I used to go to NYC area pen shows. At one time there were 3 per year – first NYC, then NJ, and finally Long Island NY. On 2 occasions I actually drove down to the Washington DC pen show (massive event). That was back when I was primarily into fountain pens (new and vintage). I got the chance to meet a few long distance friends from the fountain pen forums, which was great! I’d also had the pleasure of having Richard Binder, Mr. Nib Meister himself, perform nib adjustments on my precious vintage pens. Ron Zorn also did some great work for me. Unfortunately, there’s now only 1 held per year, at the Long Island location. And the last time I went, before the pandemic, it had shrunk down… now a rather small time event. It’s sad… as some vendors and repair folks just don’t see it worth going if they live more than a couple hours away.
Anyway, from what I remember mechanical pencils always took a way back seat to everything else. Fountain pens rule… rollerballs enjoy a little bravado, clicky ballpoints–not so much, and mechanical pencils are usually the old vintage twisty ones that are serving as arm candy to fountain pens. I don’t ever recall seeing drafting pencils or retractable types. [EDIT: Actually, I’m a little wrong; some vendors selling rOtring fountain pens would often have ballpoints, rollerballs, and mechanical pencils].
Some dedicated tables for mechanical pencils would probably be looked at as an odd inclusion, yet might draw some curiosity. There can be a good bit of down time for attendees (seen all FP tables of interest, or on a long waiting list for servicing pens), so I’d bet some folks would come by to see what’s cooking. I doubt there would be any noteworthy sales, though. But it certainly would be fun for any of us devotees who could attend. Seeing pencils in the flesh is quite a difference from just eyeing images and videos.
It might be worthwhile to have a kind of “mechanical pencil seminar.” They have them for fountain pens and drawing techniques. It could be a class on the history of pencils and about all the classifications, the vintage brands and models, the super rare and sought after models, and more recent modern advancements.