"Largest Historical Game Conventions in the USA?" Topic

Can the body of TMP give me an idea of the largest (highest attendance numbers) historical game conventions are, here in the continental USA? I am trying to form a list of conventions to attend in the next two years, but I only want to visit the largest. My purpose is commercial, looking for the highest attendance (with attendance numbers, and web sites, if possible). I will be visiting as a vendor, selling wares. Thank you all. Cheers!

never having been to either yet

Historicon and Little Wars(Chicagoland) are on my bucket list now that I am retired and free to roam as the wind cares to take me. I have a friend who has booth at both

Gencon, Historicon, Fall in, Cold Wars, comes to mind. There is another one. I think Origins.

If you want the highest attendance numbers of historical gamers that is probably Historicon, Fall-in, and Cold Wars. Other cons are much larger but are more general in nature.

None of those cons have easily found attendance numbers but if you look for them with google it has been posted online here.

I would not consider either GENCON or Origins 'historical' game conventions. Both are great, but they are more for general board games, non-historical miniatures, RPGs, and computer games.

Hi

Your Question is a good one but the real question is which convention will have the most people who want your product.

Many of the other HMGS Chapter's Conventions can have more customers and you less competition. Some areas of the US have lots of disposable income but no place to spend it. Others are more looking for a deal and have limited funds.

I have sold Terrain at Several shows over the last few years and my best Conventions are the Mid-sized ones in none Coastal Areas.

What "wares" are you planning on selling? With that information, you may receive more pinpoint answers.

Jim

The three largest historically oriented are Historicon, Fall In and Cold Wars (1,500-3,000 ish I believe).

That said I believe Adepticon I have heard is actually larger than any of these and has a significant Historical content. It is tournament oriented event heavy with GW events, but has Saga, Bolt Action, FOW and other historical events.

Little Wars is definitely worth a mention, but more like 500-800?

Gencon (30,000) and Origins (over 10,0000) are huge (not in the same category even), but definitely more SciFi, RPG and board game oriented.

+1 Wackmole9

I have taken wares to Historicon, Cold Wars and Fall In. I have been to a number of other cons like Recruits, Little Wars, Advance the Colors and CincyCon.

The best show I ever did, in gross $ amount, was Advance the Colors. I sold twice my best east coast show, and it was local to me (at the time). But I was the only vendor in the vendor hall beside a flea-marketish boardgame outfit.

Nothing like being the only game in town to boost sales….

Not GenCon. It isn't even a primarily gaming convention anymore, much less historical. And it's probably the most expensive as a dealer. And Origins is mostly a boardgame/cardgame convention and also pricey.

Kubla Con is probably the biggest on the West coast. It is at a large Hyatt near the San Francisco airport which sells out every year.

JPK

Not in the same league as some of the largest conventions, but Enfilade in Olympia Washington is primarily historical games with 300+ in attendance.
It draws gamers from all over the Pacific Northwest, including a number of us Canadians.

Why can't HMGS East get it's collective Board Head out? We are a gaming community not a trade show get rid of the booths and curtains and bring back the old way for the vendors. Those curtains close off the dealers and customers can't find dealers. Pretty soon the East will implode with its' Boards' own importance.

Hi

Richard, Can you define a "Gaming Community" to me. In my View the Board is trying to move forward and not backward.

Gaming community HMGS is basically miniatures gamers with some, may be more, board gamers tended to by mom and pop vendors. Not large scale multi-nationals with incomes in the millions/billions.
Move forward to what? There are various ways to move forward, but cutting down on the number of vendors at shows and raising their costs, while taking in loads of money from gamers to enhance the bank account of HMGS (for what reason?) should not be one of them. Why move to a downtown location that is expensive, when say the York county fair grounds are available and less expensive with more room for games and parking. As well as local motels and restaurants. Enough rant.

Gaming community HMGS is basically miniatures gamers with some, may be more, board gamers
Definition of community " a unified body of individuals: such as a : the people with common interests living in a particular Area"

tended to by mom and pop vendors. Not large scale multi-nationals with incomes in the millions/billions.
I don't like the Idea of being "Tended" the correct word is "Serviced" Make things I want and that I'm willing to Buy.

Move forward to what? There are various ways to move forward,
If you don't grow you stagnate and shrink in size.

but cutting down on the number of vendors at shows and raising their costs,
I would like more Dealers, who are willing to Service me with things I want and convince me to buy.
Cheap dealer rooms are full of stuff I'm not interested in and just make it harder to find what I want.
Because I can get everything in the dealer room online and save lots of money.

while taking in loads of money from gamers to enhance the bank account of HMGS (for what reason?) should not be one of them.
You know the Board members doesn't get paid, for all the work they do to put on the Convention.

Why move to a downtown location that is expensive,
Because it's a better site to run a National Miniature convention then a ruin down 1950's resort, just because its cheap.

when say the York county fair grounds are available and less expensive with more room for games and parking. As well as local motels and restaurants.
Have you pass this information on to the Board or is it a secret.

he board knows this, however, there are no free rooms for the board members at the York county fairgrounds.

So you think a couple of days in a hotel is to much compensation for work 8-12 hour days for the 4 days of the convention.

This doesn't even figure in all the other time they have to put in get the convention organized.

Why don't you volunteer to run one of the conventions and enjoy all that free room and board.