HOT LAPS HOT NEWS

July 9, 2026

RC FEST IS BACK

After a quiet year, one of Horizon Hobby’s biggest hands-on RC events is returning.

Horizon Hobby RC Fest is officially scheduled for August 29, 2026, at Eli Field in Monticello, Illinois, running from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Horizon is promoting the event as a full-day RC celebration with airshows, product demonstrations, hands-on try-me areas, giveaways, food vendors, concessions, and an on-site hobby store.

But the bigger story may not be the schedule.

The bigger story is that RC Fest is back at all.

In 2025, Horizon Hobby made the difficult decision to cancel Horizon RC Fest, Axialfest Badlands, and Axialfest Europe, citing ongoing economic uncertainty and the need to refocus resources. For many hobbyists, that raised an uncomfortable question: were big RC events becoming harder to sustain?

Now, in 2026, Horizon’s own event announcement says it plainly: “RC Fest returns.” The company describes the revived event as a one-day celebration at Eli Field with airshows, hands-on try-me activities, and family-focused RC fun.

That matters.

RC Fest is not just another race. It is not only for seasoned drivers, pilots, crawlers, or hardcore hobby veterans. The event is designed to let people experience several sides of radio control in one place. Horizon’s RC Fest page lists a Try-Me Flying Area, Crawler Course, NASCAR Track, and Bash Area, giving guests a chance to fly, drive, crawl, and explore the hobby instead of simply watching from the sidelines.

That hands-on part is important.

Online videos can make RC look exciting.

A product page can show specs.

A box on a shelf can catch someone’s attention.

But putting a transmitter in someone’s hands is different.

That is when the hobby becomes real.

A kid who has never driven an RC truck can try one. A parent who thought RC was just toys can see the difference between toy-grade and hobby-grade. A crawler fan can watch aircraft. A pilot can wander over to the bash area. A racer can check out something totally outside their usual lane.

That kind of crossover is healthy for the hobby.

RC has always been strongest when it gives people somewhere to go and something to do. Tracks, crawling courses, flying fields, club races, bash spots, hobby shops, and events all do something the internet cannot fully replace: they create community.

That is why RC Fest returning feels bigger than a single event date.

It is a reminder that the RC world still needs gathering places.

Horizon’s 2026 event schedule also points in that direction beyond RC Fest. Their 2026 announcement mentions other major efforts, including the return of Airmeet and a new Losi Local Racing Program intended to support local and emerging tracks by helping lower the barrier to entry for racing. That suggests Horizon is not only focused on selling products, but also on creating and supporting experiences around those products.

And that is exactly where local hobby shops come into the picture.

Big national events like RC Fest can create excitement. They can introduce people to the hobby, show off new products, and bring different corners of RC together for one big day.

But the local hobby shop keeps that excitement alive after the event is over.

That is where people buy their first replacement part.

That is where they ask what battery they need.

That is where they learn why their steering is backwards, why their servo is buzzing, why their charger is yelling, or why their truck suddenly sounds like it swallowed a toolbox.

That is where beginners become hobbyists.

So yes, RC Fest returning is news.

But the real story is bigger:

RC is not just about products. It is about participation.

It is about flying it, driving it, crawling it, breaking it, fixing it, upgrading it, and sharing it with other people who understand why any of that is fun.

Horizon RC Fest coming back in 2026 is a good sign for the hobby because it reinforces something simple:

People still want hands-on RC experiences.

They still want events.

They still want places to gather.

They still want that moment when someone picks up a transmitter, smiles, and says, “Okay, now I get it.”

And that may be the most important part of the whole story.

Question of the Day

Would you travel for a major RC event like Horizon RC Fest?

And what would you want to see more of locally: crawling, bashing, racing, flying, demos, or hands-on try-me events?