VianaCon is an annual board game convention held in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, strategically scheduled right after Essen Spiel. This year it took place on November 7–9. The event is organized by the association Artmatriz and is completely free to attend.

What Makes VianaCon Special

Being scheduled after Essen means brand-new games are available to test, alongside an extensive game library. Several game stores set up booths, and publishers present new releases and even prototypes. The convention offers diverse activities including exhibitions, workshops, tournaments, game launches, and raffles. There are also non-gaming activities like a Peddy Paper.

My First Convention Experience

This was my first board game convention ever! Despite being a passionate gamer for years, I’d never had the opportunity before. I attended for 2 days and managed to participate in the Peddy Paper and play 5 different games:

1. Heat: Pedal to the Metal
2. Finspan
3. In the Footsteps of Darwin
4. Fuse
5. Last Minute

The Atmosphere

I was impressed by the volunteers from Artmatriz who were always available to help with rules explanations. They had a clever flag system for tables — you could signal “I need rules help” or “Player spot available.”

I’ll admit I felt a bit lost at first, but the atmosphere was so warm and welcoming that I quickly felt comfortable.

The Peddy Paper Adventure

The first activity we did was the Peddy Paper. Since we were only 2 people, we joined another pair to form a team. It was fantastic, we had so much fun! It was a great way to explore the city while meeting new people who share the same passion. Unfortunately, our team came in second place… so close!

A Special Conversation with Carolina Semrau

We had a wonderful one-on-one conversation with Carolina Semrau, co-designer of Trash Travelers. It’s a cooperative game for 1–4 players where you embark on a journey to save the ocean. During your travels, you collect trash, rescue animals, meet experts, and create objects from the trash you’ve gathered.

Carolina was incredibly enthusiastic and generous with her time, speaking with just the two of us. We discussed the game in depth and talked about broader environmental issues. Unfortunately, time constraints prevented us from testing the game, but our conversation definitely sparked my curiosity to try it.

My Favorites

Of all the games I played, I particularly loved Heat: Pedal to the Metal and In the Footsteps of Darwin.

Final Thoughts

For my first convention experience, I’m really happy. It was fun, welcoming, and inspiring. I’ll certainly attend more conventions in the future, and I’ll probably be back at VianaCon next year!