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What is Board in Portage?
Board in Portage is a two-day tabletop gaming convention in Portage County, Ohio brought to you by Board & Bevy (the premiere board game bar in Northeast Ohio) and The Tabletop Times (a couple of bloggers who spend too much time at B&B).
For this inaugural outing, we’ve booked the Roy Smith Shelter House and the Old Jailhouse at Fred Fuller Park in Kent, OH. Space is limited to a max of 60 people in the Roy Smith Shelter House and 20 people in the Old Jailhouse, so expect a low-key and cozy sort of vibe where you’ll get to recognize most of the attendees by the time the convention is over.
Convention address, dates, and times:
601 Middlebury Rd, Kent, OH 44240
Friday and Saturday, February 5th and 6th, 2027
Friday - 3:30pm-11:00pm
Saturday - 10:00am-11:00pm
How do I sign up?
You can register on the Board & Bevy website by scanning the QR code or following the link below!
What types of games will people be playing?
That’s up to you! Half of the play area will be dedicated to open play, while the other half will be dedicated to pre-scheduled games set up by attendees themselves. We’re expecting a good number of heavy strategy games that people don’t get the chance to play often (like Root, Nippon: Zaibatsu, or Baltimore & Ohio), but we imagine people will want to play titles that fit more into light- or medium-weight categories, too (like Flip 7, Wingspan, or Aquatica).
There will also be roleplaying game sessions taking place in the Old Jailhouse to allow for a more focused experience away from the noise of the board game room (the Shelter House). Again, the types of RPGs will be up to the attendees! If you’ve been itching to run a one-shot for a particular system but can’t wrangle a group together, this could be the perfect opportunity to take it for a spin!
There are no plans to host TCG or large-scale miniature wargame events at this time.
Do I bring my own games, or will there be games to play there?
While we expect most people will bring games they’ve really been wanting to play (and already know the rules to), there will also be a small library of board games available. Feel free to browse the library and take a game to an open play table to get started!
The library will consist largely of medium-to-heavy strategy games, but there will be a few surprises in there. We’ll be sure to stock a handful of small and fast games, a few lighter titles, and some stellar dexterity games (Crokinole, Tumblin’ Dice, JamSumo).
How does scheduling an event work?
We are using TableRally as our scheduling platform for Board in Portage. Once you register for the convention with Board & Bevy and create an account on TableRally, you can navigate to “Find a Group” and search for “Board in Portage” on the TableRally website. There, you can request to join the group. After convention staff receive and approve your join request, you’ll be allowed to create and sign up for events!
When creating events on TableRally, be sure you are creating them in the Board in Portage group!
Will there be food?
Snack bars, bottled soda, coffee, and water will be available for free on-site. If you’re looking for something more substantial, downtown Kent is only a mile away and features a variety of dining options!
Additionally, feel free to bring your own snacks, food, and drink! We just ask that you be mindful with your drinks and any messy foods - every game at the convention is part of someone’s personal collection!
*** ALCOHOL IS NOT ALLOWED ON THE PREMISES! ***
What other stuff will be going on?
We’re planning to host a couple of tournaments, raffles, and a virtual flea market!
Tournament prizes will likely consist of a little trophy and a sense of pride and accomplishment, but you never know!
Every attendee will receive raffle tickets upon arrival. Each day, a handful of games will be raffled off. Throughout the day, attendees can choose which prizes they want to take a chance on, and then drop their tickets in the respective buckets! Additional raffle tickets will be available up until winners are drawn.
The virtual flea market will be hosted on TableRally as well. In a virtual flea market, attendees can post a list of games they want to sell alongside their contact information. Other attendees can browse what everyone has for sale, then reach out directly to make buying arrangements. It’s expected that all sales will take place at Board in Portage for everyone’s convenience.
How do I get in touch with the convention staff or other attendees?
The best way to keep in touch with other attendees is using the dedicated Board in Portage channel on the Board & Bevy Discord server. You can scan the QR code or follow the link below to join! If Discord isn’t your thing, you can also reach out to staff via the email addresses below!
Staff emails:
Coty (Board & Bevy) - boardandbevy@gmail.com
Devin + Kim (The Tabletop Times) - thetabletoptimes619@gmail.com
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