A new tabletop gaming convention will bring board and role-playing games, along with a community of players, together this weekend at the Corbin Civic Center.
The first Bluegrass Gaming Convention will take place Friday through Sunday. The convention will run from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on March 13-14, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on March 15.
The event welcomes both seasoned gamers and newcomers, offering everyone a chance to explore tabletop gaming.
Lead organizer Michael Ross said the event focuses entirely on playing games and will include role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, classic games like Sorry, Monopoly, and Risk, as well as hundreds of newer games available and scheduled events run by volunteers.
Ross said one of the most important goals of the event is creating a sense of community among gamers.
“There are a lot of people who play games, but they don’t necessarily know that anyone else does,” said Ross. “It’s just nice to know this other person who lives in my town also loves these games as I do… I just really like the sense of community that often kind of surrounds these types of events as people come out of their own gaming worlds and into a slightly bigger one.”
Ross has organized similar conventions in Ohio for the past 13 years.
Originally from Barbourville, he said, bringing the event to Corbin is an opportunity to introduce the hobby to a local audience.
“This is our first event here,” Ross said. “I’d like it to be annual, maybe even twice a year.”
Admission is sold as a badge, which grants access to the event and all scheduled games. Weekend badges are $20, while single-day admission is $10. Youth ages 14 to 17 are $15 for the weekend, and children 13 and under are $5 when accompanied by an adult. Ross encourages attendees to purchase the badge beforehand, but it can be purchased at the door.
A concession stand will be available, and proceeds from both concessions and a prize raffle will support a local Odyssey of the Mind team.
Odyssey of the Mind (OotM) is an international creative problem-solving competition for students ranging from kindergarten to college. Teams of up to seven students, grouped by grade level, are challenged to solve a unique problem. Each team works within a budget to write their own script, construct backdrops and props, design costumes, and perform a skit under eight minutes that presents their solution to the assigned problem. Judging is based on creativity, teamwork, artistic quality and more.
“It’s an academic team of sorts and really gets the kids thinking and working creatively,” said Ross. “I find it goes hand-in-hand with role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons.”
The event will also include a costume contest on Saturday, where attendees can vote for their favorite costume.
Ross noted that attendees can participate in a “play-to-win” program with about 20 donated games. Those who play these games during the weekend will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win the game they played. The giveaway will take place on Sunday.
Ross added that the event is meant to be welcoming to everyone, regardless of their experience level.
“It doesn’t matter if you’ve been playing games your whole life or you’ve never played one before,” Ross said. “You’ll find something to do.”
More information about the convention, including registration and a full list of games, can be found at the Bluegrass Gaming Con Facebook page, or visit the website at tabletop.events/conventions/bluegrass-gaming-con-2026.
Ross said the goal is simple: bring people together and have fun.
“Our motto is United we game,” Ross said. “I just want to bring people together, build a community, and have some fun.”
