"Given us so much joy:" Annual Midwinter Gaming Convention brings hundreds of gamers together
MILWAUKEE -- If gaming is your thing, the Hilton Milwaukee City Center is where you ought to be this weekend. The annual Midwinter Gaming Convention has been growing and expanding thanks to technology and changing pop culture.
Midwinter Gaming Convention
Live action role play and a chance to live out your favorite games, all around the Hilton Milwaukee City Center, games are being played. It's one of Anne Holmes' dreams.
Midwinter Gaming Convention
"We want to spread the love and spread the hobby that has given us so much joy," said Midwinter Gaming Convention President, Anne Holmes.
Holmes started the convention with just 150 people at a VFW for one night only. It's now a four-day event with more than 1,300 attendees.
"Geek or nerd, culture has definitely become more mainstream and it's something that people are looking at," Holmes said.
Midwinter Gaming Convention
At every turn is a new game. David Robins enjoys tabletop.
Midwinter Gaming Convention
"I love the social aspect of it. Other people play online, role playing games and things like that but I prefer being able to sit around a table," said Robins.
Robins can do that all night at the convention, the room will be open for 33 hours straight!
"It gives us an opportunity to find people who like to play the longer, in-depth games," said Robins.
You can also find new games not on the market yet, such as, "RobotLab," a light card game where the goal is to build a robot.
Midwinter Gaming Convention
"They wanted a game that was about building something rather than tearing something down or destroying something," said Noah Miller, President of XYZ Game Labs.
Midwinter Gaming Convention
It's fun for kids and parents alike, and inspired by STEM.
"If we can give kids a positive experience early on about building robots, then they'll carry that with them as they grow," said Miller.
The convention runs through Sunday, January 15th. While they don't expect a huge crowd after Sunday's Packers-Cowboys kickoff, they will be open until 6:00 p.m. for anyone who wants to join.