Jelissa BurnsAppleton Post-Crescent
Aug. 12, 2026, 5:03 a.m. CT
The largest gaming convention in Northeast Wisconsin is returning to Appleton for its fifth year, from Aug. 13 through 16.
PhoenixCon will be held at the Hilton Appleton Paper Valley hotel, 333 W. College Ave., inviting video-game enthusiasts, board-game fanatics and everyone in-between to gather in one location.
The convention runs from 9 a.m. to midnight Thursday, 8 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
The vendor hall will feature over 40 vendors, artists and authors. Attendees will have the opportunity to browse handmade creations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and till 4 p.m. Sunday.
Aside from shopping opportunities, the convention will have tons of fun and <a href="https://comicvibe.com/galaxy-entertainment-q2-results-revenue-falls-2-yoy-0-90-dividend/” title=”Galaxy Entertainment Q2 Results: Revenue falls 2% YoY, $0.90 dividend”>entertainment for attendees, including:
- Video games and video-game tournaments
- Role-playing games run by expert gamemasters
- Board-game library
- Paint-and-take miniature figures
- Mini-arcade with over 20 arcade cabinets
- Mini-golf with a $1,000 hole-in-one contest
- Boffer room, or foam fighting room, with expert combatants
- Duck hunt
- Open gaming sessions
- Cosplay contests and prizes
For an added charge, guests can attend a royal dinner, a farewell brunch and a full-scale RPEX adventure and arena. RPEX is a large-scale, interactive, live-action experience where players walk through a giant physical dungeon using a 20-sided dice to determine their next moves.
Badges start at $25 for a one-day pass and can be bought online. Badge purchases include access to all of the listed events. Upgraded passes give access to additional events and gifts.
Special guest appearances from video game developers, designers, artists and authors are planned, although the official list of appearances hasn’t been announced.
For more information and to purchase badges, visit phoenixgamecon.com.
Reach Jelissa Burns at 920-453-5107 or jburns1@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @burns_jelissa or on Instagram at burns_jelissa.
