GaryCon 2026
For my second GaryCon, I decided to throw caution to the wind and actually run games. Was it a mistake? Somewhat. Did I have an absolute blast? You bet your biddy.
WEDNESDAY: The drive up from Indy with two buddies was a great start, we had some good conversation, some scrolling, and even a nap (not for me, I was driving). We got in, grabbed our tickets (not too bad of a wait), picked up our Gamemaster swag bags, and headed to the Airbnb.
Quick note: the Airbnb was fantastic—well-priced, great location, and exactly what we needed: a place to sleep for about six hours while spending 7:30 a.m. to midnight at GaryCon.
First stop for me was 330 Center Street, Gary Gygax House the birthplace of D&D. Weird Uncle Brendan ran a Shudder Mountains DCC one-shot (The Southern Cross) for a table that included some well-known, fantastic players. I rolled terribly, took some great pictures, and had an amazing time. The host, Yolonda, was wonderful!! I highly recommend making the stop if you're ever in Lake Geneva. I was back to the house and asleep by midnight.
THURSDAY: Ran two games: Creep, Skrag, Creep (DCC) and The R00T of the Problem (DarkSpace). Both tables were full with waitlists, and everyone showed.
Creep is my favorite funnel, lots of death, chaos, and laughs. The room echoed with cries of SKRAG as Black Death lurked around every corner. R00T (a sci-fi hack of ShadowDark) went in a totally unexpected direction, but everyone loved it. Highly recommend DarkSpace for sci-fi fans not quite ready for Mothership.
Wrapped the night at Nerdnomicom’s table playtesting his DCC Whiterock entry, Mutant Spawn of the Toadmother. First playtest group! A few bumps, but a great experience helping out a friend—and honestly, nothing better than ending the night rolling dice for your favorite system.
FRIDAY: Finally made it to the vendor hall. I’ll be honest, it didn’t hit as hard as last year (GameHole Con still sets the bar for me). That said, I picked up some great dice from Black Oak Workshop (Craig is the best) and filled a few gaps in my DCC collection.
Then it was off to an AD&D game based entirely on Rush’s Caress of Steel. Absolute nerd heaven. Knowing the lyrics and lore actually helped solve puzzles and defeat monsters. Sadly, we never got to meet By-Tor or Snowdog. An amazing time!
Friday night wrapped with 10 Candles run by WHPA alum Rooster. Easily one of the most powerful RPG experiences I’ve ever had. I’ll leave it at that before I get emotional. Rooster's game running was NEXT LEVEL!
SATURDAY: Ran two more games: Tomb of the Savage Kings (DCC) and It Belongs in a Museum (WHPA, my own adventure).
The WHPA table was off the hook! Full house, eight players, including friends, online connections, and returning players. It was chaotic, weird, hilarious, and everything that makes WHPA special. Tons of laughs and plenty of supernatural nonsense. Dr. Hugh WILL RETURN!
Later, I drove to Kenosha with Grape Ape, Weird Uncle Brendan, and Manly Mike Curtis for “the best burger in the world” at The Spot (story for another time). It delivered.
Closed out the night at the Goodman Games Cultural Exchange, where all kinds of shenanigans went down. No names, but let’s just say some very memorable encounters.
SUNDAY: I found myself with no voice and fighting a cold as we woke up at 6am and drove back to Indiana, where I passed out. My only regret is NOT staying for Sunday, but one of my friends needed to be at a work thing at 1pm EST. Next year, I am staying.
GaryCon has proven to be THE RPG event of the year. GenCon is HUGE, GameHole Con feels more open and organized, but there is something about being in hallowed halls and hearing the echoes of dice thrown by our D&D Forebearers. All that PLUS some amazing people waiting and willing to chuck dice, share a drink and tell a story. 10-out-of-10, would HIGHLY recommend :)