Join the Tropical Fish Club of Erie County for Fish Fest ’26, a full weekend of tropical fish, fellowship, competition, speakers, a swap meet, auction, and plenty of opportunities to connect with fellow aquarium enthusiasts.
Fish Fest ’26 will be held August 29–30, 2026, at the Lake Erie Italian Club, 3200 S. Park Ave., Lackawanna, NY. The weekend is open to the public, with something for experienced aquarists and newcomers alike.
🐠 All-Species Fish Show
Bring your best fish and show them off! The All-Species Fish Show is open to everyone, with entries accepted Saturday and judging taking place Sunday morning. The public can view the entries throughout the weekend, with awards presented Sunday afternoon.
Entry fee: $2 per entry, with a maximum of $40 for more than 20 entries.
This year’s awards include:
- 1st Place: $10 cash + $40 fish-store gift certificate
- 2nd Place: $7 cash + $20 gift certificate
- 3rd Place: $3 cash + $10 gift certificate
- Best of Egglayers: Plaque + $30 cash
- Best Cichlid: Plaque + $30 cash
- Best Catfish: Plaque + $30 cash
- Best Livebearer: Plaque + $30 cash
- Best Display: Plaque + $30 cash
- Best of Show: Plaque + $75 cash
- People’s Choice: Plaque + $30 cash
Show classes, rules, and entry forms are available for participants.
🐟 Saturday Swap Meet
Looking to buy, sell, or trade aquarium-related items? Our Saturday Swap Meet is a great place to find fish, equipment, supplies, and connect with other hobbyists. There will be fish, food, tanks, plants, books anything fish related.
Here are a list of vendors:
- Cave Man Creations – Cranberry, PA
- David West – Fredonia, NY
- Subarai Aquatics – Lewisberry, PA
- Fatfish Aquatics – Akron, Ohio
- Fins & Flora – Saint Marys, PA
- Shelby Buckley – Boston, NY
- Jeff Hill – Rochester, NY
- Seth Jividen – Elmira, NY
- Jason Selapack – Buffalo, NY
- Phillip Kordon – Forestville, NY
- Eric Bodrock – Pittsburg, PA
- Frank Cappelo – Amherst, NY
- Bierbower Aquatics – Sugar Grove, PA
- TFCEC Board Members – From all over WNY (Western New York)
👧 Saturday Kids Tank Setup Class — FULL
Our Kids Tank Setup Class has already reached its maximum of 15 participants for 2026. We’re excited to give these young aquarists an opportunity to learn how to set up an aquarium and take their new tank and accessories home.
A special thank-you goes to the generous donors who helped make this program possible!
🎤 Saturday Guest Speaker: Eric Thomas 4:00 PM
Eric Thomas will present: “Tips for Keeping and Breeding Catfish” This presentation is free and open to the public.
🍽️ Saturday Buffet Dinner
6:15 PM — $22 per person Dinner reservations can be made by emailing TFCECCLUB@gmail.com. Payment can be made at the event.
Enjoy a buffet dinner catered by Buffalo’s Best Catering, followed by another presentation from Eric Thomas:
“I’m Dying to Get Out of Here”. The program explores research into toxin release by certain Corydoras catfish and how this can potentially lead to losses in an aquarium.
Both presentations are free and open to the public.
🏆 Sunday Auction & Awards
Auction registration begins at 9:30 AM, and the auction starts at 11:00 AM. This event features a 70/30 split.
We ask that you carefully review the updated rules if you are selling, as the limit for dry goods has changed. Please note the following requirements for check-in:
– All items must be complete and clean.
– Bags must have labels attached; no writing is allowed directly on the bags.
– The maximum limit is 50 items total, with no more than 5 items of the same kind.
All items will be inspected upon arrival to ensure they meet these standards. As a reminder, this event is organized by the volunteers of the Tropical Fish Club of Erie County. We appreciate your cooperation and support.
Please review:
On Sunday, the Fish show room will be open for public viewing, after judging.
Following the auction, we’ll wrap up the weekend by presenting the awards from the All-Species Fish Show.
🐠 Come Celebrate the Aquarium Hobby!
Whether you’re interested in showing fish, shopping the swap meet, learning from experienced aquarists, enjoying the auction, or simply meeting other fishkeepers, Fish Fest ’26 is a weekend you won’t want to miss.
August 29–30, 2026
Lake Erie Italian Club
3200 S. Park Ave., Lackawanna, NY
Questions, table reservations, or dinner reservations:
TFCECCLUB@gmail.com
