The month of January often begins with people making resolutions or setting goals for the new year, which is true in the woodturning world as well. Unfortunately, those resolutions are often forgotten or abandoned by the start of February. If that’s where you’re finding yourself in 2026, that’s okay; now is the time to look ahead.
Last month, we encouraged woodturners to grow in their craft by finding an in-person class to attend. To keep the momentum going, this month we’re encouraging woodturners, whether beginners or advanced, to make plans to attend a local, regional, or national event.
Read on for more information about some events coming up in the next several months. Maybe we’ll even see you at a few!
You might ask, “what’s the big deal about attending woodturning events? They all require time and money, and some even require travel. Why can’t I just stay home and turn pieces in my comfortable woodshop?”
While there is something to be said about turning in the comfort of your own space, there are some benefits that can’t be realized when woodturning in a solitary environment.
First, attending a woodturning event or symposium gives you the chance to explore topics and techniques you didn’t know you had an interest in. Most symposia include many demonstrations from presenters with unique styles and techniques.
You might arrive at the symposium intending to attend a demonstration about bowl turning and end up learning about turning whale bone or making a guitar. The sky truly is the limit when it comes to rare topics at woodturning events.
While you can certainly progress in your woodturning craft on your own or by watching videos on YouTube, attending large events can do more to get your creative juices flowing than even attending an in-person class or being part of a local woodturning chapter.
Why? Because being steeped in woodturning for hours or even days at a time can unlock a desire to try new things in a way that doesn’t usually happen in day-to-day life. The burst of energy you get from being in a room full of people who care as much as you do about woodturning can keep you churning out new ideas for months. You’ll return from a symposium with a notebook full of ideas and a phone full of new contacts to help you level up your woodturning craft.
One thing that is especially helpful about attending woodturning events is the fact that most symposia include not just demonstrations but trade shows as well. Trade shows give you a chance to see various products and tools in action, which can allow you to decide if they are things you will actually use. You can also compare options quickly and even get a feel for the tools as you handle them there at the event.
For those who want to plan longer or more exciting trips and connect with other woodturners at the same time, there are woodturning events taking place all over the country, all year long! We’ll highlight just a few here that we will also be attending. Come say hi!
The International Symposium hosted by the American Association of Woodturning is one of the largest and most well attended events in the nation. Each year, the event is hosted in different regions of the United States. Last year, we were fortunate enough to have it in our backyard, at the Saint Paul River Centre in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
This year, the event will be held at the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Center, in Raleigh, North Carolina, from June 4-7. You can view our blog from last year to read more about what the Symposium is and what to expect from some of the exhibitions and shows, which will be quite similar this year. The line-up of demonstrators will include some different faces, but all those specifics can be found on the AAW Symposium website.
As we mentioned above, we will be attending the Symposium; come find us in booths 313 and 412! We’d love to connect and answer any questions you might have about our carbide tools, our woodturning journeys, and anything else you can think of!
The Southwest Association of Woodturners (SWAT) hosts an annual symposium each August. This year, the event is being held at the Waco Convention Center in Waco, Texas from August 28-30.
While there is a gallery included as part of the event, the focus of the SWAT symposium is on hands-on demonstrations. According to their website, the SWAT organization “exists to promote the craft of woodturning through training, demonstrations, hands on experience and exhibits.”
This is the perfect event for those who want to really level up in their craft; as we said in our blog last month, there is no substitute for hands-on, in-person learning. Demonstrations topics range from wave bowls to segmented turning to the creation of ducks, hummingbirds, and woodpeckers.
We will be attending this event as a vendor, so if you are in the area and are excited to learn more about our carbide tool system, we’d love to answer any questions you have.
The Rocky Mountain Woodturners is a chapter of the American Association of Woodturners, and they also host an annual symposium. This year’s will take place at the Ranch Events Complex in Loveland, CO, on September 18-20.
The Rocky Mountain Woodturning Symposium includes 45 demonstrations for attendees to choose from. These demonstrations also span a wide range of topics, from turning whalebone to making train whistles. After the last rotation on Friday, September 18, there will be an informal meet and greet with the demonstrators in case you want to ask questions or rub elbows with some of the experts.
A vendor showcase will also take place on Friday evening, and the vendor tradeshow will be hosted for the duration of the convention. Come find us in Colorado if you haven’t been able to visit with us in Minnesota, North Carolina, or Texas!
For those who are interested in getting out of state, but who want to stay within driving distance of home, there are several regional events coming up. Here are a few you might check out if you find yourself elsewhere in the Midwest/Heartland region.
Each year, the Dakota Woodturners host a symposium that focuses on hands-on demonstrations. The symposium takes place in April; the 2026 event will be held on April 17-19 at the Bismarck Public Schools Career Academy in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Friday evening features a meet and greet with the symposium presenters, and the woodturning demonstrations will take place on Saturday and Sunday. This is a small, intimate event with three presenters who will demonstrate how to make a peppermill, how to make a Christmas ornament, and how to make bowls using the 40/40 grind.
