FineScale Modeler show schedule 2026

General Discussion Scale Model Events
1

Hello!

It’s that time of year when the model contest and show calendar starts to ramp up for us at FSM. As much as we like traveling to shows and taking photos of models, we can’t make it to every scale modeling event, but we do our best to get to a number of them. This year, you can find FSM at:

Mad City Modelers, Madison, WI, March 7

HeritageCon, Mount Hope, Ontario, Canada, March 29

AMPS, South Bend, IN, April 17-18

WrightCon, Dayton, OH, April 25

NNL Milwaukee, Franklin, WI, May 2

NNL North, Inver Grove Heights, MN, May 17

WonderFest, Louisville, KY, May 30-31

NimCon, McHenry, IL, June 13

IPMS/USA, Fort Wayne, IN, August 5-8

Midwest Scale Madness, Fort Atkinson, WI, September 12

NordicCon, Inver Grove Heights, MN, September 26

MMSI, Schaumburg, IL, October 17

ACME Southern Nationals, Cartersville, GA, October 24

If you find yourself at any of these events, make sure to come over and say hi! Also, if you enter models in the contest or place them on the table at an NNL, make sure to frequently check back to see if we’ve tagged of yours to photograph.

Also, we’ve started a new section in the magazine called One Great Model. We’ll choose models at the shows we attend for to include across the center spread of the magazine that will include closeups of detail, more information about you, the builder, and additional context about your model, why you built it, and techniques you used. You can see the first One Great Model in the upcoming May/June 2026 FSM.

I’ll update this schedule if there are any changes. And if you have any questions about FSM attending shows, fire away.

Thanks!
TK

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Never in north texas

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Never been approached by a show from North Texas. Not opposed to it, just needs to fit the schedule and be the right size. If you’re part of a club that hosts a show, have them contact me. The earlier the better. We’ve covered a couple in the Dallas area. Of course, there was San Marcos a few years back.

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I hope to see your photo displays and videos of it all. Alas, I cannot travel across the big pond because I have other projects in mind and still lots of work to do. One would imagine a retired guy being able to travel the world more easily, but no. Stuck in my own modeler’s work on a constant basis - with some breaks in between (artistic license or idea block, that is, just like for a professional writer). I have so many models to build, collected for almost 50 years right now that I cannot fathom when I will ever be able to build them all, and believe me, I don’t specialize only in WWII Armor or Aircraft, but also in the first Gulf War subjects, as well as in Star Trek and Real Space models along with my usual vice to build dioramas for them.
So, as you can see, very little time and so much to do. If only there were a life extension method in which I could comfortably take my time in building all my beloved models.
In any case, said that, I will eagerly await articles covering all these shows and see the splendors of modeling on display.
My very best to you and your entire staff. You certainly will have lots to do during those days.

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We’ll do our best for you, Patrick, and you keep building!

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Howdy Tim!
Sometime you should check out our clubs show in April, Buffcon!
Heck, you’ll be up in Niagara Falls Ont, so come on by! We’ll leave the light one..
Happy Modeling,
Mike

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Many of the folks at HeritageCon talk about BuffCon. The travel doesn’t quite line up this year, but if you’re suggesting doing BuffCon instead HeritageCon in 2027, make sure to email me when you have your dates set and we can talk a little more about it.

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Omacon 2026, IPMS Fort Crook, March 21st, Omaha, Ne. Details are on our web page. Hope to see you there.

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Hi Learmech,

That’s not quite how it works. Every show we end up going to means we have to remove a different show from the calendar. And not every show is a possibility. If you’re looking for FSM to come, send me an email with your show details for next year. Also, an invitation doesn’t mean we’ll be able to go. We need to look at size, number of attendees, number of models on the contest tables, and what the expected participation is likely to be.

And don’t disregard the power of submitting photos from your show for publication in FSM. There are a number of shows that do just that. If you’d like guidelines, you can find them at the front of any issue of Contest Cars or you can email me and I’ll send you a PDF of the information.

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Tim,
I was just putting it out there to advertise our show. I figured your schedule is already set in stone. It was just an invitation for anyone interested. Will post photos from the show though. Maybe next year we can get you to our area. Thanks. Doug

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Waco is always a big show

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Woot! Wrightcon is on the schedule! Looking forward to seeing you there!

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