In addition to the thousands of individual gaming events which we hope you are all looking forward to, we are delighted to be able to give specific mention to a few select events that we believe you should seriously consider adding to your Gamehole Con schedules.

Gamehole Con 2026 Kick Off Party

Our Gamehole Con kick-off party is back, this year brought to you by the excellent people at Goodman Games! In addition to a DJ and complimentary pizza, celebrate the 25th anniversary of Goodman Games with birthday cake and party favors! You will get the chance to mingle with the Goodman Games design team, including Joseph Goodman, Brendan LaSalle, Michael Curtis, Harley Stroh, Matt Hildebrand, and Doug Kovacs. Sing happy birthday to Goodman Games with your fellow GHC party goers!

The Dungeon Cocktail Experience

Check out The Dungeon Cocktail Experience (DCX) — a live, immersive fantasy improv show where you become part of a fully improvised adventure inspired by Dungeons & Dragons. From the moment you enter, you’re no longer at a convention — you’re inside a living, breathing world of magic, monsters, and mayhem. Characters of the realm greet you in character, mysterious figures roam the room, and the air hums with an arcane beauty. You're not just watching a raucous improv show, you're helping create an adventure based on your suggestions and as a character (but only if you want to...) on stage!

Faster, Purple Worm! Kill! Kill!

In this D&D-meets-comedy improv live show, four intrepid 1st-level characters go up against an epic monster and meet their gruesome but heroic demise. The show contains all the excitement of live-play D&D combined with lots of audience participation and a guaranteed TPK. Come and witness this hilarious live version of the official D&D TV show, "Faster, Purple Worm! Kill! Kill!" — and leave your notions of “the heroes always win” at the door. Don’t miss this show!

40K Tournament

Our friends at Away Games are hosting a two-day National Tabletop League 8-player 40K tournament.

Verika Game Library

Our friends at Verika Game Library are going to once again be hosting our amazing and still 100% free games library! Please make sure to leave room in your busy Gamehole Con schedule to try a game or two at our free games library.

Mad Orc Run

Join us on Saturday morning of Gamehole Con for a run or vigorous walk on the Capitol City Trail with fellow Gamehole Con runners. The fee includes a t-shirt.

This is a 5k fun run starting in Olin Park (not far from the Alliant) and running to Law Park (along beautiful Lake Monona and past the awesome Frank Lloyd Wright designed Monona Terrace) and back, all along the Capitol City Trail. Packet pickup is Friday, 6PM-9PM at the Gamehole Con registration desk.

Gamehole Con Collectors' Auction for Charity

The auction is back, and as usual, we will be bringing some of the most sought-after collectibles to market as we do every year. The range of items in the auction will go from "medium" collectability all the way up to "very rare."