Next ‘Fest: May 30-31, 2026 | Crowne Plaza Louisville Hotel
Weekend after Memorial Day
SEARCH THE SITE:
PLAN YOUR WEEKEND
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Tickets
Sold at the door only.
Adults: $40 for 1-day, $55 for 2-days.
Ages 4 to 12: $15 for 1-day, $25 for 2-days
Age 3 and under free.
Ticket booth hours…
Hotel & Restaurant
Special WonderFest room rate at the Crowne: $151 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 2026 GUESTS
Guests will sign autographs at their table or at posted times!
VE NEILL
Make-Up Artist, Actress, Producer: Star Trek The Motion Picture, Pirates of the Caribbean, Galaxy Quest, Beetlejuice
BARBARA LUNA
Actress: Star Trek "Mirror, Mirror," Buck Rogers, Outer Limits, One Life to Live, Hawaii Five-O
JOHN EAVES
Production Illustrator, Star Trek Picard, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and 3, WandaVision, Loki
VICTORIA PRICE
Designer, author, and speaker: Vincent Price: A Daughter’s Biography, The Way of Being Lost
FRANK DIETZ
Actor, Writer, Animator, Producer, Director: Creepshow, I Hate Kids, Black Roses, Zombie Nightmare
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: Friday, May 29th from 2-8pm and Saturday, May 30th, from 8 a.m. ’til Noon
- $20.00 per first 2 models for adults, up to 8 additional entries free
- $12.00 per first 2 models for teens, up to 8 add’l entries free (ages 13-19)
- Free for ages 12 & under
With over 1,085 entries in 2025, 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 36th 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...
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!
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!
There are three tracks:
1) Figures
2) Vehicles & Hardware
3) 3D Modeling/Printing
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/
WonderFest is May 30-31, the weekend after Memorial Day, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Louisville, KY.
#wonderfest2026 #wonderfesthobbyexpo
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RETURNING GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT: JOHN EAVES
JOHN EAVES beams down for another WonderFest visit! His recent work is in season three of STAR TREK PICARD and Marvel's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 3, SPIDERMAN: NO WAY HOME, WANDAVISION, FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER, LOKI, HAWKEYE, and SHE-HULK. It's only fitting that John was presented with the Art Directors Guild Lifetime Achievement honor because he has a credit list that stretches from here to low earth orbit!
John's book, "Star Trek: The Art of John Eaves," tells a fascinating personal story about his life and work on various STAR TREK projects. A master FX modeler, production and fine artist and pinup photographer(!) as well, John always delivers fascinating behind-the-scenes presentations to attendees and leaves us wanting more.
WonderFest is May 30-31, the weekend after Memorial Day, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Louisville, KY.
Find show details at: www.wonderfest.com
#wonderfest2026 #johneaves #wonderfesthobbyexpo #StarTrek
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RETURNING GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT: SAM IRVIN
Sam Irvin directed the movie ELVIRA’S HAUNTED HILLS and horror series DANTE’S COVE, co-executive produced the Oscar-winning film GODS AND MONSTERS, and was the assistant to Brian De Palma on DRESSED TO KILL. He's authored 7 books, including "Confessions of a Brian De Palma Protégé!" and "Captain Samouflage and the Frankensam Scam!"
Sam has won 7 (!) Rondo Awards, a Tod Slaughter Lifetime Achievement in Horror Award, and a Queer Screams Career Achievement Award.
WonderFest is May 30-31, the weekend after Memorial Day, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Louisville, KY.
Find show details at: www.wonderfest.com
#wonderfest2026 #wonderfesthobbyexpo #samirvin
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Good news everyone! AFM just announced TWO Friday classes for WonderFest on May 29th, and they look fantastic!
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GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT: WILLIAM STOUT
Please help us welcome back legendary artist and friend of the show WILLIAM STOUT!
Bill is a master who's done it all: From underground comix and album art from the LA rock scene to movie posters (WIZARDS), creature design (PAN'S LABYRINTH, STEPHEN KING'S THE MIST, MEN IN BLACK) and production design (GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS, MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, CONAN THE DESTROYER), to consistently dazzling the world of paleo-art and dinosaur science. He's a fantastic guy to boot. We're honored to have his art on our t-shirts!
William Stout's WonderFest appearance this year is sponsored by the Gore Club. Don't miss their special Friday Night event, "GORE CLUB PRESENTS: William Stout! Your Life in HORROR! and More."
WonderFest is May 30-31, the weekend after Memorial Day, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Louisville, KY.
Find show details at: www.wonderfest.com
#wonderfest2026 #williamstout #paleoartist #returnofthelivingdead
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