Schedule of Events
Friday:
5PM - 6PM
Dedication / Opening Ceremony: Elm (aka Library) Park - 900 Block of West Main Street - The Gygax Memorial Fund cordially invites you to the Dedication / Opening Ceremony of the Dragon Days™ Fantasy Festival! Invitees include Gygax family members, friends, former TSR employees, The City of Lake Geneva Mayor and other officials, press, fans, and the general public. Potions & Dragons will be served (refreshments and dragon-shaped cookies).
Saturday:
11AM, 1PM, 3PM
Ruko, The Smallest Samurai: Lake Geneva Public Library - 918 West Main Street - Gary Gygax loved to tell bedtime stories to his five children, just like his father before him. The adventures often involved a small boy named Ruko and his adventures in a fantastic version of Medieval Japan. Your children may gather 'round our Throne of Reading in the "Appendix N Alcove" for a magical tale about the adventures of the smallest samurai—an unpublished story of Ruko and the Octopus King by Gary Gygax! Storytelling sessions begin at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3pm.
3PM
Best TSR Character Costume: Elm (aka Library) Park - 900 Block of West Main Street - Come dressed as your favorite TSR literary character: Elminster, Mordenkainen, Count Strahd, Kitiara, Drizzt Do'Urden, Sturm Brightblade, Goldmoon, and more; and enter the costume contest.
10AM-4PM
The Wizard of Lake Geneva: Geneva Lake Museum - 255 Mill Street - Preview the museum's newest addition! Created in cooperation with the Gygax Memorial Fund, The Wizard of Lake Geneva™ exhibit is dedicated to Gary Gygax and his legacy of imagination. The exhibit follows the life and times of one of Lake Geneva's most famous sons, including his world-changing game Dungeons & Dragons®, his New York Times Best-Selling books, the founding of GEN CON® (North America's largest tabletop gaming convention), and his launch of TSR, Inc., the first roleplaying game company and publisher of more than 360 science fiction and fantasy novels—all done in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin! Get your free Wizard of Lake Geneva exhibit sticker while supplies last! (Museum Admission is free with a Dragon Days™ bracelet.)
11AM - Guided Walking Tour of Lake Geneva
2PM - Meet-and-Greet session with a TSR personality
All Day (10 am to 5 pm)
Fantasy Faire: Elm (aka Library) Park - 900 Block of West Main Street - Hear ye! Hear ye! The Dragon Days™ Fantasy Faire will sweep you into a land of fantasy and imagination! Explore the fine handcrafted wares of our costumed merchants. Delight in the medieval street characters, musicians, and other performers! Wear your own costume or buy one to enter the costume contest. Play games, have your face painted as a fairy or goblin, and trick or treat in our bazaar of merchants!
Dragon Days Castle Maze: Come explore our maze at the Dragon Days™ Castle! Adventurers of all ages are called to seek treasure in the depths of our labyrinthine dungeons. Will you encounter a monster while lost in the maze? Will you find gold? Or perhaps a magic sword or magic wand? Or even a legendary dragon egg? Adventurers beware of delving too deep, for those treasures will have little value if you cannot escape the Dragon Days™ Castle Maze!
Dragon Days Gaming: Horticultural Hall: 330 Broad Street, and American Legion Hall: 735 Henry Street - Play your favorite games—including board, card, roleplaying, and war games. Newcomers welcome! We'll demo games and teach you how to play. [Game Schedule]
The Adventure Begins: American Legion Hall: 735 Henry Street - New to Dungeons & Dragons®? Never played before? Try this easy to learn board game version of D&D®. Our experienced guides will show you how the game is played in just a few quick minutes! Suitable for ages 10 to 100!
The Birthplace of D&D®: 330 Center Street - Visit The Birthplace of D&D®! A short video runs continuously and provides a virtual tour and history of the house for our Dragon Days guests. This site is NOT yet wheelchair accessible.
Chainmail, Fantasy Wargaming: 330 Center Street - Learn to play Gary Gygax's Chainmail game on a real wargaming sand table just like Gary had—and in the same basement he played, using the very same type of figures he used! Chainmail is a set of medieval miniatures wargame rules with an added section on fantasy wargaming. These rules were eventually incorporated into Dungeons & Dragons®. Gaming sessions are open to all and run about a half-hour, starting at the top of every hour.
