Dragon Days™ Fantasy Festival

Attendee

Welcome Goode Attendee,

DRAGON DAYS™ is a three-day, fun-filled fantasy festival for families, fantasy fans, and gamers alike! Located in the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, this city-wide event celebrates the city as the Birthplace of Fantasy!

Lake Geneva is the birthplace of the world's first roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons® and hometown of its co-creator and NY Times best selling author, Gary Gygax! It is also the home of Gary's original game company that produced not only D&D® but scores of popular games, hundreds of fantasy and sci-fi novels, as well as comics, TV shows, computer games, motion pictures, and more centered on the explosive growth of D&D®.

The City of Lake Geneva is committed to honoring Gary’s work and its legions of fans. Last year, the City held the first ever Gary Gygax Day and established several historic sites and events recognizing Gary Gygax’s legacy. Foremost of these is the Dragon Days™ Fantasy Festival!

Join us this year as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons®!

About Lake Geneva and the Festival Site:

In southeastern Wisconsin lies the scenic city of Lake Geneva, named after the famous body of water in Switzerland. The stunningly picturesque lake attracted the interest of well-to-do families in Chicago, who built mansions to serve as their summer homes along the shores, and the area became the Hamptons of the Midwest.

Today, Lake Geneva is a premier tourist destination, noted for its fine dining, antiques, and art shops—all within easy walking distance.

Attendees and children of all ages will be able to experience our Fantasy Faire in the local park along the picturesque shores of Lake Geneva. Here you may explore our Fantasy Village, enjoy trick-or-treating in our Enchanted Bazaar, adventure in our hay bale, DRAGON DAYS™ Dungeon Maze, or dress-up for our Fantastic Costume Contest! There will also be face painting, circus performers, Medieval musicians, demonstrations of Medieval craftsmanship, archery, and swordsmanship, and an Enchanted Bazaar with Medieval crafts, clothing, jewelry, and fantasy and gaming merchandise of all kinds!

The local library will be the site of fantasy and science-fiction book signings and a magical children's fairy tale story time. The town theater will present screenings of the D&D® movies and the Saturday morning D&D® cartoon—for kids of all ages! The historic gaming venues will have tabletop gaming of all sorts, including special introductory games that teach anyone how to play Dungeons & Dragons®. And finally, the local museum will present its Wizard of Lake Geneva™ exhibit about Gary Gygax and D&D®, as well as tours of Lake Geneva's historical D&D® sites, including The Birthplace of D&D®—330 Center Street!

There are many local eateries within a block or two of most of these venues, many of which will have D&D® Fantasy themed food and drink. Parking is plentiful and near. There will be modern restroom facilities at the Library and the wharf end of Elm Park and portable toilets and wash stations will be available in other areas of the park as well.

The Dragon in the Room:

That would be Wisconsin weather in Autumn! It could be warm, sunny, and spectacular or it could be cold and wet. The advantage of Dragon Days™ Fantasy Festival however, is that we have several indoor venues you can duck into for some respite and fun. Thus, the festival will go on rain or shine. Perhaps this will be your opportunity to wear that mysterious hooded cloak or fabulous wool cape you own!

Lodging:

There are numerous hotels in the Lake Geneva area as well as comfortable B&Bs.

There is also camping at Bigfoot State Park. It’s a 2-mile drive to the festival site, or a 1.5-mile hike along the lake trail. Bigfoot State Park offers campsites for tents as well as RVs, including sites with electric. It has clean, newly remodeled restroom facilities as well as showers. Grills are available for use, and campfires and pets are allowed. You are required to buy a park sticker for your vehicle. All told, if you stay four nights (arriving Thursday and leaving Monday), you’re looking at about $100.

Purchase Your Festival Bracers of Entry:

Dragon Days™ Fantasy Festival attendance will require Bracers of Entry passes (wrist-bands) at most festival venues. (The Friday Dedication Ceremony and all Lake Geneva Public Library events are free to the public and do not require Bracers of Entry.)

Bracers of Entry (wrist-bands) may be pre-purchased by clicking: HERE. These will be available for pick-up at the Fantasy Fair Entrance situated in Elm Park (aka Library Park), west of the Lake Geneva Public Library near the intersection of Madison St. and West Main St. the weekend of the festival on Friday evening (5 pm to 6 pm) and Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm.

Bracers of Entry may also be purchased onsite at this same location on the days of the festival.

Dragon Days™ Fantasy Festival is an initiative of the Gygax Memorial Fund. All funds from this initiative go to Gygax Memorial Fund, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.