Adepticon moves out of Illinois after 20% attendance jump this year

Veteran miniatures wargaming convention Adepticon is moving out of Illinois next year after a hefty rise in attendance saw it outgrow its long-time home.

Adepticon has been based in the outskirts of Chicago for more than 20 years, but will shift to the newly-expanded Baird Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for 2025 after its attendance jumped 20% this year to about 8,000.

A statement from the Adepticon organisers said, “This is amazing growth, and we could not be prouder. But that type of growth creates challenges, and the unavoidable fact is that our current venue is no longer a sustainable option for the size of the convention.”

Adepticon said it would expand to cover three-times its 2024 square footage at next year’s event, adding that The Baird Center “is a location that we can call home for the foreseeable future”.

The convention has long been focused on miniatures wargaming, tournaments and painting, but has seen pockets of hobby board gaming spring up recently, and counts sponsors including Asmodee, Days of Wonder, Renegade Games Studio and Stonemaier Games.

As well as hosting the World Series of Board Gaming Midwest qualifier, Adepticon also runs annual tournaments for Splendor, 7 Wonders, Ticket to Ride and Wingspan, and runs an on-site board game library.

Adepticon will be held between March 26 and March 30, 2025.