TFN:Swindon

TFN:Swindon takes over STEAM's Great Western Hall on Saturday 21 November, a one-day Transformers convention run by TFNation Ltd, the team behind Europe's largest fan gathering for the franchise. It's a fan-run event, and they're open about the fact that it's not endorsed by Hasbro, the owner of the Transformers trademark.

The day is built around a trading area for Transformers toys and collectables, with tables running from vintage G1 to modern figures, so there's plenty to pick through whether you're after the old-school stuff or the latest releases. Beside that is The Forge, a dedicated area for fan artists and creators to show their work. There'll also be guest appearances from comic book artists, writers, toy designers and actors, with a signing area where you can meet them and get things signed. Throughout the day, there are talks and presentations on the go, so you can hang around and listen in between the trading and the guests.

TFNation describes their events as having an inclusive and friendly atmosphere, and since it's run by fans, it's built for people who know their way around the Transformers universe. If you're just getting into it, it's a good place to see the scale of the hobby in one room.

One practical thing to keep in mind: there's no parking on-site, except for disabled parking. Visitor car parking is provided by the Swindon Designer Outlet, which is about a five-minute walk from the Museum, so you'll want to factor that in when you're planning your day. The whole thing is at STEAM's Great Western Hall in Swindon on Saturday 21 November.