Interest check: North Carolina Retro Game Expo 2014

[+Rev]

There is no southeast retro gaming convention that I know about. Have I missed one?

 

Is anyone near the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area? Or even with a few hours of this area that are interested in starting one?

 

I can help organize it. I have personally never been to a gaming convention. So experienced people would help. I've attended comic conventions before.

 

Anyone?

[fiddlepaddle]

I'm not close enough, BUT have been to many large and small and have some suggestions for putting one together:

 

1) find a location first, free is best (examples: church meeting room, apartment rec room, even someones basement) and get a few collectors to bring a few boxes of stuff to trade.

 

2) start small, maybe 5 or so collectors. Think of it as a place to show off some stuff you have; maybe you'll sell or trade some stuff (maybe not).

 

3) Plan it as a series of meets, and grow each time. Keep a list of everyone who comes and email or mail a postcard to everybody a few weeks before the next one. Take flyers for the next one to used game stores and give to anyone you know who collects.

 

4) ask exhibitors to contribute games or whatever as door prizes as price of admission. If you charge, and the more you charge exhibitors, the more resistance there will be. Part of the attraction that allows admission fee is expectation of other people coming. Start cheap to build a group, then use crowd expectation later to support entry fee. OK to ask for donations, though.

 

It takes a while to build a good list, unless you want to spend $$$ on advertising and to rent a hall.

Edited October 18, 2013 by fiddlepaddle

[JasonlikesINTV]

I would go, but it's 835 miles (12.5 hours away)

[+Rev]

I was thinking of going big the first go around! :-).

[+DZ-Jay]

I'm in! And since we're neighbors, I could help organize it.

[+TrekMD]

I'd love to see something like this happen in the SE! We need an even like this in the area!

[fiddlepaddle]

 

I was thinking of going big the first go around! :-).

 

 

Oh, OK. Let me know how many pre-paid exhibitors you get; maybe I can justify the trek!

[rhcocker]

If you do put this together, I will be there.

[littleman jack]

This could be good. I'm just next door and believe there's a bunch of TN and GA folks who might show up for this

[gcc]

There are two retro video game conventions in Florida: Game Warp and Jax Arcade Expo. You can double check this list of gaming conventions for the southeast. While quite a few of the listings have video gaming, only the two in FL mention classic arcade gaming (at least in their descriptions on GCC).

 

If you do put a multi-day convention together be sure to submit it to us and we'll help get the word out!

 

Good luck!

Jason

Game Con Central

[mjackowski21@gmail.com]

Im definitely interested in helping put something together. Been looking for shows/conventions in this area as well, im from south carolina. I got stuff to donate as well as display if needed. Let me know what we can do to get this going. I can help advertise in the south carolina area as well. I own a mom and pops video game store SC. PLEASE let me know what we can do to get this going! thanks.

[Zwackery]

I could look into hosting one at my university. It might be good PR for us, plus a use for the facilities in the summer.

[bennybingo]

It's 8 hours driving for me, but I am always up for a road trip...I just need to see if Bea Arthur and Shatner are willing to split the driving with me!