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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For those wanting to know where their model will fit in the contest, you will have your answer in early February.
The National Contest Committee will have the list of categories and the criteria for each by February 15. As soon as those are ready, we will have them posted in the Contest area of this site.
We look forward to seeing what you have to put on the table and giving you a chance to mingle with fellow modelers from around the country and around the world.
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Today, I want to introduce you to one of Nora’s and my favorite hangouts. Well, it’s actually three separate venues under a single roof: The Clyde Theater, The Club Room at the Clyde, and the Crescendo Coffee shop. The Clyde, located at 1806 Bluffton Road, is a short seven-minute (2.6 mile) drive from the convention center.
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I hope you are all well and in good spirits.
Wow, it looks like you guys like hearing about places to eat! I will highlight many other places to grab a bite in future posts, including some of Nora's and my favorites. However, now I want to tell you about what’s available at Promenade Park.
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Good morning. I hope you and your families are well and in good spirits.
Today I’d like to present an argument as to why you should not miss the opportunity to visit the Fort Wayne Zoo (formerly the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo), a premier family destination in northeast Indiana.
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Good afternoon, today I’m going to talk to you about our Fort Wayne community and one of the key benefactors that is having a lasting influence on our community: Sweetwater Sound.
Sweetwater Sound is more than a business in Fort Wayne, its presence and leadership have transformed our town and the way we see the musical arts. If you are a musician, Sweetwater needs no introduction. However, for people like me (I love music, but I can barely clap my hands), here is the low down.
