Gen Con: Claire’s Christmas in August

So it’s no secret that I love conventions. The more comic cons and game conventions I go to, the more I love them. Minus the disorganization of Fandom Fest, Gen Con weekend was a fantastic 4 days. (It’s amazing what a few rope lines can do for con happiness!)

I spent the weekend navigating Gen Con for those on a budget. With the Press pass, my admission was free, but if you’re purchasing a ticket, Sunday is your cheapest bet- 4 tickets for $30. Individual entry on Saturday was $50, but if you’re more in to the costumes, it may be worth it to spend the extra cash. Once in side, there are plenty of free activities. Then vendor hall alone can take your entire day- the coupon books had a few free items in them and you can have your own scavenger hunt. I also like playing the “lets see how much free stuff I can get” game. You’d be surprised at what the vendors are willing to give out if you ask.

While it’s advertised that game testing cost $2-$4 (in tickets), companies are more than happy to let you hop in when traffic is low. Sundays, being the slowest of the 4 days, are also a good time for this. Try out some giant games if you can- giant Catan was my favourite. There were also rooms where attendees could play test apps and tablet games for free, as well as musical entertainment through out the hallways.

I poked my head in on some (awesomely terrible) game-themed karaoke and caught the costume parade on Saturday. If you want to catch some amazing costumes, but don’t want to foot thefty $50/person bill on Saturday, try checking out the food trucks on Georgia Street. You can grab some delicious food and appreciate all of the effort fans put in to their gear. The Geekling actually asked a guy in a full suit of armour if he was her Prince Charming. Priceless.

Don’t assume you can’t afford Gen Con (or any con). With a little research and the right questions, you can have an fantastic time on a tight budget.