A subform with a query as datasource with parameters pointing to Mainform controls does not appear to invoke it's Load event handler if there is no data from the source. This occurs when the Mainform is first loaded.
However, if the parameter value is changed so that some rows are produced, the subform's Load event handler is THEN invoked. One would think the subform's Load would be invoked when the Mainform is loaded. To force this, I tried to Requery the subform from the Mainform's Load event handler. That did nothing.
It gets better: if there is an OrderBy statement in the subform and OrderByOnLoad is set to True, Access will "stop working" when the Mainform is about to be displayed with the new data.