Calling all SA geeks: It's Upcon time!

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South African video gamers and techies always have rAge in late September / early October in Johannesburg, but the local "alternative gaming" community, i.e. role-players, tabletop gaming enthusiasts as well as anime, fantasy and comic book geeks have their pick of 3 conventions annually.

The biggest, ICON, is coming up in July in Sandringham, Johannesburg. Cape Town's Dragonfire takes place around the Women's Day public holiday in August every year. I'll remind you of these events closer to the time, but now it's time for South Africa's first mass gathering of geeky types of 2012... at Upcon in Pretoria this weekend. (Check out the Facebook event page here).

This year's theme is Classic Horror, and the con runs this Saturday and Sunday, 14 - 15 April, at the University of Pretoria Convention Centre.

Entrance is R25 for the whole weekend, and attendees can indulge in all forms of gaming, watch anime, take part in a cosplay contest, browse sellers' stalls, snap up some Upcon branded loot (T-shirts and mugs) and even secure a date at the great Geek Auction.

If that's not enough, Exclusive Books will also be there, dishing out goodie hampers as prizes.

I really encourage all "non-computer gaming" enthusiasts up North to attend Upcon this weekend. Your support keeps these social gatherings going, and makes the blood, sweat and tears of the organisers - who are seriously doing this for love, not profit - worthwhile.


For more details on South Africa's gaming and comic cons, and what they traditionally offer, check out this post.

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