Every year, Tri-City Area Gaming (TAG) puts on a cozy little gaming convention, TAGCON. We welcome our local regulars and out of state visitors to a weekend of playing tabletop games. We bring in our expansive 500+ game library, schedule board game and tabletop RPG events, and generally run an incredibly relaxing convention focused on making new friends and playing great games.
Some of TAGCON’s features:
- CATAN National Qualifier for folks interested in competing for a spot at the international finals
- Paint-and-take station where people of all levels of experience can come and paint miniatures
- Artemis Bridge starship simulator in a dedicated space throughout the weekend
- The previously mentioned ginormous library of board games that anyone can check out and play
- Nerd Swap table where you can leave a book, game, or toy and then take one you’d like instead
- A whole bunch of other stuff that can’t fit here ^_^
While all of that is fantastic fun, TAGCON also does things a little bit differently than a lot of other conventions.
We invest a significant amount of planning to ensure that the space is physically accessible. Our tables are all spaced so that two wheelchairs could pass each other comfortably without having to move chairs. In a space that could comfortably seat 500 attendees, we cap attendance to about 300 to ensure we can maintain this amount of comfort for people using mobility aids. We never feel cramped or crowded, and that is by design.
TAGCON is super queer friendly. TAG regularly sponsors and tables Pride and PFLAG events, and we host over 50 inclusive events or our own per year. We ensure that there are gender neutral restrooms available and stocked with complimentary menstrual products. TAG as a whole takes swift action to remove anyone violating our Code of Conduct; and after a decade of guiding our community, we have an extremely strong and safe membership. Inclusiveness is baked into whatever we do, and we don’t put up with shitty people.
We maintain a Quiet Room throughout the entirety of the convention. If you want to leave the main convention floor but don’t want to leave the convention, you can sit in our separate quiet space. The Quiet Room is stocked with fidgets, puzzles, coloring pages, and other quiet activities. You can also check out our stuffy adoption area, or just sit on your phone without having to worry about anyone talking to you or around you. Recharge yourself a little, then come on back into the main space when you’re ready.
TAGCON offers extremely broad membership options. Students of any age, teachers, or any other public school staff members (including classified folks who aren’t in a classroom) are welcome to take advantage of our $20 pricing to get in for the entire weekend. Caregivers get in for free. We also have Hero Badges that our generous members can buy, to help cover people who would like to come to the con but can’t afford a badge.
Basically, we want to make TAGCON a welcoming place for you to come with your family and friends. Still not entirely sure if we’re the right fit for you? Pop in and ask to walk around a little and see what we’re all about. Want to visit a TAG event before committing to an entire weekend? Pop into one of our Wednesday or Thursday game nights (https://tricityareagaming.org/calendar/).
We love bringing new people into our community, and we’re really good at it. Come play games with us!
TAGCON is April 17-19, 2026 at the HAPO Center!
Standard membership: $40
Hero badge: $60
Education badge: $20
