Are there any turning shows in the Boston Area?

[rwarnold80]

Are there any pen or wood turning shows in the Boston Area or New England? My 11 year old son turns and wants to go to Boston really bad. I'm trying to find a reason to go for a nice weekend there.

 

[mg_dreyer]

I don't know of any in Boston but if you are looking for a getaway weekend in June - Chattanooga is the AAW with tons of turners, demos, vendors, and generally a youth turning organized activity. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[monophoto]

I think the closest show/symposium is Totally Turning in Saratoga Springs, NY - about 3 hours west of Boston. However, I seem to recall that one of the chain woodworking stores (Woodcraft??) has an outlet in Cambridge that offers a series of weekend educational events. Perhaps one of our colleagues in the Boston area will have more detail on that possibility.

But I have very fond recollections that when my sons were young, they thoroughly enjoyed our trips to Boston. The high points for them were the acquarium and the Science Center. They also enjoyed the Children's Museum but I'm not sure if its still open. Also the Computer Museum, but I know that has since moved to Mountain View, CA. And of course, the food - they were (and still are) both foodies!

We usually stayed in a motel in the suburbs where it's less expensive, and the boys got a thrill taking the T into the city.

 

[duncsuss]

Are there any pen or wood turning shows in the Boston Area or New England? My 11 year old son turns and wants to go to Boston really bad. I'm trying to find a reason to go for a nice weekend there.

In the pre-Covid era, the Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers held a turning symposium at Pinkerton Academy, in Derry, NH every third year. I think the last one was in 2018 - https://www.gnhw.org/symposium/ninth-new-england-turning-symposium-2018 - but don't know if there are plans for another. Derry is about 40 miles north of Boston.

I don't know of any specifically pen-turning shows, but as Louie says there are classes at stores like Woodcraft in Cambridge and Rockler in Salem, NH. I spoke with Ron Blais, who used to teach a pen-turning class at the Woodcraft store in Woburn, MA, and he told me the classroom has been fully occupied by furniture builders for a few months and he hasn't taught pen-turning classes there for a while.

If he likes fountain pens (new and vintage), as opposed to pen making, there's the Commonwealth Pen Show, next one is scheduled for September 18, 2022, at the Holiday Inn "Boston/Bunker Hill" in Somerville, MA.

 

[rwarnold80]

In the pre-Covid era, the Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers held a turning symposium at Pinkerton Academy, in Derry, NH every third year. I think the last one was in 2018 - https://www.gnhw.org/symposium/ninth-new-england-turning-symposium-2018 - but don't know if there are plans for another. Derry is about 40 miles north of Boston.

I don't know of any specifically pen-turning shows, but as Louie says there are classes at stores like Woodcraft in Cambridge and Rockler in Salem, NH. I spoke with Ron Blais, who used to teach a pen-turning class at the Woodcraft store in Woburn, MA, and he told me the classroom has been fully occupied by furniture builders for a few months and he hasn't taught pen-turning classes there for a while.

If he likes fountain pens (new and vintage), as opposed to pen making, there's the Commonwealth Pen Show, next one is scheduled for September 18, 2022, at the Holiday Inn "Boston/Bunker Hill" in Somerville, MA.

We are in the Chicago area, and have MPG and there is a pen show the next weekend. He just wants to visit Boston, so looking for an excuse. Might just have to be a Sox game. I haven't been to one of them in Boston since 99.