Big Bad Con 2023
September 28 - October 1 at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Hotel
Last year was our first year back in person and our first time in the new hotel. We learned a lot and we’re excited to return! Here’s what we have in store for 2023:
Event Submissions
Event submissions are now open. We're looking for RPGs, LARPs, board games, panels, workshops, and social events to make Big Bad Con 2023 our best year yet!
Free admission: attendees who sign up for any combination of 8+ hours of running events, GMing in Games on Demand, or volunteer shifts get a free 4-day badge to attend the con.
Sign up to run an event now (submissions open until 7/31).
Games on Demand Submissions
Games on Demand offers players a roster of games to sign up for at the con and GMs the opportunity to run their favorite RPGs, from the classics to brand new systems!
Sign up to run your favorite games (submissions open until 7/31).
Free admission: attendees who sign up for any combination of 8+ hours of running events, GMing in Games on Demand, or volunteer shifts get a free 4-day badge to attend the con.
Volunteer Sign ups
Rangers are the folks that make Big Bad Con possible! We're here to greet people when they arrive, get them registered, and help them find their way throughout the con. We also get to work with amazing folks…each other! Join the team as a:
- Greeter
- Registration Desk Host
- Board Game Host
- Panel Room Host
- Games on Demand Host
- Or to do Setup and Breakdown!
Ranger shifts are open, sign up here!
Free admission: attendees who sign up for any combination of 8+ hours of running events, GMing in Games on Demand, or volunteer shifts get a free 4-day badge to attend the con.
Hotel Room Booking
Hyatt rooms are available starting at $145/night. Book a room now.
Free shuttle service from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) runs every 15 minutes. Shuttles with lift gates upon request. Call (650) 347-1234 to schedule one.
More information about the hotel including information about getting there, parking, and nearby eats,.
Scholarship Applications
The Big Bad Con scholarship funds go towards helping women and people from marginalized genders, people of color, disabled, and lgbtqia+ individuals attend the con.
- Scholarship applications will open now until July 31, 2023.
- Determinations and reward disbursement will start August 22, 2023.
Apply here!
Crowdfunding Starts in early June
Big Bad Con keeps the lights on with your generous contributions. Through our crowdfunding campaign you can get a badge to attend the con as well as several of our favorite rewards like Big Bad GM, and Baba Yaga’s Tote. If the campaign does well enough, we’ll help bring out stretch goal guests to run games and panels at the con!
Head over here to follow the campaign and be notified when it launches!
Public Health Policy
Last year, thanks to everyone’s diligence there were zero reported COVID transmissions at Big Bad Con! That is incredible, and a trend we want to see continue.
In order to keep everyone as safe as we can, we’ll be maintaining our public health policy that requires all attendees to:
- Show proof of vaccination
- Test before arriving (we’ll provide free test at our welcome desk)
- Wear masks that provide KN95 or better protection in all event spaces (we’ll provide free KN95 masks as well)
What's Next?
For the next two months we’ll be focusing on crowdfunding and badge sales. Here’s some things to expect after that.
Playing great games and attending amazing panels!
Event sign ups will start once we have all the submissions in and the schedule made. We’re planning to open sign ups in late August. A final date will be sent out when we get closer!
All event bookings are done on the Big Bad Con site and there’s no additional fee to sign up for events (your badge covers it all).
POC Programming Track
In addition to the general Big Bad Con Scholarship, we’re raising funds for the 2023 POC Programming Track. Once we secured funds, the programming team will be nominating and evaluating potential scholars and then making offers to attend. More information on the program from 2022 is available here.
Thursday Night Events
Last year after the opening ceremonies we hosted Big Bad Squares (our take on Hollywood Squares), Not quite D&D poetry reading, and Dino Karaoke. This year we’ve heard word of a dance, a fashion show, and maybe more…stay tuned to find out more!
