Welcome to our first militaria show roundup of 2023. January is always a little slow to pick up with most show organisers having a bit of a well-deserved Christmas/New Year break. But the fairs are starting again now, with 4 on this weekend. Next weekend, however, will be a very busy one so definitely keep an eye out for that!
UK – Preston Arms Fair
Preston Arms Fair is a north Manchester fair that prides itself on brining in the best of the UK’s dealers and collectors through advertising. You will see adverts in Gun Mart, Classic Military Vehicle, The Armourer, The Medal News and Lancashire Evening Post. This means you will be guaranteed a wide selection of collectors, public and dealers through the door.
The show is now organised by Northern Arms Fairs, who have taken over as of 2023. However, the venue stayed the same as it was in 2022.
Due to the advertising the show attracts a large selection of interesting dealers. As such on sale you will find Swords, weapons, helmets, flags uniforms, post cards, paperwork and much much more.
Entry Fee – £5 per adults. Concessions: £4.50
UK – Hildenborough Militaria Fair
The Hildenborough Militaria Fair is a local militaria fair held at the Hildenborough village hall most months, by Bexley Medals and Militaria. The show is located 10 minutes by car from the M25 junction 5. Entry is only £1 so it’s definitely worth popping in if you live nearby. Doors open at 8am and the fair finished at noon. Children under 15 years old can enter free of charge.
UK – Royal Berkshire Militaria Fair
The Royal Berkshire Militaria Fair was a new one for 2022 and they are going strong for 2023, with several dates already announced so you can plan your year in advance. This is a monthly recurring fair with a few exceptions, so if you live nearby, this is definitely one for your calendar. Held in St Sebastian’s Memorial Hall, there is space for 25 cars in the carpark (although there is an overflow as well). The fair itself is indoors, with heating – which is very convenient for the colder winter months – as well as great lighting to see and examine the finer items for sale. The hall has a disabled entrance, as well as toilet facilities.
Traders can either grab one of the 15 tables available on a first come first served basis, or they can bring their own. A 6ft space costs £45. Dealer set up starts at 7am, with doors open to the public at 9am and the fair ends at 1pm.
Entry fee: £4. (Under 14s go in for free.) Please note that payment is only possible with cash. There is a café on site, which serves coffee, tea, and of course sausage baps, so you can even enjoy your breakfast/lunch at the fair.
Denmark – Militaria Collectors Meeting – Jutland
Venturing into Northern Europe, this fair is in Denmark. Organised by the Dansk Militaria Foreign (DMF), these events are officially members only but it is possible to become a member via the website. The meetings are an opportunity for private collectors to show, sell and exchange their militaria items, medals and historical literature.
They have regular members’ meetings, which run from 9am until 12 o’clock, noon. And their biannual large collectors’ meeting takes place from 10am until 3pm. These are on the following dates: 2nd of April and 24th of September 2023.
At Militaria Today we have compiled the world’s most extensive militaria fairs and events list. We strive to be as accurate as we can. However, all events are subject to change, so we recommend checking with the event organisers before travelling, in case of any last-minute changes. We cover a worldwide market, so it can be hard to keep up with last-minute amendments.
Know of a show that’s not on our list?
Our fairs list is completely free for all users and show organisers! So if you know of a militaria fair, show, military yard/boot sale, reenactment or other event that is not on our list, just get in touch and we will happily add it to our list and promote the event on our social media. Please send any submissions via our contact us page. We want to build the most complete worldwide list available.
