“The Best Four Days in Gaming” will return for its historic 50th convention and this year’s Gen Con continues to be jam-packed with countless opportunities for industry professionals, family, friends, and gaming enthusiasts alike.  With 500+ exhibitors, more than 60,000 attendees from all 50 states, every Canadian province, and 64 countries; Gen Con has truly become a worldwide phenomenon.  If you’re considering attending for the first time or a returning Gen Con veteran, these top five highlights are what retailers and hobby trade professionals can look forward to at Gen Con 50.

1) Trade Day – The Wednesday before the show opens (August 16) to the general public, distributors and hobby retailers get exclusive access to the retailer program track where you’ll attend industry-only seminars and network with other professionals from around the country. You’ll leave Trade Day with support items such as free games and demo plans to take back to your stores. After that, enjoy all the show has to offer with the included four-day convention badge. Trade Day sells out quickly, so register today at gencon.com.

2) Georgia Street and Sun King Brewery’s Beer Garden – Just outside the doors of the Indiana Convention Center, Georgia Street has become the social hub for gamers from all around the world. The Georgia Street festivities feature more than 40 food trucks, live music all weekend, and special events from Wednesday night to Sunday afternoon. Gen Con once again has partnered with Official Beer sponsor, Sun King, who will brew a specialty Belgian-Style Golden Ale in honor of Gen Con 50’s Golden Anniversary.

3) Charity Events – Gen Con chooses an Official Charity Partner every year to give back to the Indianapolis community, and then plans a slew of amazing events to help support them.  During its time in Indy, Gen Con has raised more than $230,000 for local charity partners, and this year’s partner is Child Advocates, who represent the best interests of abused and neglected children. They’re more than deserving of support, so you’re invited to come out and do what you love best… play games and have fun!  There are a number of events, but some highlights include a massive game auction, “Cardhalla” where the crowd gets to build (and then demolish!) a city made of playing cards by tossing a hailstorm of coins, and an epic balloon sculpture pop.

4) Family Fun – Gen Con has made families a top priority and remains proud of continuing the convention’s Family Fun programming.  For more than 10-years, Gen Con has featured an area dedicated to family gaming called the ‘Family Fun Pavilion’. Here you will find North Star Games, Compound Fun/Calliope Games, Renegade Games, Blue Orange Games, and more all exhibiting their best titles for gamers of all ages. In another popular hot-spot called ‘Training Grounds’, kids become immersed in the gaming world and all its possibilities. Training Grounds is designed for kids and those young at heart to come, play, and explore! Rounding out Gen Con’s family programing is ‘Family Fun Day’, where families get amazing discounts on entry to the convention and attend events dedicated to family fun all day long!

5) Lucas Oil Stadium – Gen Con 2016 ventured for the first time into the home of the Indianapolis Colts.  Now, the show has grown so much that Gen Con 50 features enough programming to utilize the entirety of Lucas Oil Stadium.  The popular ‘True Dungeon’ returns to the stadium after being one of the premier events at Lucas Oil last year. True Dungeon offers an immersive, two-hour gaming experience that starts in an amazing pre-game environment and then thrusts you into an adventure complete with sets, props, NPCs, and animatronic monsters. With this year’s story being penned by fantasy legend Patrick Rothfuss, True Dungeon is going to be a must-experience event!  In addition, Gen Con has assembled a new exhibition dedicated to the history of Gen Con’s 50 years, highlighting how it’s grown to truly become the ‘best four days in gaming’.  Anime and Animation exhibits, the Gen Con Board Game Library, Contessa, NASCRAG, Game Base 7, KID events, and much more round out the programming featured in Lucas Oil Stadium.

This is all just the tip of the iceberg!  Gen Con 50 contains so much more to see and experience – A special concert from They Might Be Giants, the incredibly popular Art Show, Gen Con 50 Film Festival, costume and cosplay competitions, and thousands of other events over the four-day venue.  Industry professionals are highly recommended to carve out time in your busy year to attend not only a celebration of all gaming offers our many communities, but also to gain a true insider’s finger on the pulse of the hobby gaming trade.  See you in Indianapolis August 17-20th, 2017!