Dragon Days™ Fantasy Festival
Faire Vendor and Performer
Updated 1/25/2024
Welcome, Goode Faire Vendor or Performer
It is with genuine pleasure that we announce the annual return of the Dragon Days™ Fantasy Festival! Designed to be a hybrid between a classic Ren Faire and game convention, this event has a built-in pedigree to back it: Dungeons & Dragons®, the world’s most famous roleplaying game.
For those of you who somehow haven’t heard about Dungeons & Dragons®, it was launched 50 years ago in the idyllic town of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Designed by Gary Gygax (the “father” of roleplaying games) and Dave Arneson, the game took the world by storm. TSR, the company Gary Gygax formed in the City of Lake Geneva, built an empire of games, books, comics, TV shows, computer games, motion pictures, and more centered on the explosive growth of D&D®.
The City is committed to honoring his work and its legions of fans. Last year, the City of Lake Geneva held the first ever Gary Gygax Day and worked on the establishment of several historic sites recognizing Gary Gygax’s legacy. Foremost of these is the Dragon Days™ Fantasy Festival! While the big push for this event will take place this year to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons®, 2023 was our preliminary launch to get in and learn the ropes.
Key dates are as follows:
September 27-29, 2024 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday)—the 50th Anniversary of the printing of Dungeons & Dragons®, the big deal!
Based on last year’s experience, the Festival will be partially open to the public. Specifically, we intend to have an area with primarily vendors accessible to the public, and another area as a ‘village’ with performers and performative vendors (blacksmith, straw bale dungeon maze, musicians, and stage performances.
Friday will be opening ceremonies and a few indoor gaming events. Merchants vending at the park may start setting up as early as noon Friday.
Saturday & Sunday the outdoor festival portion will be open from 10am to 5pm, both days. Indoor events will be as scheduled.
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 wealthy families in Chicago, who built summer houses (read: mansions) along the shores, and the area became the Hamptons of the Midwest.
Today, Lake Geneva is still a well-to-do tourist destination, noted for its fine dining, antiques, and art shops—all within easy walking distance wrapping around one end of the lake.
The game convention portion of the Dragon Days Fantasy Festival will be held indoors at several area locations. The festival portion will be held outdoors at Elm Park (aka Library Park to the locals), right on the shores of the lake. Merchants will be west of the library, next to the walking trail that runs 26 miles around the entire lake. The scenery backdrop provided by the Lake, hills, and forests will be breathtaking!
While there will be no or limited food vendors at the park festival, there are many local eateries within a block or two. Parking is plentiful and near. The library features modern restroom facilities, and there are modern restrooms at the wharf end of the park.
Portable toilets will be stationed throughout the rest of the park as well.
The Elephant in the Room . . .
Ah yes! That would be Wisconsin weather! Well, it could be warm, sunny, and spectacular. Or it could be cold, wet, and miserable. Or there’s a remote chance it could even be snowing! This is your opportunity to bring the long underwear and that fabulous wool cape to wear (or sell!).
Festival folk are hardy folk, so please open and close on time. If the weather turns too bad, festival management will let you know it’s okay to shut down. If you bow out on your own, well, we want you to be safe. Give management the courtesy of telling them you’re going to leave, and we may be able to find a solution.
Lodging:
There are numerous hotels in the Lake Geneva area, including Chateau Royale and Geneva Wells right in town that are on the less expensive side. We are checking on a block rate for hotels; an email update will be sent as soon as we have one.
Camping at Bigfoot State Park is a good bet. It’s a 2-mile drive to the festival site, or a 1.5-mile hike along the lake trail. Bigfoot State Park offers sites for tents and RVs. 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. If you stay three nights (arriving Friday to set up and leaving Monday), you’re looking at about $80.
As a performer, perhaps you would like to provide D&D® or other fantastical themed
attendee interactive skits
comedy acts
musical performances
roving character cosplay
anything else performance centered
And Finally . . .
We look forward to working with you in making the Dragon Days Fantasy Festival a rollicking and profitable faire/con! Welcome, goode merchant!
Merchant Coordinator: Dori Hein: dorlemagne@gmail.com.
Festival Manager: Harold “Wisconsin” Johnson: hal0309@gmail.com.
Festival Sponsor: Gygax Memorial Fund: c/o Paul Stormberg, Festival Co-Chair: gygaxmemorialfundinc@gmail.com.
Prospective Merchant Application
for the
1st Annual Dragon Days Fantasy Festival
Elm Park
918 West Main Street, Lake Geneva, WI 53147
September 27-29, 2024 10:00AM to 5:00PM Saturday and Sunday
I/we __________________________________________________________________, representing
________________________________________ (name of shop), request acceptance into the “1st Annual Dragon Days Fantasy Festival.” I agree to the following:
Dress in Roleplaying, Fantasy, Renaissance, or Steampunk attire and design my space accordingly.
Not smoke or use cell phones in my shop except for running credit-card purchases.
Have my tent/booth fully up and running by opening (10:00AM) and not close until official day ending (3:00PM).
Please tell us about your setup:
___ I have my own period tent (dimensions: ________________)
___ I have a pop-up tent (dimensions: ________________) but will decorate it to look appropriate
___ I have a vardo or traveling wagon on a trailer
___ I have a cart or street stand
Please check if you have special requests or needs*:
___ I must have electrical hookup
___ I have mobility issues
___ Other (please state: ________________________________________________________________)
*Note: We will do our best to accommodate you but make no guarantees.
Please check as appropriate:
___ I vend at these renaissance festivals: __________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
___ I vend at these game conventions: ____________________________________________________
___ I vend at these art festivals: __________________________________________________________
___ I am a new artist and have vended at four or fewer other shows
I sell the following products (check all that apply):
___ Games ___ Media merchandise ___ Metal items ___ Clothing/costumes ___ Leather goods ___ Pirate goods
___ Children’s wares ___ Wood items ___ Fairy wares ___ Jewelry ___ Housewares ___ Historically accurate items
___ Weapons ___ Glass items ___ Food/edibles ___ Scented items ___ Art prints or books ___ Art objects
___ Ceramics ___ Furniture ___ Other ___________________
___ Roleplaying Games (_______________________________________________________________)
Please check all that apply:
___ All of my wares are handmade
___ All of my wares are commercially produced
___ Some of my wares are handmade
___ All or most of my wares are vintage wares (flea market finds/reseller)
Please check the following:
___ I will make my own lodging arrangements
___ I will camp at Bigfoot State Park
___ If group rates for hotels or camping become available, please contact me
Please check the following:
___ I am paying the vendor fee in full: $25.00 .
___ I will put on scheduled demos at my booth (with times posted): $0 (fee waived) .
___ I cannot attend this year, but please send me an application for 2024. I understand the vendor fees will be significantly higher.
Name(s) ______________________________________________
Business Name(s) ______________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________
City/State/Zip ______________________________________________
Phone ______________________________________________
Email ______________________________________________
Facebook ______________________________________________
Website ______________________________________________
Signed: __________________________________ Dated: _____________________________
__ I have a Wisconsin Sales Tax ID number: ____________________________________
__ I have liability insurance from __________________________________________ in the amount of ____________