Gary Con facts for kids

Gary Con is a super fun gaming convention held every year in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. It's a special event that celebrates the life and amazing work of Gary Gygax. Gary Gygax is famous for helping create Dungeons & Dragons. Many people even call him the "father of role-playing games"! Gary grew up in Lake Geneva. His company, TSR, Inc., made and produced the Dungeons & Dragons game there for 25 years.

The Story of Gary Con

How It All Began

When Gary Gygax, the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, passed away in 2008, gamers from all over the world wanted to honor him. They held a special online convention. Gary's friends and family also had a game event in Lake Geneva after his funeral. This first gathering, on March 8, 2008, is now known as "Gary Con 0."

By 2009, Gary's son, Luke Gygax, started the first official Gary Con. It was still held at the American Legion Hall. "Gary Con I" took place on March 7, 2009. Many famous people from the gaming world attended. These included Frank Mentzer, Tom Wham, Steve Chenault, and Jim Ward. Gary's daughter, M. Elise Gygax-Cousino, also helped set up this first event.

Growing Bigger and Better

By 2010, the Legion Hall was too small for all the people attending. So, the event moved to a local lodge just outside of town. In 2016, Gary Con moved to the Grand Geneva Resort and Spa. Since then, the number of people attending has doubled! Luke Gygax, the organizer, said Gary Con is meant to be a more personal event. He wants it to remind people of the early days of gaming.

A TV Show Mention!

In February 2015, Gary Con was even mentioned on the TV show The Big Bang Theory! This reference brought a lot of attention to the convention. Their website almost crashed because so many people visited it. It also helped boost the number of people who attended that year.

What Happens at Gary Con?

Playing Classic Games

Gary Con focuses on "Old School Renaissance." This means they play a lot of games that were made when Gary Gygax owned TSR. Often, the people who originally created these games come to run them! For example, you might play Metamorphosis Alpha with Jim Ward. Or you could play Fight in the Skies with Mike Carr. Tom Wham also runs his classic boardgames.

Many other TSR games are played, and loyal gamers run classic titles like Chainmail. There are also historical wargames, which Gary Gygax loved. Another popular event is Joe Kline's Circus Maximus qualifiers. He even has modified versions like "Mobieus Maximus."

Live Action Adventures

In recent years, a group called Last Hope Live Action Roleplay has joined the convention. They are a local LARPing group. LARP stands for Live Action Roleplay. They teach people how to "fight" safely. Then, they lead convention-goers on a live adventure! In these adventures, you might face monsters and other opponents. You also have to find important items and solve puzzles. It's like stepping right into a game!