INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Thousands of PEZ candy fans are flocking to the Holiday Inn for PEZamania.
The convention is a four-day event centered around the candy and its line of dispensers. The convention started in Mentor in 1991 and has since become the world's longest-running convention focused on the candy.
Fans John Laspeina has attended the convention for years. For him, collecting PEZ dispensers is about nostalgia.
"I used to have PEZ when I was a kid," he said. "In between church and Sunday school, I would run down to the stationary store and bring it back."
When he ran across the candy again in the 1980s, it struck a chord with him. It then led to a collection of 5,000 PEZ dispensers.
"I was hooked," he said.
Hosts Landon Proctor and Morgan Rhinehart are determined to make the four-day event fun for all of those hooked on PEZ. The two selected this year's Olympic theme.
"We thought it would be a really fun theme to bring up the spirit of competition," Rhinehart said. "People win PEZ in the end, which is what everyone is here to do."
Proctor and Rhinehart have several Olympic-style events planned for guests. Fans will also be able to test their PEZ knowledge with trivia.
There will also be plenty of shopping. The first two floors of the Holiday Inn act on an open-door policy, which allows attendees to float from room to room and peruse the collections of super fans.
There's more to this convention than just competition or toys. It's about creating a sense of belonging. Many who attended the event said the people were their favorite part of the convention. It's a place where long-lasting relationships are created.
"I actually met my fiance at a PEZ convention," Laspeina said. "It's just a great bunch of people."
Opening ceremonies are Wednesday at 7 p.m. For a full list of events, click here.
