or visit their web site at www.thepastafactory.net.

Hope to see you there.

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Trivia Answer: The first gasoline pump was invented and sold by Sylvanus F. Bowser in Fort Wayne, Indiana on September 5, 1885. And Bowser is still producing gas pumps. As a matter of fact, I saw the name on a pump recently at a convenience store as I was topping off the wife's DeVille.

For show details and photos from last year's It's A Gas! and more information, visit my web site at thefinman.com.