Next ‘Fest: June 1-2, 2024 | Crowne Plaza Louisville Hotel
SEARCH THE SITE:
PLAN YOUR WEEKEND
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Tickets
Sold at the door only.
Adults: $36 for 1-day, $50 for 2-days.
Ages 4 to 12: $13 for 1-day, $20 for 2-days
Age 3 and under free.
Ticket booth hours…
Hotel & Restaurant
Special WonderFest room rate at the Crowne: $142 per night! It’s convenient to stay in our show hotel with an award-winning restaurant
Reserve a room online…
Louisville Attractions
Bring your family and take extra time to visit exciting tourism sites in and around Louisville. Go exploring the Bourbon Trails and more.
Fun in Louisville…
MEET THE 2024 GUESTS
Guests will sign autographs at their table or at posted times!
VANESSA HARRYHAUSEN
Daughter of Ray Harryhausen: Author, illustrator and Trustee of the Ray & Diana Harryhausen Foundation
JOE DANTE
Director: Gremlins, Piranha, The Howling, Explorers, Innerspace, Small Soldiers, The 'Burbs
BELINDA BALASKI
Artist, writer & actress: Piranha, The Howling, Gremlins 1 & 2, Matinee, Food of the Gods
FON DAVIS
Production designer, modelmaker: Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline
FRANK DIETZ
Actor, Writer, Animator, Producer, Director: Creepshow, I Hate Kids, Black Roses, Zombie Nightmare
JOHN EAVES
Production Illustrator, Star Trek Picard, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and 3, WandaVision, Loki
SAM IRVIN
Director: Elvira's Haunted Hills; Author: The Epic Saga Behind 'Frankenstein: The True Story'
THE AMAZING MODEL CONTEST
Greatest in the World for Imaginative Modelers!
The WonderFest “Amazing” Model Contest is focused on all types of science-fiction, horror and comics models. It’s the biggest contest of its type in America, and it’s fun to look at even if you don’t build models yourself!
The contest is sponsored by Amazing Figure Modeler magazine, which is providing a special $300 award for the Most Amazing Figure!
Entry Hours: Saturday, June 1st, from 8 a.m. ’til Noon
- $15.00 per first 2 models for adults, up to 8 additional entries free
- $10.00 per first 2 models for teens, up to 8 add’l entries free (ages 13-19)
- Free for ages 12 & under
With over 1,049 entries in 2023, it filled an entire ballroom and featured some of the best modeling we’ve ever seen.
MUST-SEE PROGRAMMING
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How-To Demos
All weekend! Learn techniques from other great modelers! Demos last from 30 minutes to an hour. Become a better modeler!
More info…
Iron Modeler
Teams are given a “base model,” a big pile of parts, and 4 hours to build the craziest model with only what they’ve got. Best model & presentation wins!
More info…
The Rondo Awards
4pm Saturday! Fandom’s only classic horror awards—decided by fans. Recognize the best in print, film, web, art, media, toys and models!
More info…
Sunday Wrap Party
Sunday night at 7:30 celebrate the end of the show with exclusive programming! Optional a la carte food and cash bar.
More info…
WHAT IS WONDERFEST?
A weekend of wonder in Louisville!
WonderFest is a weekend of hobby escape that’s held every Summer in Louisville, Kentucky USA!
Now in its 34th year, WonderFest features movie special effects guests, the largest model contest in the U.S. for sci-fi, horror & comics-related subjects, model and toy dealers galore, and seminars to entertain and improve hobbyists of all ages!
It’s always held at our mothership, the Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport Hotel, 830 Phillips Lane, Louisville, KY 40209.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
They help make this event possible!
WONDERFEST LATEST NEWS
From our Facebook feed...
We're extending the deadline 5 more days! We need more figure demo presenters especially! Please send in a proposal...If you're a WonderFest regular, you know that we always offer FREE HOW-TO DEMONSTRATIONS all weekend long. We do it to share great techniques and help anyone become a better model maker!
This year we're looking for some new demo presenters to add to our talented veterans. If you have a technique you think other modelers will want to hear about--and can present it in 45 minutes or less--bring it on!
Our demo coordinators will review the proposals and choose the ones we can fit in this year.
Here's a special webpage with the details and form you can use to send in your idea:
www.wonderfest.com/demo-presenters-needed/
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Someone do a demo on painting eyes please!
