Wow, seeing you are the one that posted this is a shocker; I figured you'd been a train guy "forever"... likely a Marx or Lionel into as a kid, then plastic car models and/or offbeat figure kits, etc, then the skills got hit by the train,,,bla bla bla 😬... but long enough to have had the better chance at attending back when the hobby had more of them, and us ....
Shows can vary in presentation style from tradeshowish/big vender only to postwar junker swap meets, and somewhere in-between.
Having fun isn't hard at either because most have some kind of working displays, food and bev even if the hunt is over before it starts.. I like them leaning towards swap meet than vender 
(except for re-pop parts or detail/tool venders, Ive only really bought off other modelers)
Wishlist? kits? stock to bash on? collect? decals?
I've been to a bunch of small scale shows too There was always SOMETHING in O to smile at, mostly because it was priced like it was gold 
(but old HO/N for bashing/repair worthy is dirt cheap. I bought a buddy tons avg. about 75¢ a car,ten years ago ) ....and a lot of S seemed to be at HO shows too.
Have fun!
