PrairieCon returns with ‘festival of gaming’
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com
- Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
*Your next Free Press subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
PrairieCon is hosting its annual offering of tabletop games and role-playing adventures in the Brandon Curling Club at the Keystone Centre this weekend.
The volunteer-run gaming festival, which began Friday and continues through Sunday, features dozens of tables where attendees can sit down with friends, family and fellow gamers to enjoy a wide variety of tabletop experiences.
PrairieCon president James Hood said organizers hope the convention will draw more than 400 gaming enthusiasts from across Manitoba and beyond, including registered participants and additional visitors stopping by to explore the event.
PrairieCon president James Hood says the annual event focuses on face-to-face gaming experiences rather than computer or video games, creating a social atmosphere centred around community and connection. (Abiola Odutola/The Brandon Sun)
“We call it a festival of gaming,” he told the Sun. “Anybody who’s interested in playing tabletop games — board games, role-playing games, card games and party games — can come down and enjoy the experience.”
Hood said the event focuses on face-to-face gaming experiences rather than computer or video games, creating a social atmosphere centred around community and connection.
This year marks another milestone for the convention, which has been part of the Brandon community since 1980.
“It’s been going on for quite a few years,” Hood said. “We also host smaller game days throughout the year in community centres, but this is our big annual convention.”
Visitors are also welcome to walk through the convention, observe games in progress and register to participate in activities throughout the weekend, he said.
In addition to gameplay, PrairieCon features a rainbow auction and several themed prize packages, including family games, spooky-themed games, miniature painting sets and outdoor gaming activities.
“We try to do the prize packages by themes, so there’s something for everybody,” Hood said.
One noticeable change this year is the increased number of vendors participating in the convention. Hood said several vendors expanded their presence with additional tables, reflecting growing interest in the event.
“We have more vendors here than we’ve had previously,” he said. “Some vendors who had one table last year now have two or three.”
Despite the scale of the event, Hood credited PrairieCon’s success to its volunteers.
“This is a volunteer-run place,” he said. “We live and die on our volunteers, and we really appreciate them.”
While PrairieCon attracts participants from across Manitoba, Hood said the convention remains proudly rooted in Brandon and the Westman region.
“Most of our board members are from Brandon, though we also have some from Winnipeg,” he said. “It’s still locally branded and Westman-based.”
» aodutola@brandonsun.com
» X: @AbiolaOdutola