Side Quests & Bonus Events
We have some awesome side quests and bonus events that are typically cool options to include in your Gary Con schedule if you have free time. A lot of folks put some hard work in to make these things available to attendees—and we are glad to include them in our list of things to do and see!
2026 Exclusives
Screening: Draw Your Weapons
Presented by Titmouse!
Saturday @10:00pm-11:30pm(ish) in Swinghurst.
A screening of an episode of Titmouse Studio’s new series Draw Your Weapons—featuring artists, voice actors, and gamers playing D&D and drawing in the Titmouse gaming room in Los Angeles. Introduced by the creators Josh Knapp and Chris Prynoski.
Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye Pinball Machines
Presented by Stern Pinball!
There should be two of the D&D machines (one pro, one premium) and two other pinball games onsite starting Wednesday and remaining in the Main Lobby of the Grand throughout the duration of Gary Con XVIII.
The pinball machines will be on free play for all to enjoy! What’ll be your high score?
Opening Ceremony
Join us around 9:00am in the Main Lobby of the Grand Geneva Resort, where Luke Gygax will talk about what Gary Con means to him. We’re planning on having a Special Guest or two join us for the official opening of Gary Con XVIII, so don’t miss it!
After the opening ceremony, head down to the Forum Foyer for the first card pulling from the Deck of Gary Things around 9:45am, followed by official opening of the Exhibitor Hall around 10:00am!
Deck of Gary Things
Test your luck against Luke Gygax to win prizes or an ignoble end!! Happening in the Forum Lobby around 9:45am daily during the convention!
If you don’t have guts, you’ll never have glory—so why not risk it pulling from The Deck of Gary Things?! Maybe you’ll win a free badge, or maybe you’ll be compelled to volunteer some time to the convention. Anything could happen!
E. Gary Gygax Lifetime Achievement Award
Gary Con presents the E. Gary Gygax Lifetime Achievement Award annually to recognize the recipient as a person who has had notable contributions to the gaming industry. Gary Con CEO, Luke Gygax, and his wife, Bouchra Gygax, award this honor personally to show their appreciation and respect for the work the recipient has dedicated to keeping the spirit of gaming alive and thriving in our fantastic gaming community.
The most recent recipient of this award at Gary Con XVII in 2025 was Greg Stafford, an American game designer best known as the founder of Chaosium.
For Gary Con XVIII, join us in the Grand Geneva Lobby/Bar at 2:30pm on Saturday, March 21, just before the Gary Con Charity Auction, to see who will be awarded this honor in 2026!
Previous Recipients –
- Greg Stafford awarded posthumously in 2025 for GC XVII. Accepted by Jeff Richard.
- Mike Pondsmith awarded in 2024 for GC XVI.
- David Zeb Cook awarded in 2023 for GC XV.
- Lou Zocchi awarded in 2022 for GC XIV.
- Jeff Easley awarded in 2021 for GC XIII.
- Tom Wham awarded in 2020 for GC XII.
- Larry Elmore awarded in 2019 for GC XI.
- Margaret Weis awarded in 2018 for GC X.
- Tim Kask awarded in 2017 for GC IX.
- James M. Ward awarded in 2016 for GC VIII.
Hawaiian Shirt Picture
Gary Gygax, Father of Role Playing Games, co-creator of D&D and Founder of Gen Con was often seen sporting a Hawaiian Shirt. To honor his memory, many attendees wear Hawaiian shirts on Saturday and gather to be part of the annual Hawaiian Shirt picture.
Sport your Hawaiian shirt and join us at 2:00pm on Saturday in the Grand Geneva Lobby to be part of the annual picture!
Don’t have something tropical and fantastical? You can stop by the merch booth to grab the Dragon Hawaiian Shirt from last year or this year’s NEW Demogorgon Hawaiian Shirt (never thought we’d be saying that) or even both! After this year, neither shirt will be available for purchase again.