THE GAMERS SHOW

THE SHOW

THE HAMMERHEAD EXPERIENCE

WELCOME TO THE NEWARK SHOWGROUND,
WELCOME TO THE GEORGE STEPHENSON EXHIBITION HALL,
WELCOME TO HAMMERHEAD!

Every game at Hammerhead is visitor participation, which means that you are very welcome to 'have a go’ at a wide variety of different historical and fantasy based games run by intrepid gaming clubs, historical societies, wargame companies and enthusiastic groups of gamers.

You will be able to play a full game or simply move a few miniatures, roll some dice, have a chat with the people running the game and then move onto the next. The show provides a great opportunity to try out new or familiar game systems and spend a day indulging yourself and friends in this absorbing and fascinating hobby.

Whether you’re interested in Napoleonics, WWI and WWII, Ancients, Medieval, Fantasy or Science Fiction, we are sure that you will find a selection of games you would like to play.

ENTRY TO HAMMERHEAD

PAYMENT IN CASH TAKEN AT THE DOOR:

ADULTS: £5
MINORS: £3
UNDER 9: FREE

KEY DETAILS

LOCATION: Newark Showground, Lincoln Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 2NY.
FREQUENCY: Annual (once per year).
UPCOMING DATE: Saturday, 28th February 2026.
EVENT FOCUS: It is a wargames show focusing on participation games (historical, fantasy, and sci-fi), allowing visitors to play games, along with trade stands and a painting competition.
MANAGEMENT: As of late 2025, the show is organized by Dave Ryan of Caliver Books, taking over from long-time organizer Sally.

HAMMERHEAD 2025 REPORT

A very sincere thanks to all the traders, game presenters and visitors that all contributed to the success of Hammerhead 2025. It was a very busy show with total attendance about the same as the previous year at around 1800, which would explain why the number of cars was so high that they soon filled the allocated runway parking and overspilled into reserve areas around the George Stevenson Exhibition Hall.

There were a total of 59 public participation games and activities and 46 traders. The Wargames Illustrated Painting Competition once again proved very popular and we also hosted the DBA Northern Cup Competition now in its 21st year. The central ‘tabletop sales’ was a scrum of activity all day with plenty of deals being made.

The primary focus of all Hammerhead shows has been the large number and great diversity of public participation games covering a very wide range of different genres and miniature scales. The level of creativity, modelling skills and organisation that goes into presenting these games for other gamers to play and enjoy must always be recognised and celebrated. Some members of the Forest Outlaws had the very difficult task of choosing three games to which awards were presented, which were:

FUNDING

A total of £225 worth of vouchers or ‘Letters of Marque’ were exchanged by traders for cash at the entrance desk from the game presenters and players prize draws. This is financed by the sale of Hammerhead figures and the 2025 figure, Marina Jinesta, sold out within a couple of hours.

THE FOREST OUTLAWS

A big thank you to The Forest Outlaws for their efforts with build-up and knock down before and after the show and especially with their efforts managing the new car parking arrangement introduced by Newark Showground.

THE FUTURE OF HAMMERHEAD

It was in 2013 that Dave Wise from Chesterfield Open Gaming Society approached Kallistra to see if Sally was willing to take over the organising and running of Hammerhead. In response, she started planning the show in the summer of that year and relocated it to Newark Showground from the old venue at Kelham Hall. The first show under Sally’s management took place in March 2014. Hammerhead quickly grew into one of the most popular and well attended shows in the country. After nearly 12 years and 11 Hammerheads, with only one missed through Covid, she feels that perhaps the time is right to hand the Hammerhead baton to the next person or group, who can take this very successful show into the future. This has been a hard decision for her to make and the Hammerhead Show and its ethos will continue.

Report written by Paul K.