GenCon - Day 3

Saturday is the biggest day for costumes at GenCon, mostly because of the Costume Contest. A lot more people dress up than enter the contest, so it makes the Exhibit Hall and the area around it a spectacle. Then at night comes the Masquerade Dance (the theme of the Saturday dance changes every year) and the White Wolf party.

I didn't take a lot of pictures because I'm a crappy photog and I figure there will be much better pictures on the net. However, I forgot to get a picture of me, so I have this artist's rendition. (artwork by Brent Woodside.


The trick to the costume contest is to get there early. I got there an hour early and just by luck ended up with a good seat. I was pleased because my favorite, the winged elf from a couple years ago was back and won both the professional category and best of show with a new costume.

After the contest was a costume change for me. I had originally intended on putting mad scientist gear for the Masquerade Dance, to the point that I bought goggles to replace the ones that I forgot at home, over my outfit for the White Wolf party. At the last minute decided to forgo the extra gear.

Last year's theme for the Dance was Steampunk. This year's theme, Masquerade, had a much better participation rate and attendance. One couple I met actually bought their outfits in the Exhibit Hall for the Masquerade. Let's just say that couldn't have been cheap.

A good tip if you attend the annual dance in Union Station - there is a bar, The House, in the basement. The wait to get a drink is *much* shorter than the long lines that form at the bar in the ballroom. Plus it's easier to talk downstairs. We met up with more friends there before moving on to the White Wolf party.

The White Wolf party was back at Ice Lounge again. It's not my favorite venue because the club is long and narrow, as opposed to Club Industry, and the A/C isn't up to the task. But evidently Ice has a higher capacity, and capacity is an issue at White Wolf parties. When we arrived, they were only allowing in people with invites (which a few in our party did not have) and were 12 people away from stopping admission all together.

On the plus side, the White Wolf party has free booze. For some that ends up being a down side. When they finally closed things down we were invited to a private after party, but I was too tired, knew I had a noon game, and knew that I didn't want to drink any more alcohol and drive home.