Cantigny Park plans 10th Toy Soldier Show

Toy soldiers can be anything from green plastic Army men to old-school G.I. Joes to hand-painted metal miniatures.

So Cantigny Park's annual Toy Soldier Show promises to have a little bit of everything when it returns for its 10th year this weekend.

Seventeen dealers from Illinois and several neighboring states will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the park near Wheaton to display and sell thousands of old and new toy soldiers.

Organizer Nick Albanese said the show caters to a variety of people, from die-hard collectors to those simply curious about toy soldiers.

"Visitors will see a good cross-section of the hobby, including dealers who make and paint toy soldiers and those who collect them," said Albanese, who will be one of the dealers visiting Cantigny.

Last year, nearly 1,000 people attended the show, which is inside Cantigny's visitors center.

Albanese said young boys especially get a thrill out of viewing the lifelike toys, some of which cost as much as $300.

"Their eyes are going to be the size of saucers because they are going to see so much stuff," he said. "We like that because maybe it will get them into the hobby."

For Albanese, it's a hobby that sparked his interest in history and fueled his creativity. He now owns a Wisconsin-based company, Camp Randall Miniatures, that manufactures lead-free pewter military miniatures.

"There are people out there who are collecting because they like the period," said Albanese, noting that Civil War and World War II miniatures are among the most popular.

Albanese said he's most inspired by the skill needed to create the artwork on some of the museum-quality miniatures.

"I use it (painting miniatures) as a way to relax in the evening," he said. "If you paint toy soldiers, you have to concentrate on what you're doing. That helps you forget the problems in the day."

Admission to Sunday's show is free, but a $5 parking fee is required. The parking fee is $2 before 10 a.m.

Albanese said one benefit of having the show at Cantigny is toy soldier enthusiasts will be able to stroll the park and visit the First Division Museum, which will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Museum admission is free.

"It's a great day out," he said.

For information, visit cantigny.org.

<p class=factboxtext12col><b>What:</b> Cantigny Park's annual Toy Soldier Show</p> <p class=factboxtext12col><b>When:</b> 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday</p> <p class=factboxtext12col><b>Where:</b> Cantigny Park, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton</p> <p class=factboxtext12col><b>Cost:</b> Free admission; $5 per car fee for parking </p> <p class=factboxtext12col><b>Info:</b> <a href="http://cantigny.org" target="new">cantigny.org</a></p>