Seriously, Dave, stop humming the theme song to Gilligan's Island.
Teague Bohlen
January 19 to 21
Ramada Plaza Denver North
10 East 120th Avenue, Northglenn
Denver’s youngest geek event is the newly christened Hexacon, which was created to showcase the best and brightest of tabletop joy, including board games, role-playing, miniatures and train games. In the deep winter, why not stay indoors in a comfy hotel ballroom and break out some games with friends both old and new?
It's not the size of the dice, it's how many natural 20s it rolls.
Teague Bohlen
February 15 through 18
Hyatt Regency Aurora
13200 East 14th Place, Aurora
Billed as “the king of tabletop gaming conventions,” GenghisCon certainly reigns in terms of longevity. Now in its 41st year, it’s grown to be an impressive collection of gaming, miniatures, merchandise and cosplay. When Westword covered its fortieth anniversary last year, it was clear that this was an event that brought out the fun in February, and one that's well worth a roll of the dice.
Colorado Anime Fest
March 23 through 25
Renaissance Denver Stapleton
3801 Quebec Street
If you like anime — we mean, if you really like anime — then Colorado Anime Fest is the con for you. Presented in association with the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, this event combines Japanese cultural panels with martial arts, manga reading and cosplay events that last the weekend. They also sponsor a different charity each year. In 2017, the event was successful in raising $5,000 for Urban Peak, a Denver nonprofit serving homeless youth.
It's contractually mandated that there be a blue bear at every comic con within the city limits.
Danielle Lirette
April 14 and 15
McNichols Building
144 West Colfax
There's a reason that we selected DINK as "Best Comic-Con" last year: because it's the best little con in town that you may not have even heard of yet. And you should, because there are some seriously cool artists and their work here, putting it out there not for the money and the fame, but for the love. (But they won't turn down the money or fame. Just saying.) Bonus: The International Championships of Dog Cosplay is set to take place this year, and it's going to be a barn-burner, worth the price of admission alone. My money's on Pug Vader.
StarFest Denver
April 20 through 22
Marriot and Hilton hotels
Denver Tech Center
Quick: Kirk or Picard? If you answered that question in any other way than “Huh?,” then you owe it to yourself to check out Denver’s preeminent science-fiction convention, StarFest. Covering everything from gaming to Dr. Who to Horror to comics to Klingons (and more!), the event is nearly round-the-clock and sure to represent the specific geekdom that you hold deep in your beautiful, nerdy heart.
Free Comic Book Day
Saturday, May 4
Time Warp Comics (and other comic shops around Denver)
3105 28th Street, Boulder
Warning: Just because it’s called “Free Comic Book Day” doesn’t mean that all comics are free for the day. Rather, it means that the proprietor of your friendly neighborhood comic shop has spent hard-earned funds providing fun comics created especially for the event — and those are the ones you can pick up just for showing up. It’s a great way to celebrate the medium: Why not make a day of it and pick up a few comics, have some lunch, then take in the new Marvel movie Avengers: Infinity War, not so coincidentally scheduled to release that same weekend? Now, that’s one super-powered four-color day.
Denver Comic Con
June 15 through 17
Colorado Convention Center
700 14th Street
The DCC is still going strong in its seventh year, and to the relief of a lot of fans, many of the complaints from the 2017 convention have been resolved for 2018. The event is back on Father’s Day (which makes for a pretty solid Dad weekend for those of us who prefer superheroes to belt sanders), and the convention itself is moving to the front of the house instead of doing its best from the back. And all the usual awesomeness will be in place, from celebrity guests to artists both amateur and legendary to vendors with stuff, stuff, stuff. All that, and panels and cosplay galore? Too good to pass up.
Myths and Legends Con/Westercon 71
July 4 through 8
Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center
7800 East Tufts Avenue
This convention is based on the idea that “the only difference between Hercules and Harry Potter...is time.” What stories we tell today, in whatever medium, will be told in the future, and how? Will there be Whovian tales of hope and disaster? Histories of Hogwarts and all the students who passed through its hallowed halls? Maybe. Myths and Legends Con is designed to be a smaller, more intimate venue for fans and dreamers alike to share their ideas with each other, listen to the opinions of others, and share some fan-fellowship. This year MALCon is proud to host the 71st Westercon Regional Conference on Science Fiction and Fantasy as well. If you’ve been wanting to try Myths and Legends Con, 2018 is definitely the year to do it.
I'm the best at what I do, and what I do is stand near the hotel fire escape map and point out the exits with my claws.
Danielle Lirette
September 29 through October 1
Crowne Plaza Denver Airport Convention Center
15500 East 40th Avenue
Comics! Games! Anime! Toys! And cosplay galore! It’s a bunch of loveliness wrapped up into one event. Originally started as a response to and benefit for the victims of the Aurora theater shooting, this community event has grown over the years, and some of the proceeds still go to help worthy local causes. Rocky Mountain Con is a great way to get your geek on and do something for the good of the community at the same time.
MileHiCon
October 19 through 21
Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center
7800 East Tufts Avenue
Denver's longstanding sci fi/fantasy convention has has been running since 1969, and it's an event totally worth keeping on your geek-schedule for the year, especially if you're a nerd of the literary stripe. After all, the relative value of a nerd is usually measured by the sheer volume of his or her collection of books, both hardback, paperback, trade and/or comic. Print media is dead; long live print media!
It's a -1 to AC, but a +3 to Charisma.
Greyloch at Flickr
November 9 through 11
Radisson Hotel Denver Southeast
3155 South Vaughn Way, Aurora
Remember when conventions were more aimed at the adult consumer and not at kids and families? The folks at DakuCon keep the old ways alive. This isn’t a nerdy EXXXOTICA, mind you, but the comics, games and cosplay for this eighteen-and-up crowd certainly allow for something a little racier — chain-mail bikinis, represent! Leave the kids at home and enjoy adults-only fandom as the days get shorter and the nights stretch out a bit. It’s one of the last local conventions of the year, folks: Eat, drink, game, dress up and be merry.
