The first ever Northants Board Game Convention took place on 10th August 2024…
The 2024 Northants Board Game Convention was a resounding success!
Taking place between 12pm -9pm on Saturday 10th August at Kettering Arts Centre, we brought together board gamers from across the county in a fun social gaming experience.
There were over 430 games to play on the day from our board game library. There were be demonstrations of games to learn how to play, vendors selling board game-related wares, a Bring and Buy section for pre-used games, and competitions, tournaments and raffle.
We also had local game creators play testing their game designs.
The Venue
Kettering Arts Centre has its own licensed bar with refreshments and there were delicious food vendors too. Malaya 57, Fabjacks, Lovett Fudge and the church kitchen were all in attendance!
The venue was wheelchair accessible and we provided quiet and less crowded rooms for those with sensory differences, who needed a more peaceful place to play.
Tickets were £5 per person/£3 for concessions (under 5’s free).
The Videos
Find out here on YouTube (huge thanks to Joe Burden for making this!)
The Games
We had over 430 games to play on the day, from Azul to Zuuli! Featured below from our July 2024 Board Game Cafe night are Lacuna, Secret Identity, Can’t Stop, Quoridor, Quest for El Dorado, Machi Koro and Holi: Festival of Colours.
The Norbcon Team
![[L-R] Dez Dell, Gavin Price, Tom Houston](https://boardsofkettering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_5427.jpeg)
Norbcon is the passion of Dez Dell, Gavin Price and Tom Houston [L-R] who are all avid fans of board games. Gavin and Dez run Boards of Kettering who host a monthly board games cafe night at Johnny’s Happy Place and sell games at The Bean Hive in Kettering and The Galleria in Burton Latimer.
Rev Tom Houston is the vicar of St Andrews Church and manager of Kettering Arts Centre. He is a regular attendee at the board games cafe night and together they organised the 2024 Northants Board Game Convention.
The Frequently Asked Questions
How much were tickets to the Northants Board Game Convention?
We wanted to keep the Northants Board Game Convention accessible so adult tickets were £5 for the whole event. Concession tickets were £3 and entry for under 5’s was free. Anyone under 18 had to be accompanied by an adult.
When was the Northants Board Game Convention?
Northants Board Game Convention took place on Saturday 10th August from 12pm – 9pm.
Where was the Northants Board Game Convention?
The event venue was Kettering Arts Centre, Lindsay St, Kettering, NN16 8RG.
For travel to the Arts Centre please see their website page: Directions to the Arts Centre. There are also bicycle racks at the venue if you wish to travel more sustainably. If you are travelling by car from further afield, you can park for the duration of your visit in the Sainsburys car park. We recommend booking in advance as this will be substantially cheaper. You can book on this link.
How will the Bring and Buy sale work?
You pay £1 per sticker for each game you want to sell. On the sticker put your name, contact number and the price of your game. The game can then be placed in the Bring and Buy section. When someone wants to purchase a game from you they will contact you and you can arrange payment between yourselves. There will be a volunteer supervising the Bring and Buy section but we cannot be held responsible for any person’s property.
Can I park my car nearby?
If you are travelling by car, you can park for the duration of your visit in the nearby Sainsbury’s car park. We recommend booking in advance as this will be substantially cheaper. You can book on this link.
When are things happening throughout the day?
There will be a timetable of events throughout the day, including tournaments, and competitions. We are still finalising the details at the moment and will announce when complete.
I have sensory differences – will I be welcomed at the con?
Absolutely, we welcome any and all people with sensory differences. If the main room is too noisy or busy, we have quiet rooms where you can enjoy a peaceful board gaming experience. Please contact us for more information.
I’ve designed/made a game and want to come and game test at the con
We welcome game-testing at the Northants Board Game Con, please contact us to find out how you can come along.
Can I apply to be a trader at the convention?
All our vendor places are allocated for this year but please contact us if you are interested in attending next year.
Are there going to be any other disciplines at the con, such as card trading or tabletop games?
Watch this space, we are having conversations with people about running extra tables at the moment.