Gen Con is back this week in Indianapolis. Here's everything you need to know
Gen Con, the world's largest gaming convention, returns to Indianapolis this week.
An estimated 70,000 people, some dressed in elaborate costumes or 'cosplay', are expected to converge at the Indiana Convention Center from Aug. 3-6.
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The four-day event caters to enthusiasts of all things gaming (minus sports and gambling): tabletop and RPG's (Role-Playing Games) as well as video, computer and trading card games. There will be tournaments, miniatures, dice, a film festival, hundreds of exhibit booths, thousands of scheduled events, celebrity appearances, a costume contest, an art show, and lots, lots more.
If there's a Valhalla for fantasy consumer culture in North America, this is it. Here's everything you need to know about Gen Con.
How to get Gen Con badges and event tickets
Badges and ticketed events are available online at GenCon.com. It's $135 for a four-day pass, $70 for Thursday or Friday, $85 for Saturday and $17 for Sunday. Children under 10 get in free but must be accompanied by an adult with a valid Gen Con badge.
Tickets for the nearly 20,000 scheduled events at Gen Con are available for purchase online. Some events are free. Gen Con attendees are strongly encouraged to check the availability of each event to ensure they're not sold out.
Parking at Gen Con
Gate Ten Events & Parking is the official parking partner for Gen Con, according to organizers. Online sales for the lot at 345 W. McCarty Street have closed, so parking there is on a first come, first served basis.
There are more than a dozen other parking facilities within walking distance of the Convention Center, including the Capitol Commons Garage and Marriott Garage along Maryland Street and the World Wonders. Explore more parking options online with DowntownIndy.org/explore/parking.
What to see at Gen Con
Wear comfortable shoes if you plan on attending this year's Gen Con.
Organizers say the event will feature more than 500 exhibit hall booths, a life-size 10,000 square foot "True Dungeon" in Lucas Oil Stadium, one of the country's largest sci-fi and fantasy art shows, a five-day block party on South Street, books with "Authors' Avenue," seminars, panels, and Q&As with industry and media celebrities.
The exhibit hall will open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Can't attend in person? Gen Con offers streamed online content through its Twitch channel and Discord.
Gen Con Trivia
So why is it called "Gen Con?" Generational Convention? Generic? Generousness? Genuflect? Actually, the answer lies in Wisconsin.
Gen Con was founded in 1968 by Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax who met with friends to play games in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, according to organizers with GenCon.com Thus the name Gen (Geneva) Con (Convention) was adopted.
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John Tufts covers evening breaking and trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Gen Con Indianapolis: Everything to know about the 4 biggest days in gaming
