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There’s an all-day board game festival weekender for tabletop fans happening in Manchester this February

We defy you to be board during this weekend with all the stuff these guys have planned for you.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 19th January 2024

If you’re into your board games, you’ll be chuffed to hear that there’s a tabletop gaming festival coming to Manchester where you can roll dice, role-play and roll up your sleeves for a proper old-school sweaty gaming session.

Ah, those were the days, and we’re determined to relive them as often as we can.

Set up by local tabletop meeting organisers Dungeons and Flagons, who have various events taking place at different locations all around Greater Manchester each and every month, the ‘Tabletop Weekender’ next month is set to be their biggest event to date.

Taking place in the first weekend of February, visitors can expect hours upon hours of board game fun, with tickets available for both days of the full weekend if you really want to put some tabletop time in.

The Dungeons and Flagons brand has slowly but steadily been building a pretty big cult following in and around Manchester, with regular meetings amongst fellow board game fans almost every night of the week at multiple venues in the city centre and beyond.

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While this is by no means the first festival like this, they’re hoping to kick off 2024 with a bang by making this the biggest and best Weekender yet.

And when we say this is an all-dayer, we mean it: the fun starts from 10am and runs all the way until 10pm on Saturday, as well 10am-8pm on Sunday, there’ll never be a lull in the festivities.

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Sponsored by industry brands Hachette Boardgames UK, Zatu Games and Chaosium Inc., you can expect raffles and giveaways, a traders row to buy and sell; bingo, pub quizzes and other activities, not to mention more cosplay and game choices than possible moves in a game of Warhammer.

They always have plenty of cards up there sleeves too. Not literally — that would be cheating.

But, seriously, the 18+ afterparties once the games have included everything from standup and live magic to karaoke, horror film screenings and party games galore.

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With games like straightforward Dungeons and Dragons and ‘Puzzle Parlour’ jigsaw sessions, to the Honey Heist RPG, the ominously named ‘Blood on the Clocktower’ and so many more choices, you can turn up and book on to so many different kids of games or just go with the flow.

Taking place in the Manchester Metropolitan University‘s Student Union over the first weekend of next month, this fun and family-friendly event isn’t just for those who are used to playing board games; the Tabletop Weekender is the perfect opportunity to give the genre a try if you’ve ever been curious.

If you fancy rolling the dice on it, you can grab your tickets HERE and there will be a small amount available to buy on the door across both days.

Hope you catch a few of you there!

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Featured Images — Dungeons & Flagons Events (via Facebook)/Hannah Reeves (via IG)