The wearing of costumes at PentaCon is always encouraged. The best costume will be determined during the evening break (around 7 PM) on Saturday and/or Sunday at 1 PM, depending on number of entries. Contestants are asked to pre-register for the contest at convention HQ during the con, or you can download the form HERE to bring with you to the convention. You may also e-mail your entry information to the chairman prior to the con. Judging is based on originality, effort, role-playing (being 'in character'), and story (background). Judges will be determined by the PentaCon staff, and their decisions are final. Prizes will be determined based on participation, but will usually include a free admission certificate for the following year's convention, and gift certificates usable at the dealer's booths.

Painted Figure Contest

Entry forms for this contest will be available at convention HQ or you may download them HERE. Bring the form (one per miniature) and the miniature to convention HQ to enter the contest. Entries must be placed in the competition no later than 12:00 noon on Saturday. Judging takes place soon thereafter. Miniatures must remain on display until 6:30 PM, unless they are needed for a scheduled game. Work will be graded solely on the personal preference of the judge, but will include originality, detail work, and overall appearance. Miniatures will be assigned categories based on figures submitted. One winner will be selected from each category, as well as a 'best of show'. Specific prizes will be determeined based on number of entries, etc.

PentaCon offers you the chance to try out the art of miniature painting. Stop by miniatures HQ (located next to convention HQ), choose from the available figures, take a seat, and try your hand at painting. Expert instruction will be there to give tips and help you to understand the basics. Once you are finished with your miniature, you get to take it home with you! PentaCon thanks the many sponsers of this event. Their donations make it possible.

A room will be set aside across from the main hall for computer network gaming and console gaming. The Expo will be open during regular convention hours for the use of our guests. Make sure you bring your Nintedo DS and WiFi-enabled games to interact with your fellow gamers. There is an additional cost to attendees to use this room of $3 per day, or $5 for the entire convention. Dropping in to check out what's available is free, payment is only required for those who wish to stay.

Bring your gently used, unwanted gaming items to be sold in our Flea Market on Friday and Saturday. There is no charge to put your items into the Flea Market, but PentaCon retains a 15% commission on all items that are sold. Check in for materials starts at 8 AM on Friday and Saturday at the Flea Market, which is located in the back of the main hall. Forms for listing your items are available at the Market, or can be downloaded HERE to allow you to fill them out prior to the con. There will be a $2 fee if we place the pricing on your items. Of course, you can handle that yourself at no cost! Payouts and return of unsold items will be on Sunday from 10-6, unless special arrangements are made at the time of item submission. All unclaimed items become the property of PentaCon. Flea Market selling hours are 10-10 on Friday and 8-10 on Saturday.

If you don't have any gaming planned during a particular time slot or your planned event finishes early, stop by our boardgame HQ and see the wide selection of games available for you to check out and play. If you just want to see what a game looks like, and maybe glance over the rules, you are welcome to do that for free. If you decide you'd like to play a full game, then the usual gaming cost of one generic ticket per player would be collected. Speak with our volunteers in this area! They are generally well versed in the ins and outs of the games they display, and can help you to decide if one is the right choice for you. PentaCon thanks GameBase 7 for their sponsorship of the games library.

Board games, card games, computer games, role-playing games, even fantasy football. If you have ever enjoyed a game of Trivial Pursuit, you are a gamer. Life, anyone's life, is made far more enjoyable with games. And people who are able to regularly play games are very lucky people indeed. Gamers For Humanity is a way for us to help other people who aren't so lucky. If you don't have a home of your own, if you're displaced from your city and job...well, games--fun and enjoyment--become a pretty low priority. Gamers For Humanity is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit, incorporated in the State of Iowa. We are dedicated to helping improve the world around us and we are coming to a convention near you!  At PentaCon, we will be collecting gently-used or new board games to build a family game library for new Habitat families. Three River Literacy Alliance will distribute the collected games to families who are receiving homes from Habitat for Humanity in the Fort Wayne area! Check out our booth for more information and see how you can help this great work!

During Friday and Saturday of the convention, stop by the PentaCard booth and try your hand at building a house of cards (or anything built from cards). On Sunday everyone will have an opportunity to throw coins at these creations to tear them down! All monies collected will go to charity, so have some fun while you give a little.