Jump to content
IGNORED

Classic Game Fest - July 30-31st, Austin, Texas


Albert

Recommended Posts

cgf_2016.png

 

The 2016 Classic Game Fest is right around the corner, taking place in Austin, Texas on July 30th and 31st. Now in its ninth year, the Classic Game Fest is bigger than ever, expanding from 25,000 square feet in 2015 to a whopping 45,000 square feet this year! Organizers expect over 6,000 attendees at this event, making it one of the largest video game conventions in the country. The Classic Gaming Fest caters to fans of classic gaming systems, featuring retro gaming tournaments, live panels with video game celebrities, costume contests, and live video game music. Over 100 vendors and artists will be present, offering a plethora of consoles, games, accessories, video game art, clothing, and much more!

Special guests at this year's show include Warren Spector (Ultima Underworld, System Shock, Deus Ex), Ernest Cline (Ready Player One, Armada), Keith Robinson (Intellivision Productions), and more! If you love video game music and chiptunes, fifteen different bands will be on-hand keeping you entertained all weekend long. Compete against other gaming fans in a variety of tournaments throughout the show. Dress up as your favorite video game character in the cosplay contests. There's so much to do, see, and hear at the show, this is a must visit event if you're in (or can get to) the Austin area for the weekend. The show schedule details all the events taking place both days.

Please visit the Classic Game Fest website to learn more about the event!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...Al, I think on the main forum page you meant July instead of June, no?

Yes, thank you, fixed!

 

I forgot all about this. I had a blast last year, wanted to go this year - but it completely slipped my mind. :(

It was awesome to have you at the show last year, glad you were able to make it out! Can't wait to see how crazy the show is with 45,000 square feet of space (almost double last year's show!) I am taking a break from this year's show as far as setting up a booth, though. I plan on being back there next year! Maybe you can come up again then. :)

 

..Al

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This was a great event last year! The fact that they are even using more space this year for it shows just how good it is and how well attended it is. It was great meeting Al and some some of the guys last year. Maybe I'll attend next year but this year my event will be PRGE. :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bummer that Atariage won't have a booth... who will show all those attendees that classic gaming pre-NES is still alive and well?

 

I did see that they sold out all exhibitor booths by the first week in June, so that's pretty amazing considering they bumped the size to 45K sq feet.

 

I'll check out Reboot's booth when I'm there, and hopefully Atariage will have a huge booth next year!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

cgf_2016.png

 

The 2016 Classic Game Fest is right around the corner, taking place in Austin, Texas on July 30th and 31st. Now in its ninth year, the Classic Game Fest is bigger than ever, expanding from 25,000 square feet in 2015 to a whopping 45,000 square feet this year! Organizers expect over 6,000 attendees at this event, making it one of the largest video game conventions in the country. The Classic Gaming Fest caters to fans of classic gaming systems, featuring retro gaming tournaments, live panels with video game celebrities, costume contests, and live video game music. Over 100 vendors and artists will be present, offering a plethora of consoles, games, accessories, video game art, clothing, and much more!

 

Special guests at this year's show include Warren Spector (Ultima Underworld, System Shock, Deus Ex), Ernest Cline (Ready Player One, Armada), Keith Robinson (Intellivision Productions), and more! If you love video game music and chiptunes, fifteen different bands will be on-hand keeping you entertained all weekend long. Compete against other gaming fans in a variety of tournaments throughout the show. Dress up as your favorite video game character in the cosplay contests. There's so much to do, see, and hear at the show, this is a must visit event if you're in (or can get to) the Austin area for the weekend. The show schedule details all the events taking place both days.

 

Please visit the Classic Game Fest website to learn more about the event!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just got back from Classic Gaming Fest. Another great well organized show. I missed seeing the Atariage booth, so hope Albert is back next year. Saw next years show will be expanded to 70,000 sq feet. They are definitely trying to be the biggest retro event in the country! To think a few years ago these were held at a store location.......... to where they are now is amazing.

 

I posted pics and vids to my Twitter account if you care to see. Twitter name is AtariTexas

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, 70,000 square feet will be crazy. There will be a large AtariAge presence at the show. :)

 

It was nice this year being able to actually walk around and enjoy the event! I rarely get to do this!

So you are doing an "every other year" approach? IIRC you missed 2014 as well.

 

My single day travel limit is about 250 miles one way. Living in Shreveport, I can "day-cation" to Baton Rouge, LA, Hot Springs, AR, or Dallas / Ft Worth, TX and back without lodging overnight. A single 5-Hour Energy shot mixed in with some diet soda is enough to help me manage the dark ride home. Austin would require staying two nights in a motel before and after the day of the event. So factor in food, lodging, gas, and cash to buy whatever loot I find at the convo, and I've grossly exceeded my weekend budget. But when I do land that dream job that will afford me to make such excursions, there is the very real possibility that my work schedule will conflict with the event. It's a classic catch-22. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scored a couple of 800xl's for super cheap (under $5 non-working) at Classic game fest today.

 

Cleaned them up when I got home and one of them fired right up 100% functional! nice. ;-)

The other one gets no power, so I'll have to work on that one a bit more.

post-38281-0-89345300-1470024967_thumb.jpg

 

Game fest was great again like always! I can't believe how HUGE it has gotten. I remember when it was just a little gathering inside the north Austin Game Over store location. It has really grown up.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scored a couple of 800xl's for super cheap (under $5 non-working) at Classic game fest today.

 

Cleaned them up when I got home and one of them fired right up 100% functional! nice. ;-)

The other one gets no power, so I'll have to work on that one a bit more.

 

Passed by that booth, saw all the "defective" 800XLs and Commodores for $4.99, and figured I'd come back and pick one or two up but didn't... now I'm kicking myself. Some of those looked so clean, I'm not surprised one fired up right away for you. That's fantastic that you got one that worked right away.

 

They scaled up the show pretty seamlessly; it was well run and looked to be great attendance. Definitely looking a little more like a modern "gaming" convention vs. the more clubby "retro gaming" conventions -- lower lighting, flashier, slicker.

 

A little steep on the entrance fees and concessions, but there were deals to be had and you could definitely get your money's worth with all the free stuff to play. 70K sq ft next year is going to be AMAZING... especially with the AtariAge booth there!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...