General Information
Dates: August 20, 21, and 22
Location
The 2026 Best in the West is back at the Monarch Hotel in Clackamas, Oregon! It has
changed ownership and is now the Hilton Garden Inn Clackamas.
Address is 12566 SE 93rd Ave, Clackamas, Oregon, 97015.
Phone number for the hotel is (503) 652-1515.
A large block of rooms has been set aside for us at a special rate. Room rates are $169.00 per night for all of the room options except for the King Suite, which is $219.00 per night. You will need to ask for the Pacific Northwest Tool Collectors rate. Use rate code TOOLS
Nearest airport is Portland International Airport. It is 12 miles north of the hotel. As of this writing, the hotel does not have an airport shuttle.
PNTC membership
Membership in the Pacific Northwest Tool Collectors is required to register for Best in the West, except that we recognize membership in other recognized tool collecting organizations for our out of area guests. Those include the MWTCA and PAST.
Best in the West 2026 Schedule
THURSDAY PROGRAM
THURSDAY
TBA Displays and Inside Sales tools can be brought into the Main Hall and stored under your tables. NO setting up or selling, please.
6:30pm -- room sales
7:00pm -- 9:00pm registration packets available in the lobby
A NOTE ABOUT REGISTRATION
The Monarch charges us only for meals, and doesn’t charge us directly for the rental of the banquet room or the parking lot (for the tailgating). And the PNTC has to guarantee that we will purchase a certain number of meals Friday and Saturday. Because of that arrangement, the meals are included in the Friday and Saturday registrations, because that is how you are paying for the use of the facility, whether you actually eat a meal or not.
Questions about display or sales tables, contact Bill Racine.
Questions about registration, contact Chuck Guilford.
Questions about volunteering to help, contact Bill or Chuck.
Questions about favor tools, nobody knows what the favor will be until they are opened Saturday evening.
FRIDAY PROGRAM
FRIDAY
As early as you want -- tailgate sale in the marked area of the parking lot
8:00am -- 10:00am -- registration packets available in the parking lot unless Chuck is shopping afternoon & evening -- registration packets available in the Main Hall
11:00am - 1:00pm -- set up displays. Saturday sales tools may be stored under your table, NO setting up or selling, please.
Noon - 3:00pm view displays
1:30pm -- carving demonstration by Nick Milanovich
2:45pm -- Main Hall empty and secured.
3:00pm -- Speaker Jay Smith The Building by Hand of a Viking Ship -- CLACKAMAS ROOM
4:00pm -- 6:00pm view displays and auction tools, bar opens 5:00pm
4:00pm -- 5:00pm members may place 1 or 2 tools in the auction, no minimum, 15% goes to PNTC, value should be at least $50
6:00pm -- Friday Bucket Raffle
6:30pm -- lite meal served buffet style
7:30pm -- Welcome remarks -- Bill Racine
7:45pm -- Annamarie Schmidt -- scholarships
8:00pm -- begin Friday evening auction including member tools
SATURDAY PROGRAM
SATURDAY
7:00am -- sales tools can be brought into the Main Hall and placed under tables. No setting up or selling, please.
7:45am -- Main Hall cleared.
8:00am -- door to Main Hall opened, set up and shop!
all day -- registration packets available in the Main Hall
1:30pm -- announce display winners
1:%0pm -- Main Hall empty and secured.
2:00pm -- Speaker James Wright the Future of Tool Collecting and Using and Tool Collecting Organizations -- CLACKAMAS ROOM
3:30pm -- clear displays and sales tools
4:00pm -- view auction items, bar opens 5:00pm
5:30pm -- Saturday Bucket Raffle
6:00pm -- Welcome remarks -- Bill Racine
6:15pm -- Awards -- Les Marty
6:30pm -- dinner served, you must have your meal tickets
7:30pm -- 2026 BITW Favors handed out, wait we all open them at once -- you must have your favor tickets
7:45pm -- viewing of special favors
8:00pm -- begin Saturday evening auction
SUNDAY PROGRAM
Sunday, August 23, 2026
10:00 - 1:00 PM visit Open Houses on your own. A list will be provided at the event.
BITW Leadership
For 2026, Bill Racine is the BITW chair, Chuck Guilford is the BITW registration chair, and Walt White is the BITW Favor chair. And there are many other volunteers working to make this happen, who we will recognize at the event.