Popicon brings the gamer community to Downtown South Bend
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Century Center in downtown South Bend is packed with dice, decks and devoted gamers this weekend as Popicon returns for its fourth year, drawing crowds from across Michiana and beyond.
The tabletop gaming convention runs Saturday and Sunday, bringing together board game enthusiasts of all experience levels to play.
Rooms throughout the Century Center were filled Saturday with gaming tables, cosplayers and vendors: some of whom are local businesses that have supported the convention since its early days.
“We’re making drinks in the area for 15 years,” said Jonathan Zook, vice president of Blue Elixirs Inc., which operates a pirate-themed root beer stand at the event.
Zook said the caffeinated drinks keep gamers energized through long sessions.
“We have four different drinks. They all have vitamin C to fight your scurvy and a whole lot of caffeine,” he said.
While Popicon maintains strong local roots, vendors and attendees traveled from outside the region to take part.
“We run events all over Chicago and Detroit and other areas,” said Christian Stokes, CEO of Rough Magic Games. “I love South Bend. Bringing it here is so great. Seeing board games popping up in the area and watching the community come together is really wonderful.”
Regular attendees said the convention has grown steadily, welcoming newcomers alongside seasoned players.
“It’s opened a whole community to me that I didn’t know existed,” Stokes said. “The hobby welcomes anyone. You can find your people here. You can find your table, as we like to say.”
Zook said Popicon’s family-oriented mission has remained at the heart of the event, even as it expands.
“We’ve vended Popicon every year. It’s a fantastic group,” he said. “It’s more and more and bigger and bigger, but it’s run by a family to celebrate a relative named Popi who liked to play board games.”
Popicon resumes Sunday at 10 a.m. and runs until 6 p.m. Organizers say attendees are welcome to join any game at any time.