Located in the heart of the prairie, FlatCon is Bloomington-Normal's family-friendly, inclusive tabletop gaming convention. Since 2000, gamers from Central Illinois and beyond have gathered for a weekend of board games, role-playing games, miniature games, tournaments, vendors, charity events, and a whole lot more.
You will find a game you like at FlatCon.
A quick note before we get started: This is not the official FlatCon website. Red Raccoon Games gets asked a ton of questions about FlatCon every year, so we created this page to answer the common ones, tell you what to expect, and encourage you to come hang out with us.
FlatCon is our hometown gaming convention here in Bloomington-Normal. It's run by Tabletop Gamers for Good, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that uses gaming events to raise money for charity. Red Raccoon Games is proud to be a primary FlatCon sponsor every year.
FlatCon takes place over a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday each October in Bloomington, Illinois.
And because this question comes up a lot: kids under 12 attend FlatCon for free when accompanied by a badged adult. More on badges below.
What Can You Do at FlatCon?
Games. Lots of games.
Whether you've been playing tabletop games for decades or have absolutely no idea what half the acronyms on the event schedule mean, there's something to do. You can bring your own group, meet other players, learn a new game, enter a tournament, shop the Vendor Hall, or spend the weekend bouncing from one interesting thing to another.
Board Games
FlatCon has a massive board game library. Check out a game, grab a table, and play with your friends or family.
Coming to FlatCon by yourself? That's fine, too. There are plenty of opportunities to meet other attendees and find people looking for another player.
Play to Win Games
Keep an eye out for Play to Win games in the board game library. These games are donated by publishers, and everyone who plays one gets entered into a drawing. At the end of the convention, one of those players gets to take the game home for free.
Yes, somebody actually gives you a game for playing a game. FlatCon is weird like that. We approve.
Board Game Demos
Don't know how to play something? Check the FlatCon event schedule.
Attendees and game organizers run demos throughout the weekend to teach games to new players. Some are free drop-in events, while more involved events may require advance registration or a paid event ticket.
Role-Playing Games at FlatCon
FlatCon hosts a wide variety of tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) every year.
Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder are usually among the biggest, but they're far from the only choices. Past FlatCons have featured games such as Alien RPG, Monsterhearts, Call of Cthulhu, Dragonbane, and plenty of others.
It's a great opportunity to try an RPG system you've never played before without committing to an entire campaign first.
Do I Need to Bring a Character?
It depends on the event.
Organized-play programs such as D&D Adventurers League and Pathfinder Society have published rules for creating characters that can travel with you from game to game and convention to convention.
For many other RPG sessions, the Game Master provides pre-generated characters, so you can simply sit down and play.
Unless an event description tells you otherwise, you generally don't need much more than a pencil, some paper, and dice.
Miniature Games and Tournaments
Miniature strategy games are a big part of FlatCon.
Players bring their armies and compete across tabletop battlefields in games such as Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, and Marvel Crisis Protocol, along with other miniature games and tournaments.
Many of these events are intended for experienced players who already know the rules and have an army ready to go. FlatCon draws competitors from outside Bloomington-Normal, making it an opportunity to play against people you might not encounter at your local weekly game night.
Never Played a Miniature Game?
You don't have to enter a tournament to enjoy the miniature gaming area.
Spectators are welcome, and FlatCon often has demonstrations where new players can learn how different systems work. Most players are also happy to explain what's happening if you catch them at a good time and aren't asking them to explain six editions of rules while they're trying to win a tournament.
Giant LEGO Battles
One of our personal favorites: giant LEGO battles.
Past FlatCons have featured enormous LEGO pirate ships, tanks, mechs, and other creations battling across the table.
You may not have arrived at FlatCon expecting to watch two giant LEGO armies attempt to destroy each other.
That's okay. You'll learn.
Aerodrome
And we can't talk about FlatCon miniature gaming without mentioning Aerodrome.
Aerodrome recreates World War I fighter-plane dogfights on the tabletop and has been a FlatCon tradition for years. Even if you've never played, it's worth stopping by to see it in action.
Shop the FlatCon Vendor Hall
Red Raccoon Games will be there!
As one of FlatCon's primary sponsors, RRG has a large booth in the Vendor Hall every year, alongside game stores, publishers, artists, makers, and other vendors from around the region.
You'll find games, accessories, handmade goods, geeky things you didn't know you needed, and plenty of excuses to spend the money you were definitely going to save this weekend.
More Things to Do at FlatCon
Board games, RPGs, miniatures, and the Vendor Hall make up a big part of FlatCon, but they're hardly everything.
The charity silent auction is always popular, as is the Saturday cosplay contest, and the schedule changes from year to year with demos, tournaments, special events, and other activities throughout the weekend.
Check the current FlatCon event schedule to see what's happening this year.
FlatCon FAQ
What do I need to attend FlatCon?
You'll need to register for a FlatCon badge.
Badges are generally available for individual days or for the entire weekend. Your badge gets you into the convention and gives you access to many FlatCon activities.
Some individual scheduled events require a separate event registration or ticket.
Can I bring kids to FlatCon?
Absolutely. FlatCon is a family-friendly gaming convention, and plenty of kids attend every year.
Children under 12 attend for free when accompanied by an adult with a badge.
What's the Difference Between a FlatCon Badge and an Event Ticket?
Think of your badge as admission to FlatCon itself.
Once you're inside, many activities don't require anything else. You can visit the Vendor Hall, use the Board Game Library, explore the convention, and participate in many activities with your badge.
Some scheduled games and events have limited seating. A board game might only support four or five players; an RPG Game Master can only fit so many adventurers around the table.
For those events, you can reserve your spot through the FlatCon event schedule. That reservation is called an event ticket.
Some event tickets are free and others have an additional cost.
Popular events can fill up, so if there's something you really want to play, don't wait until Saturday afternoon and hope the universe provides.
Where Is FlatCon?
FlatCon is held at the Interstate Center in Bloomington, Illinois, at:
Interstate Center1106 Interstate Drive
Bloomington, IL 61705
It's on the west side of Bloomington along Route 9, near Farm & Fleet and Walmart. It's also the home of the McLean County Fair, if that's a more useful landmark for you.
Is There Food at FlatCon?
Yep.
Tabletop Gamers for Good volunteers operate a snack bar inside FlatCon for quick food and drinks between games.
FlatCon also typically schedules food trucks during lunch and dinner hours, and there are plenty of restaurants within a short drive of the Interstate Center.
What If I Register for an Event and Can't Attend?
Please cancel your reservation if you know you won't be able to make it.
Many FlatCon events have limited seating. Canceling frees that spot for somebody else who wants to play and prevents a Game Master from sitting there wondering whether you're about to burst through the doors dramatically at the last possible second.
It's just good convention manners.
Ready for FlatCon?
For current FlatCon dates, badges, event registration, schedules, and official convention information, visit the official FlatCon website.
We'll see you there. Look for the giant Red Raccoon Games booth. We're not exactly subtle.