Indiana Swap Meet and Program
WE WILL BE ADHERING TO THE STATE OF ILLINOIS AND INDIANA
RESTRICTIONS ON MEETINGS AND PUBLIC GATHERINGS
DUE TO THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND WILL KEEP EVERYONE UPDATED
THROUGH THE SCHEDULE PAGE ON THIS IS WEBSITE AND ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE
BLACKHAWK RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THE SCHEDULE OR PROGRAMMING
DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES
RESTRICTIONS ON MEETINGS AND PUBLIC GATHERINGS
DUE TO THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND WILL KEEP EVERYONE UPDATED
THROUGH THE SCHEDULE PAGE ON THIS IS WEBSITE AND ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE
BLACKHAWK RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THE SCHEDULE OR PROGRAMMING
DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES
Looking to expand our range of influence, as well as providing a much needed service, Blackhawk for several years has been holding swap meets in the railroading hotspot of Northwest Indiana.
We now hold these three times a year, in January, April and October, always on a Sunday. Go to our Schedule page for upcoming dates.
Meets are held at American Legion Post 66, 132 N Wiggs St, Griffith, IN 46319. The hall opens around 9 AM for vendor setup and opens to the public at 10 AM. Selling runs from 10 AM to 2 PM and then we offer a presentation on railroading, usually covering Indiana.
8' Vendor tables are $15 each, however the first table is FREE to Blackhawk members. Click here to join us.
TABLES SELL OUT QUICKLY. The size of the hall is limited, and our floor plan allows for easy movement rather than packing in as many tables as possible. We do maintain a waiting list, but for best results, order and pay for your tables as soon as you can.
Requests for tables should be directed to:
We now hold these three times a year, in January, April and October, always on a Sunday. Go to our Schedule page for upcoming dates.
Meets are held at American Legion Post 66, 132 N Wiggs St, Griffith, IN 46319. The hall opens around 9 AM for vendor setup and opens to the public at 10 AM. Selling runs from 10 AM to 2 PM and then we offer a presentation on railroading, usually covering Indiana.
8' Vendor tables are $15 each, however the first table is FREE to Blackhawk members. Click here to join us.
TABLES SELL OUT QUICKLY. The size of the hall is limited, and our floor plan allows for easy movement rather than packing in as many tables as possible. We do maintain a waiting list, but for best results, order and pay for your tables as soon as you can.
Requests for tables should be directed to:
- Blackhawk Railway Historical Society
2009 Boehme St.
Lockport, IL 60441-4611
How Do I Give a Presentation?
Although we have an extensive collection and library to get presentations from, we really enjoy live presentations from engaging and informed railroad enthusiasts. If you have a program about Indiana railroads that we would enjoy, contact us and we will schedule you for an upcoming swap meet.
How long should a program be?
60 to 90 minutes in length seems to work the best.
Will I be compensated for my presentation?
No, the Blackhawk Chapter does not provide monetary compensation to presenters nor any reimbursement for expenses incurred. We will provide a one-year complimentary Chapter membership to non-members.
What type of presentation equipment is available?
We can provide a laptop computer (Windows), a digital projector and a large projection screen. Presenters may bring their own computer, but we normally run programs from flash drives or CDs provided by the presenter. We also have a Kodak 35mm Carousel slide projector available, but presenters should bring their slides in Carousel trays. We will not load slides at the meeting. A computer remote control with a laser pointer is available.
How should I present my images?
Some types of presentation software, like PowerPoint, are ideal but not necessary. We can run images from your files in File Explorer, but please save all the images you wish to present in one distinct file folder.
Time your presentation: Run your show and time it as if you would be giving your presentation. Practice the oral part of your show at the same time. You will probably find that you have more images than the 90 minute maximum allowed presentation time. You either need to reduce your image count or talk less about each image. You certainly don’t want to fly through your presentation, so think about editing down your image count. Pick your best images and don’t over focus on multiple images of the same thing.
Write it down: Improvisation may be great for comedy, but doesn’t work well for novice presenters. Write your dialogue down, your explanation for each image. Practice it without the presentation and see how well it flows, then practice with it. A well-paced presentation will keep the audience’s attention. Your images are only half the show, your dialogue and how you present it is the other half.
How long should a program be?
60 to 90 minutes in length seems to work the best.
Will I be compensated for my presentation?
No, the Blackhawk Chapter does not provide monetary compensation to presenters nor any reimbursement for expenses incurred. We will provide a one-year complimentary Chapter membership to non-members.
What type of presentation equipment is available?
We can provide a laptop computer (Windows), a digital projector and a large projection screen. Presenters may bring their own computer, but we normally run programs from flash drives or CDs provided by the presenter. We also have a Kodak 35mm Carousel slide projector available, but presenters should bring their slides in Carousel trays. We will not load slides at the meeting. A computer remote control with a laser pointer is available.
How should I present my images?
Some types of presentation software, like PowerPoint, are ideal but not necessary. We can run images from your files in File Explorer, but please save all the images you wish to present in one distinct file folder.
Time your presentation: Run your show and time it as if you would be giving your presentation. Practice the oral part of your show at the same time. You will probably find that you have more images than the 90 minute maximum allowed presentation time. You either need to reduce your image count or talk less about each image. You certainly don’t want to fly through your presentation, so think about editing down your image count. Pick your best images and don’t over focus on multiple images of the same thing.
Write it down: Improvisation may be great for comedy, but doesn’t work well for novice presenters. Write your dialogue down, your explanation for each image. Practice it without the presentation and see how well it flows, then practice with it. A well-paced presentation will keep the audience’s attention. Your images are only half the show, your dialogue and how you present it is the other half.
How To Get There
There are limited public transportation options to Griffith, Indiana. Ride-share services may be available.
American Legion Post 66 is near the famous junction at Griffith, Indiana and the Griffith Depot Museum.
American Legion Post 66 is near the famous junction at Griffith, Indiana and the Griffith Depot Museum.