Next ‘Fest: June 1-2, 2019 | Crowne Plaza Louisville Hotel
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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 30th 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.
MEET THE 2019 GUESTS
Click their names to read about them.
PLAN YOUR WEEKEND
Click an icon to learn more.
Tickets
Sold at the door only.
Adults: $30 for 1-day, $45 for 2-days.
Ages 4 to 12: $10 for 1-day, $15 for 2-days
Age 3 and under free.
Ticket booth hours…
Hotel & Restaurant
Special WonderFest room rates at the Crowne: $124 per night for up to 4 people! It’s convenient to stay in the 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…
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
- $10.00 per first 2 models for adults, up to 8 additional entries free
- $8.00 per first 2 models for teens, up to 8 add’l entries free (ages 13-19)
- Free for ages 12 & under
With over 700 entries in 2018, it took up the entire ballroom and featured some of the best modeling we’ve ever seen.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE)
MAY 31 & JUNE 1-2, 2019
| # | Session | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amazing Figure Modeler's Model Boot Camp | 9A-5P | TBA |
| 2 | Badger / Black Heart Model Finishing Class | 10A-4P | TBA |
| 3 | Garage Kits.US Colors Paintfest | 9A-4P | TBA |
| 4 | TAG Team / Iwata Sci-Fi Modeling School | 9A-4P | Madison |
| 5 | Friday Night Welcome Party | 7P-9P | Main Hallway |
| 6 | Friday Night Frights | 9P-11P | Theater B |
| # | Session | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DEALER ROOMS OPEN | 10A-5P | Dealer A & B |
| 2 | HOW-TO DEMOS | 11A-5P | Elliott, Franklin, Grant |
| 3 | GUEST TALKS | 10A-4:30P | Theaters A & B |
| 4 | CONTEST ENTRIES | 8A-Noon | Coronet |
| 5 | CONTEST VIEWING | Noon-5P | Coronet |
| 6 | RONDO AWARDS | 5P-7P | Theater A |
| 7 | CHILLER CINEMA LIVE | 7P-11P | Theater B |
| 8 | RoboCon at WonderFest | 10AM-5PM | Dealer A |
| # | Session | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DEALER ROOMS OPEN | 10A-5P | Dealer A & B |
| 2 | HOW-TO DEMOS | 10A-2P | Elliott, Franklin, Grant |
| 3 | CONTEST VIEWING | 10A-3P | Coronet |
| 4 | GUEST TALKS | 10A-3P | Theaters A & B |
| 5 | CONTEST AWARDS CEREMONY | 3P-4P | Theater B |
| 6 | ROBOCON AT WONDERFEST | 10AM-5PM | Dealer A |
| 7 | WONDERFEST WRAP PARTY | 7:30P | Theater A |
MUST-SEE PROGRAMMING
Click an icon to learn more.
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
5pm 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…
HIGHLIGHTS FROM WONDERFEST 2018
Click image to open a slideshow.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
They help make this event possible!
WONDERFEST LATEST NEWS
From our Facebook feed...
MODELERS: Fill out your Amazing Model Contest entry forms in advance!
Form goes “live” at 12 noon EDT tomorrow, Friday, April 19th!
Our Online Entry Form tool lets you fill in and print your entry forms in advance. Then just bring them with you and pay your entry fees at the door. Save time and prevent handwriting interpretation mistakes.
Visit our Amazing Model Contest page at: wonderfest.com/upcoming-show/contest/
We're pleased to officially announce TAG Team & Iwata's SciFi Modeling School Episode III: Return of the Rebels.
It’s a day-long workshop on Friday, May 31st, from 9am to 4pm. Learn airbrush techniques you can use for spaceships and just about any other modeling subject: aging, paint chipping and more. A primed Revell Last Jedi Millennium Falcon will be the starter kit. Limited to the first 12 paid students.
Find more details and registration links here: www.tagteamhobbies.com/wonderfest2019.html
Great way to spend a day! Learn something and make some friends in the process!
Just registered! 4th year in a row.
Strong with the ways of the airbrush the instructors are, skilled you will become.
ONLY 6 SEATS LEFT!!!
Join us - We're going to have so much fun in this class!
All ready signed up. Looking forward to the class
Falcon! 😍
We want to remind everyone that the talented THOMAS KUNTZ is making his first-ever WonderFest appearance on June 1-2, 2019. (Appearance sponsored by Stephen & Christine Smith.)
Thomas was among the first American Garage Kit makers and the first to produce faithful sculptures of German silent classics and many others.
His figures and automata have found their way into the collections of some of the entertainment industry’s elite. This video will give you a peek at some of Thomas's artistry: vimeo.com/234339484This is "Clockwork Monsters : The Art and Automata of Thomas J. Kuntz" by Ronni Thomas on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love…
Holy c’moly!!!! I’m super excited
Worth the price of admission....
Thomas will be a very welcomed guest!!
Great news.
There's just 57 days left till WonderFest! The Crowne Plaza Hotel (our mothership) has just granted us another block of rooms, as we've already sold out the main block! So don't delay if you haven't reserved your room: wonderfest.com/upcoming-show/tickets-hotel/
Tickets & Hotel – WonderFest USA
wonderfest.com
Saturday June 1 & Sunday June 2 • Show hours 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. both days To be held at the Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport Hotel, 830 Phillips Lane, Louisville, KY 40209.Rick Goldberg
tried online …..nothing available. Called......was told to call hotel directly. Hotel says in house reservations closed until Monday.
NEW GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT: Please welcome back one of our nicest guests ever: the delightful Marta Kristen. Best known as the original "Judy Robinson" in TV's LOST IN SPACE, Marta has appeared in dozens of TV shows and movies, such as ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS, BEACH BLANKET BINGO, MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., MANNIX, MURPHY BROWN, and even the LOST IN SPACE movie in 1998. She also appeared in more than 40 commercials. Marta Kristen's appearance is sponsored by CultTVman!
Find all the WonderFest details at: www.wonderfest.com
Would love to meet her, but I live in new Zealand. 😦
Awesome 👍👍👍👍👍
I really should go. I'm closer than Steve Iverson is...
She was great when I met her there!
One of my favorite wonderfest guest ever
I was fortunate the last time Marta was there to escort her outside during a fire alarm. We had a nice chat! Hope to spend time talking to her this year!
Awesome!
Fantastic!
Wasn't there an announced JUPITER 2 AND CHARIOT model that was never released?
She is wonderful --no pun intended.
Wonderful news!!!
Matthew Stiles