Tail End Charlie
E-Day 2026 Sets a Record
Text: Jakub Nademlejnský
When we evaluated E-Day 2025 last year, my colleagues and I agreed that it should continue to be held at the Zahrada Čech Exhibition Centre in Litoměřice. We immediately began discussing possible dates with the exhibition center’s management. Unfortunately, it was already quite late — dates are reserved as early as the beginning of the year, whereas we didn't make our decision until mid-October. Consequently, the only available dates were 26–28 June; the exhibition centre could not offer us any others. At the time, we reluctantly accepted the dates, knowing they weren’t ideal. Summer vacation was just around the corner, and we didn’t yet know that there would be another unpleasant surprise later that year: the Minister of Education would announce a shortened school year, ending it on Friday – the very start of E-Day. So our prospects weren’t exactly rosy. As we planned the schedule with our colleagues, we hoped that E-Day wouldn't be rained off. At the back of our minds, we also had the thought that it might be hot, maybe even sweltering.
Even in our worst-case scenarios, we didn’t imagine that all-time temperature records across the whole of the Czech Republic would be broken on E-Day. In fact, not only was the temperature record in neighboring Doksany broken on Saturday with a reading of 40.6 °C, it was broken again on Sunday with a reading of 41.9 °C. I have to tell you, none of us really expected this. When we started checking the weather forecast a week before E-Day and these catastrophic scenarios appeared, we made funny jokes about how we’d be swimming in our own sweat. And that’s exactly what ended up happening. Our colleague Zdeněk Nožička sweated through three T-shirts on Friday alone while setting up the booth. At the start of the week leading up to E-Day, we immediately began planning our cooling system. We bought hoses with nozzles to create mist gates, and we discussed with the exhibition center what other water features were available. Fortunately, Litoměřice is a small town where everyone knows each other, so thanks to our friends on the catering team, we were able to get the number for the local volunteer fire department. We would like to thank them once again for regularly driving out to spray us and the visitors with water and for joining us in a spontaneous 'hurrah' action to disperse a demonstration against repeated suppression of less known types at the expense of Mustang.
On behalf of my colleagues and myself, I can say that I have never seen so many positive comments about the organization of the event in the history of E-Day. Of course, we can’t control the weather. However, in terms of organization and the program for visitors, this was perhaps the most positive E-Day for me. It was also one of the most relaxed. The two-day format allowed visitors and us to enjoy E-Day to the fullest. The afterparty on Saturday evening also attracted a fairly large number of participants, and I hope they enjoyed sitting around with a beer and some good food.
What didn’t go so well, though I must admit I was somewhat expecting it, was the lower turnout of modellers in the competition categories. Of course, Czech modellers aren’t used to two-day events. I can see why some might think it a waste of time to travel to Litoměřice with their models for the whole weekend. However, a group of Italians arrived in good numbers, having packed up with their friends and hopped into two big cars. They competed, spent an evening exploring the town and its restaurants, enjoyed Saturday night at an afterparty with other modellers, did some shopping at the stalls during the event, strolled through the exhibition and chatted with friends. When they left, they told me that it was just like Disneyland—they had everything they could have wished for that weekend. Except for the heat – I’m sure they didn’t wish for that!
I’d like to remind Czech modellers in particular that E-Day used to be a two-day event, attracting many more competitors. It's worth coming as a competitor — you get free admission and, as a reward for participating, you receive a model. Registration is free! You won't find that at any other competition in the world!
If Czech modellers aren’t interested, I believe we can gradually turn E-Day into a much more international exhibition. Foreign modellers will come if we prepare a good program for them, among other things. This means that E-Day will become more international in future. For example, next year we are planning to invite more foreign guests and hold more presentations and workshops in English. I hope this will also boost the competition’s prestige. I’d like Czech modellers to have the chance to compete against the international elite right here in the Czech Republic. My plan for the future is to collaborate with other prestigious competitions worldwide to organize something akin to a modelers’ Champions League or Grand Slam. But maybe we’ll talk about that another time. I already know when that will be. Everyone, mark your calendars for 18–20 June 2027. I look forward to seeing you at the next E-Day!