Attendee Registration

For those planning on attending the 47^th National Narrow Gauge Convention, there are numerous advantages for registering early. First and foremost, we are offering a significant discount for early bird registration. We are rolling back the calendar and offering a 2011 registration of $100.00 per person until December 31^st. That is significantly less than recent National Narrow Gauge Conventions.

Early registration offers significant perks to the attendee. For example, we are doing a private afternoon at Tweetsie Railroad on Thursday September 2^nd, that is FREE to all paid attendees! However there are only a certain number of tickets available, and when they are spoken for, that is it. Another perk will be exclusive access to the Aberdeen, Carolina & Western special excursion out of Charlotte on Tuesday August 31^st. The number of seats on this rare mileage “social event” is very limited and may sell out months in advance. Early registrants will receive a link to purchase tickets on this train until all the seats are sold.

Many of our non rail activities will have limited numbers of spots available, especially the Tour Bus to Historic Biltmore House. Right now only one bus is scheduled. Once that one is full, a waiting list may be started, but that is not guaranteed.

Finally, registering early will give attendees access to the operating sessions on some of our home layouts. Spaces for op sessions will be Extremely Limited and on a first come/first served basis.

Vendor Registration

Our Trade Show/Vendor Room is one of the most popular aspects of a National Narrow Gauge Convention. Our vendors make the entire convention possible. We have set aside over 31,500 square feet to accommodate the largest possible number of vendors. The Vendor Space is all one big room—and there is not a bad spot in it! Unlike a train show, vendors at the National Narrow Gauge Convention get to choose their table location! If you want to be in the center of the room, you can choose that. If you want to be along the walls, you can choose that too. Tables are reserved on a first come, first served basis. Our tables are mostly on islands, with wide aisles, and adequate space inside for seating. Every island is alike. We promise. No convoluted routes or mazes. Register early to get the exact spot you want. Table locations near the main entrance usually sell out quickly. All tables are 6’ x 30”, newly purchased by the Hickory Metro Convention Center. Vendor Registration goes live on September 2, 2026 (the day the Minneapolis convention opens). Unlike past conventions, we cannot provide table coverings. You are welcome to bring your own.

Here’s the best news: we are offering Early Bird Pricing on all of our tables! To celebrate our third National Narrow Gauge Convention in Hickory we have decided to offer 2027 tables at 2011 and 2021 prices. From September 2nd through December 31, 2026, your first table is $200.00, while extra tables are $45.00 each. Our Vendor space is large and the Convention Committee wants to pass the savings on to both our regular Vendors, and our newcomers.

We are offering a special opportunity for vendors in 2027. Our venue can accommodate vendors who want to be open for more hours than the regular morning and evening sessions. The vendor room diagram has a section on the far right that is enclosed inside black lines. Those lines represent moveable walls that will be closed at the end of the morning sessions, locking up most of the vendor tables securely for the afternoon. Vendor tables in the smaller section will be open for attendees all afternoon. The walls will be retracted for the evening sessions, opening the whole room. The main room will be locked in the afternoon for security purposes, but those vendors who are in the smaller, walled-off area will police themselves.

 A note to new Vendors: a National Narrow Gauge Convention is a four day event, with the Vendor Room open for six sessions, both mornings and evenings. Model Railroaders who attend this convention want high quality products for their layout. They support specialty and cottage manufacturers who make unique items that they cannot buy at the local hobby shop or generic train show. Attendees spend much of their time at the convention participating in clinics that get the creative juices flowing, and visiting home layouts where great attention to detail is the norm. A NNGC is a fantastic networking opportunity. Convention attendees who purchase items from you there will be back to buy more, via your phones or your website. They will become regular customers. Bring your wares to a convention where people walk in the door ready to spend money, rather than “just look”.

 For those vendors who do not want to use the Whova app to register, a printable form is available here (link to pdf). Those who want to write a check or pay cash in person for their tables are welcome to do so. Your tables will be marked as yours as soon as the check clears.