TSR Worlds of Imagination: Lake Geneva Public Library - 918 West Main Street - Meet local authors of some of the best known and most beloved fantasy stories of all time—all published by TSR, Inc! While tens of millions of fans have played D&D®, hundreds of millions more have read the amazing science fiction and fantasy works that came out of TSR in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Gary Gygax's company published more than 260 short stories and 360 novels, opening Worlds of Imagination to millions of readers!
Character Costume Photo Op: Lake Geneva Public Library - 918 West Main Street - Come dressed as your favorite TSR literary character and take a photo on our red carpet to be posted on our social media page! Mordenkainen, Elminster, Count Strahd, Kitiara, Drizzt Do'Urden, Sturm Brightblade, Goldmoon, and more: Give us your best look! Don't forget to enter the costume contest, outside in the Dragon Days Fantasy Faire.
Sunday:
11AM-3PM
The Wizard of Lake Geneva: Geneva Lake Museum - 255 Mill Street - Preview the museum's newest addition! Created in cooperation with the Gygax Memorial Fund, The Wizard of Lake Geneva™ exhibit is dedicated to Gary Gygax and his legacy of imagination. The exhibit follows the life and times of one of Lake Geneva's most famous sons, including his world-changing game Dungeons & Dragons®, his New York Times Best-Selling books, the founding of GEN CON® (North America's largest tabletop gaming convention), and his launch of TSR, Inc., the first roleplaying game company and publisher of more than 360 science fiction and fantasy novels—all done in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin! Get your free Wizard of Lake Geneva exhibit sticker while supplies last! (Museum Admission is free with a Dragon Days™ bracelet.)
11AM - Guided Walking Tour of Lake Geneva
2PM - Meet-and-Greet session with a TSR personality
All Day (10AM-5PM)
Fantasy Faire: Elm (aka Library) Park - 900 Block of West Main Street - Hear ye! Hear ye! The Dragon Days Fantasy Faire will sweep you into a land of fantasy and imagination! Explore the fine handcrafted wares of our costumed merchants. Delight in the medieval street characters, musicians, and other performers! Wear your own costume or buy one to enter the costume contest. Play games, have your face painted as a fairy or goblin, and trick or treat in our bazaar of merchants!
Dragon Days Dungeon Maze: Come explore our dungeon maze beneath the the Dragon Days Castle! Adventurers of all ages are called to explore the depths of our labyrinthine dungeons. Will you encounter a monster while lost in the maze? Will you find gold? Gems? A magic sword or magic wand? Or even a legendary dragon egg? Adventurers beware of delving too deep for those treasures will have little value if you can not escape the Dragon Days Dungeon Maze!
GEN CON® History Exhibit: Horticultural Hall: 330 Broad Street - View Paul Stormberg’s amazing exhibit on the history of GEN CON®! From its humble beginnings at Gary Gygax's home at 330 Center Street in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to North America's largest tabletop gaming convention
Dragon Days Gaming: Horticultural Hall: 330 Broad Street, and American Legion Hall: 735 Henry Street - Play your favorite games—including board, card, roleplaying, and war games. Newcomers welcome! We'll demo games and teach you how to play. [Game Schedule]
The Adventure Begins: American Legion Hall: 735 Henry Street - New to Dungeons & Dragons®? Never played before? Try this easy to learn board game version of D&D®. Our experienced guides will show you how the game is played in just a few quick minutes! Suitable for ages 10 to 100!
The Birthplace of D&D®: 330 Center Street - Visit The Birthplace of D&D®! A short video runs continuously and provides a virtual tour and history of the house for our Dragon Days guests.
Chainmail, Fantasy Wargaming: 330 Center Street - Learn to play Gary Gygax's Chainmail game on a real wargaming sand table just like Gary had—and in the same basement he played, using the very same type of figures he used! Chainmail is a set of medieval miniatures wargame rules with an added section on fantasy wargaming. These rules were eventually incorporated into Dungeons & Dragons®. Gaming sessions are open to all and run about a half-hour, starting at the top of every hour.
Dungeons & Dragons® Theater: Geneva Theater - 244 Broad Street - Dungeons & Dragons® movies at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm, with 1980’s Dungeons & Dragons® cartoons interspersed throughout the day. This is a great opportunity to kick back and relax while enjoying the big screen!