Trenton Computer Festival

{{short description|Oldest continuously-running personal computer show in the world}}

The Trenton Computer Festival (also called TCF), founded in 1976, is the oldest personal computer show in the world.{{Cite web|url=http://princetonacm.acm.org/tcfpro/|title=TCF Professional Conference|last=Soll|first=David F.|website=princetonacm.acm.org|language=en|access-date=2018-03-15}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.tcnjsignal.net/2015/04/01/trenton-computer-festival-in-its-40th-year/|title=Trenton Computer Festival in its 40th year|date=2015-04-01|work=The Signal|access-date=2018-03-15|language=en-US}} It is considered to be the first major fair for personal computer hobbyists.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9oJcAgAAQBAJ&dq=TCF&pg=PA10|title=CoCo: The Colorful History of Tandy's Underdog Computer|last1=Pitre|first1=Boisy G.|last2=Loguidice|first2=Bill|date=2013-12-10|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781466592476|pages=10|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vpjpAgAAQBAJ&dq=TCF&pg=PT17|title=Vintage Game Consoles: An Inside Look at Apple, Atari, Commodore, Nintendo, and the Greatest Gaming Platforms of All Time|last1=Loguidice|first1=Bill|last2=Barton|first2=Matt|date=2014-02-24|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781135006501|language=en}}

It was founded 1976 at Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) by Sol Libes and Allen Katz with the assistance of the Amateur Computer Group of New Jersey (ACGNJ).{{Cite news|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/trenton-computer-festival-the-early-days-of-computing-and-me/|title=Trenton Computer Festival, the early days of computing, and me|last=Gewirtz|first=David|work=ZDNet|access-date=2018-03-15|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/53153/trenton-computer-festival|title=Trenton Computer Festival - Definition from PC Magazine Encyclopedia|website=www.pcmag.com|language=en|access-date=2018-03-15}} The initial event drew a crowd of approximately 1,500, and featured lectures, vendor tables, and an outdoor computer market, all aimed at the amateur computer hobbyist.{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1976/05/04/86368031.html?pageNumber=1|title=Low-Cost Computers Beginning to Move Into the Home|last=Rensberger|first=Boyce|date=1976-05-04|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-03-14|url-access=subscription}}

By 1992, it had moved to the Mercer County Community College,{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vL8pAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Mercer+County+Community+College%22+%22Trenton+Computer+festival%22|title=CQ: The Radio Amateurs' Journal|date=1992|publisher=CQ Publishing|language=en}} and by 1999 it had moved to the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, New Jersey.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sy5QAAAAYAAJ&q=%22New+Jersey+Convention+and+Exposition+Center%22+%22Trenton+Computer+festival%22|title=Amateur Radio|date=1999|publisher=CQ Publishing|language=en}} Attendance peaked at approximately 30,000 attendees per weekend around 1988, but by 2003, was down to approximately 10,000 attendees across the entire weekend.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34452424/gaggle_of_computer_geeks_flocks_to/|title=Gaggle of computer geeks flocks to high-tech festival|last=Bendheim|first=Anne|date=4 May 2003|work=The Central New Jersey Home News|access-date=2019-07-31|page=19|via=Newspapers.com}} In 2005, TCF returned to The College of New Jersey to celebrate its 30th anniversary.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tcnj.edu/~pa/news/2005/TCF.htm|title=TCF|website=www.tcnj.edu|access-date=2018-03-15}} In 2015, the event marked its 40th anniversary. In 2020, the festival was cancelled as a result of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Jersey.{{Cite tweet|number=1238877308037017601|user=TCFfestival|title=Breaking News: We regret to announce that TCF2020 has been cancelled due to COVID-19 outbreak in accordance with TCNJ guidelines.}} The 2021 and 2022 events were held virtually.{{Cite web|last=Hastings|first=Sara|title=Trenton Computer Festival Goes Virtual|url=https://www.communitynews.org/princetoninfo/business/survivalguide/trenton-computer-festival-goes-virtual/article_97847c2a-36c5-5db8-b4a9-a43b8963dd1c.html|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Community News|language=en}}