As of April 8th, only two of our Friday Pre-Show Workshops still have seats left! BUT there's still time to get in!
One is AFM's Model Boot Camp, taught by by Dave Prosser, where you'll learn techniques for painting a gorgeous Mummy diorama and then take it home!
The other is a beginner class on 3D Modeling for 3D Printing taught by experienced instructor and 3D wizard, Stephen Burns.
Learn how to sign up on our website's Programming page:
www.wonderfest.com/upcoming-show/programming/
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Are you an IRON MODELER?
WonderFest Saturday, June 1st 6 pm-10 pm
It’s like ‘Iron Chef,’ but with models! Sixteen 3-person teams are given a “base item” (could be a kit, could be a random item), a big pile of parts, greeblies and assorted castaway household items, and 4 hours to build the best model they can out of what they’ve got. A spray booth and paints are provided as well, but teams need to bring any glue or tools.
At the end of four hours, the models are judged and the Iron Modeler champion team is crowned, giving them bragging rights for the next year. Oh, and there’s prizes too.
Official start time is 6pm. Teams should arrive no later than 5:45. If your team is not there by the 6pm start time, another team will take your place.
Sign-up online here:
www.wonderfest.com/upcoming-show/programming/iron-modeler/
#wonderfesthobbyexpo #wonderfest2024 #ironmodeler
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Steve. Andrew. It’s time.
Wish this wasn’t teams… wish it was individual
NEW for WF2024:
ONLY ONLINE ENTRY FORMS ACCEPTED!
This year’s WonderFest AMAZING Model Contest entry system will be 100% online! No more hand filled-in forms! The contest show staff is dedicated to help support you through the transition if you don’t own a computer or printer or are not computer savvy--no worries! We'll have staff to help you.
THREE STEPS TO ENTER:
1) Before the show, create your forms online, print out the forms and bring them to the show.
2) Pay for the entries at WF admissions, between 5pm to 8pm Friday and 7:30am-11:30am Saturday.
3) Take your models to the contest room on Saturday morning between 8am-noon, bring the stamped forms with your model(s). Remember: All must be stamped as paid by the admissions staff.
WHAT IF I HAVE A PROBLEM?
--Don’t own a printer, or forgot your forms at home? No problem! We will have printers and staff to help you look up your entries and get your print outs.
--Forgot to put your entries in online or are not computer savvy?
No problem! We will have computers for data entry and printing and staff to help you get your entries in the online system.
Support will be available in the Franklin Room on Friday from noon to 8pm and on Saturday from 8am to 11am.
The contest room opens to the public at Noon on Saturday and closes for judging at 5pm Saturday.
IMPORTANT: You can avoid the lines and have more time for fun if you can get your forms entered and printed before the show. We want as many entries as you can bring! The contest is a pivotal part of the show and we are dedicated to helping as much as possible!
See all the contest info:
www.wonderfest.com/upcoming-show/contest/
#amazingmodelcontest #wonderfest2024 #wonderfesthobbyexpo
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
Filling them out online, but still having to stand in the massive line to pay for them isn't really helping the main issue. Could we not have some way to lay the fees online and bypass the line altogether? Otherwise we're not "avoiding the lines" at all.
If you have an out-of-the-box spaceship or mech, please mark it as such on your entry forms. That will make the job of picking TAG Team's Best OOTB Spaceship and Mech easier for us. Good hunting to you all!
Kevin Kallbreier
If you're a WonderFest regular, you know that we always offer FREE HOW-TO DEMONSTRATIONS all weekend long. We do it to share great techniques and help anyone become a better model maker!
This year we're looking for some new demo presenters to add to our talented veterans. If you have a technique you think other modelers will want to hear about--and can present it in 45 minutes or less--bring it on!
Our demo coordinators will review the proposals and choose the ones we can fit in this year.
Here's a special webpage with the details and form you can use to send in your idea:
www.wonderfest.com/demo-presenters-needed/
6 CommentsComment on Facebook
I had just messaged you here about teaching workshops at your con before you posted this, but no one responded. Unfortunately, I don't do 45 minute demos though. My stuff is mostly 2 hour, hands on courses for con attendees, cosplayers and independent film makers. I work cons all over the southeast. Sorry I don't fit what you're looking for. 😔
Can crochet count? Asking for a friend.
I hope someone volunteers to teach how to paint eyes