Canadian philatelists will once again have a visible presence on the international stage when Boston 2026 World Expo opens this Saturday at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston, Mass.
Running from May 23–30, the eight-day exhibition is expected to attract collectors, exhibitors and dealers from around the world, with Canadians participating across the exhibit hall, dealer bourse and exhibition leadership.
At the centre of Canada’s participation is the All-Canadian booth, which will serve as a meeting place for Canadian attendees while promoting the country’s philatelic organizations and collecting specialties to an international audience.
Volunteers from seven organizations will staff the booth throughout the exhibition: the British North America Philatelic Society, Canadian Aerophilatelic Society, Fédération québécoise de la philatélie, Postal History Society of Canada, Société de l’histoire postale du Québec, Royal Philatelic Society of Canada and the Vincent Graves Greene Philatelic Research Foundation.
The booth is expected to function as both a promotional hub for Canadian philately and a gathering point where collectors can connect and exchange information during the international event.
Canadian exhibitors will also contribute entries in both the competitive and literature classes.
Several Canadian dealers are scheduled to attend the international bourse, including Eastern Auctions, Sparks Auctions, Vance Auctions and Roy’s Stamps.
CANADIANS IN SENIOR ROLES
Canada’s involvement will also extend behind the scenes, with four Canadians serving in senior exhibition roles.
Charles Verge, Sam Chiu and Ed Kroft have been appointed to the international jury, which will evaluate approximately 3,500 exhibit frames and nearly 200 literature entries during the exhibition.
Ingo Nessel will serve as Canada’s national commissioner, acting as liaison between Canadian exhibitors and exhibition management.
Verge has also been appointed to the Selection Advisory Committee, which oversees exhibit selection and advises organizers on jury composition and competitive matters.
Adding to the Canadian spotlight, Verge will also receive the American Philatelic Society’s prestigious Luff Award for Exceptional Contributions to Philately during Boston 2026. Established in 1940, the award is among organized philately’s highest honours and recognizes decades of leadership and international service to the hobby.
The international jury includes representatives from 26 countries accredited through the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie.
Boston 2026 marks the first international philatelic exhibition of this scale held in the United States since New York 2016.