BEN Nyman has seen first-hand the passion for vinyl records that exists among music-lovers of all ages - and it's this ardour he's keen to celebrate at a record fair being held in Wangaratta in March.

The owner of No. 49 Record Bar in Murphy Street, Ben is organising Wang's Big Dig Record Fair, which promises to be a celebration of music, vinyl and nostalgia.

Tailored to everyone from the seasoned collector to the curious newcomer, the record fair will be staged on Saturday, March 9 (Labour Day weekend) from 9am to 4pm at The Centre.

More specifically, and offering a fascinating connection for music fans, the event will be held in the Colin Cave Gallery, which is named after musician Nick Cave's father, who founded The Centre and was its executive officer between 1962 and '71.

Mr Cave, who was named Wangaratta Citizen of the Year during his time in the city, also taught at Wangaratta High School before moving to The Centre.

Ben believes it's fitting that the record fair will take place where Colin once taught, and he's looking forward to seeing the space crammed with an estimated 10,000 records spanning a variety of genres.

Cassettes, CDs and music memorabilia will also be on offer from the 13 stall holders, who will be drawn from Wangaratta as well as Melbourne, Shepparton, Beechworth and Albury to help satisfy the cravings of music fans.

"A record fair is something I've wanted to do since we opened the shop three-and-a-half years ago," Ben said.

"I've been to fairs in Beechworth and Albury, but to my knowledge, this is the first one to be held in Wangaratta."

Ben said the resurgence of vinyl, fuelled by modern artists releasing music on record and by fans seeking out vintage albums, had seen record sales overtake those of CDs in 2022, for the first time since the 1990s.

This level of interest is reflected in Wangaratta shoppers.

"We had kids at Christmas bringing in their wish lists, and some saying they got record players for Christmas and were after some vinyl, or grandmas were coming in and buying albums for their grandkids," Ben said.

"You'll get old fellas coming in and saying, 'That was my first record', which gives you that nostalgic kick; that's the stuff I want to hear, that's what I enjoy - some of the stories are insane.

"A lot of people just love the chance to come in and flick through the records and remember."

Ben said anything by The Beatles remains popular, along with Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon', while he can't keep Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' on the shelves.

"The record for it being placed on the shelf and being bought is four minutes; a group of teenage girls came in and bought it just after I'd put it in the shop," he said.

A drummer since he was very young, Ben enjoys collecting Jimi Hendrix albums - at last count he'd gathered 35.

At 26, he's too young to remember vinyl's heyday, but said he'd "always loved old stuff", and had a burgeoning interest in local history.

"I always used to dig in garage sales and loved the fact that you didn't know what you were going to find there," he said.

"Now, when people bring boxes of records in to me, that feeling is still there - you don't know what might be in there; there is lots of great music sitting in people's cupboards.

"Digging is a big part of the record fair: come along and find something you didn't know you wanted."

A soundtrack to the digging experience will be provided on the day by DJ Stu, who will spin classic tunes throughout the record fair, while coffee will be available via Moo Brews coffee van until midday.

There will also be lucky door prizes, and a vintage synthesiser collection will also be on display.

Following the March 9 event, a second 2024 record fair is planned for the weekend of the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues.

"Then we'll decide whether to run two annually or just one, depending on which season works better," Ben said.

"With more and more people coming in and wanting to start a collection, I think people are itching for something like this."

Entry is free to Wang's Big Dig, and Ben said prices would cater for all budgets.