August 5-8, 2026
Grand Wayne Convention Center
120 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
Welcome to Fort Wayne and the 2026 IPMS/USA National Convention
On behalf of the International Plastic Modelers' Society/USA, it is a distinct honor and genuine pleasure to welcome you to the 2026 National Convention to be held in Fort Wayne, Indiana, August 5-8.
Whether you are a first-time attendee, a rising young modeler, or a long-time champion of our craft, we thank you for joining us in this remarkable gathering; a celebration of the ingenuity, camaraderie, and passion that define our modeling community.
We are a team of eleven IPMS/USA Region 4 Chapters dedicated to give you the best convention experience we possibly can.
The three rings of the circus -- the National Contest, our esteemed vendors, and the raffle -- will all be in place along with other side shows such as the Tiger Meet, family make and take, tours, and seminars to sharpen your skills and learn more about our craft.
As a group, we wrestled with the five Theme Awards for the convention. The first is Happy Birthday America - The American Revolution (the U.S. semi-quincentennial is only one month prior to the convention). The others are Gundam RX-78 - Back to the Beginning, Truck Town USA – International Harvester, the 60th Anniversary of Star Trek, and the 110th Anniversary of the Battle of Jutland. I will explain each of these awards in greater detail and provide our thoughts as to why we chose these five in subsequent posts.
We will be posting frequently here and on the Convention Facebook page to give you all the information you need in a timely manner, and to answer questions you might have.
We’d also like to be kept abreast of what it is you are planning to bring to the convention, be it for the contest or for the Tiger Meet (display only, more on that later). Show us your work and share updates on your builds with us.
We are very excited to have been chosen to host you in Fort Wayne. I will be posting opportunities for family outings, short trips, and items of interest for modelers and their families. There is so much that we want to share with you, so check back often.
Gracias amigos…
John Figueroa
IPMS/USA
2026 National Convention Chairperson
News and Announcements
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Today, we want to talk to you about the YLNI (Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana) Farmers Market, held in Downtown Fort Wayne on the corner of Wayne and Barr Streets, a short three-block, five-minute walk from the convention center, every Saturday May through October from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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Good afternoon. Today I’d like to talk to you about one of Nora's, and my, favorite facets of the Fort Wayne art scene: live theater.
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I’m a little conflicted, I feel like I’m overdoing the eateries and not giving enough love to the many events and attractions that Fort Wayne has to offer. If you don’t already know me, when you meet me, you will instantly know why I know about a lot of places to eat in Fort Wayne, even though we have only been here a little over four years. I promise you more posts on events and attractions soon.
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Today, I’m going to introduce to you a beloved gastropub in Downtown Fort Wayne; The Hoppy Gnome, located a short three blocks from the Grand Wayne Convention Center at 203 East Berry Street and co-located with the Gnome Town Brewing Company.
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For those ready to dive into the 2026 IPMS/USA National Convention, pre-registration will open March 1.
Early registration will include your $65 convention fee as well as options for ordering t-shirts and pins. Paid seminars and tours should also be finalized and available at that time to be included with your registration payment. More information about registering models for the contest will also be posted for those looking to start that process early.