There will also be an instant gallery that is free and open to the public featuring items from nationally recognized woodturners Jessica Edwards, Pat Scott, and Ron Day.
A unique event taking place in the upper Midwest is the Level Up woodturning retreat, which is being hosted by World Wide Wood Turners. This retreat will be held at the Wisconsin Rapids Lions Club in Wisconsin Rapids, WI from September 17-19, 2026.
This retreat will offer classes on and off the lathe for woodturners of all levels. On-lathe classes will include things like goblet turning, barrel turning, and rim embellishments. Off-lathe classes will focus on topics such as carving, pyrography, and small tool making.
Because of the focus on connecting wood turners from across the world, there will be attendees from all over the US, Canada, and the UK. Come and meet woodturners from across the globe and level up in your woodturning craft.
Another symposium taking place this September is the Segmented Woodturners Symposium, which is being hosted at the Hilton Chicago Northbrook Hotel in Northbrook, Illinois. This event will take place on September 25-27, 2026.
If you are specifically interested in segmented woodturning, or you just want to learn more about this unique form of woodworking, this event will be an excellent opportunity for you to see demonstrations on both beginner topics like the history of segmenting and the basics of segmenting, as well as more advanced topics like creating ribbons, tubes, and criss-cross bowls.
As with many other symposia, there will be an ongoing tradeshow (which we will be at!) and a pop-up gallery. Unique things about this event include a turning swap, where you can bring a segmented turning piece for a turning exchange, and a Beads of Courage Box Collection; all donations will be given to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
Now that you’ve been convinced that you need to attend some woodturning events this year, the next question is, “where can I find these events?”
For those woodturners who live nearby, here are some events you will find in the Twin Cities area or in the state of Minnesota.
One local event we’d like to highlight is an exhibit focused on artistry. Holding Space, an exhibition sponsored by the American Association of Woodturners, will premiere at the AAW Gallery of Wood Art in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It will be on display from March 15 to May 22, 2026.
According to the AAW website, “Holding Space invites exploration of what it means to create or contain space—physically, emotionally, or metaphorically.” Obviously, woodturning often involves the creation of objects that hold literal space (think of things like bowls, vases, boxes, etc.)
However, this idea could also be interpreted metaphorically; we often talk now about holding space for certain feelings like grief or sadness, and many psychological interpretations tell us that holding space for someone is about being present with them.
The projects included in the exhibition will deal with this connection between the physical and metaphorical meanings of this phrase. Each will also adhere to certain size requirements; objects must be no larger than 6″ × 6″ × 6″. This limitation inspires woodturners to think and turn creatively and with precision.
Woodturners of all experience levels won’t want to miss the extraordinary work that this exhibition promises! The exhibition will also be on view at the AAW International Woodturning Symposium in Raleigh, North Carolina (more on this below!) from June 4 to June 7, 2026.
Another event we’d like to mention is one coming up in April. This exhibition includes a little bit of everything; woodworkers from across Minnesota bring some of their best or most distinctive pieces for viewing. Previous award-winning projects include fabulously carved chairs, intricately detailed lamps, beautifully finished rocking horses, and even kayaks.
Whether you are beginning your journey as a woodturner or you’ve been turning for years, there will be something new for you to see at the Northern Woods Exhibition.
It is free to attend and will be held at the Eden Prairie Center from April 23–26, 2026. Exhibitors will be present on Saturday, April 25, to talk about their work.
If you are interested in submitting your work to the exhibition, you are welcome to enter! There are 14 different award categories and over $4,000 given in cash prizes. The Minnesota Woodworkers Guild sponsors the exhibition, so registration is discounted for those who are members already, but those who are not members can still enter their wood-turned projects.
Registration is free for any member under 22 years old, and Guild memberships are free to woodworkers of these ages as well! Registration for submitting a piece to the exhibition closes on April 15.
While the exhibitions above are coming up this spring, it’s never too early to plan for events this fall. The Minnesota Woodworkers Guild is planning to host the 2026 Woodworkers Expo on October 17, 2026, at the MN State Fairgrounds Progress Center in St. Paul.
The expo features exhibitors, demonstrations, and a vendor fair. Last year, according to the Woodworkers Guild, “Over 80 local and national woodworking retailers, tool manufacturers, lumber sellers, schools, organizations, and makers came to the Expo to show off products, share information, answer questions, and share their knowledge of and passion for woodworking and making.”
Some of the unique things about this event are the tool swap and the kids’ workshop. At the tool swap, woodworkers bring unique, gently used, or even antique tools to sell or swap. It’s a great way to build connections and enhance your collection! The kids’ workshop allows young ones to explore woodworking in a guided environment, and they can take home a project they’ve made themselves. What better way to get your little loved ones interested in your hobby?
Whether you stay close to home or venture out into the wide world, there are woodturning events at every turn. Find a local exhibition or a national symposium to help you learn about new tools and techniques, gain creative momentum, and progress in your woodturning craft. Remember, we’ll be in attendance at several of these events, so come find us and let’s talk turning!
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