In a world where digital has taken over the gaming world and the next video game sequel is as anticipated as any Hollywood (or streaming) franchise, it’s good to know there is still a place where a lending library of board games, crafting rooms for miniature painters, and tables filled with tiny facsimiles of medieval realms still can attract what looked to be a sold-out crowd, all in real life.
Pulling into the lot at the Cradle of Aviation Museum midday on Saturday to go to the Long Island Tabletop Gaming Expo, one was hard pressed to find a parking spot, and that’s a good thing. Inside, the crowd was varied, some dressed to impress in their best cosplay or LARP outfits, and others looking like they were all business, searching out new dice, artwork or the latest in accessories from the vendor area.
“I love being able to see all the different artists and finding all the little trinkets and dice,” said Kourtney Hochendoner, who was in full elven cosplay.
Throughout the Cradle of Aviation Museum, every nook and cranny was filled with people gaming, including board game tournaments for classic games like Uno and Clue as well as a Crokinole tournament – a game of skill shooting disks to score points against your opponent.
But the main event at the Long Island Tabletop Gaming Expo was the tables, where visitors to the expo could sign up to play in a seemingly endless number of role playing games all run by an expo game master. The official website said that there would be more than 150 gaming sessions across the weekend ranging from Dungeons & Dragons to Star Wars to Warhammer, no matter where or how you like to adventure, the Tabletop Gaming Expo had it all.
Attendee @xanthos_wears_costumes (on Instagram) said that he was there with his LARP troupe and loved discovering the indie games he hadn’t heard of before.
“Last time I was here I bought a pretty fun pirate card game,” he said.
The card game area included tournaments for many of the usual TCGs like Lorcana and Magic: The Gathering, along with other events like a draft for the brand new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe Beyond set, sponsored by Cosmic Comics & Games and Brothers Grim Games.
The halls were packed out with so much more to offer: A cosplay contest, live dungeon, and an espace room. Local Star Wars cosplayers had their traditional space at the con (they can be found in the same room to the right of the entrance down the hallway at CradleCon as well) giving lessons on light saber skills and taking pics.
“I’ve been coming here for like six years,” said Brian Rojas. “It’s fun, it’s local, it’s close. You get to meet a lot of the same merchants and build a rapport with people.”
