July 16-20, 2025
Lancaster County Convention Center
Theme: 250th Birthday of the U.S. Army
This is your final reminder that Pre-Registration closes on Tuesday July 15th at 6 PM Eastern time. After that you will have to register on site. Final preparations for Historicon 2025 are nearly complete and we are ready to welcome folks back to the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square and the Lancaster County Convention Center. The Historicon Staff looks forward to providing everyone the same outstanding gaming, tournaments, War College lectures, Hobby U classes, vendor shopping and Wally’s Basement sessions that you have come to expect from the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society® (HMGS).
Our Historicon 2025 theme is “Celebrating the 250th Birthday of the US Army”. We have a number of special events and items to celebrate our convention theme.
- Historicon is providing each attendee a figure of Colonel Prescott from the Battle of Bunker Hill along with a special base that celebrates the 250th Birthdays of the US Army (@ Historicon) and the Navy and Marine Corps (@ Fall In!). The figures and the custom base were beautifully sculpted by Paul Hicks and provided by Brigade Games. They are designed so you can display them on the base or as standalone figures for your Game table. Brigade Games is holding a “in-convention” painting contest (see the Program for details).
- The Wargames Illustrated Painting Competition is on Saturday in the Freedom Lobby Area. Please bring your figures early on Saturday to the desk to be considered for prizes.
- The Iron Paintbrush competition is on Saturday night in Freedom A (Wally’s area) for those brave souls who want to kit bash and paint “with taunting” from the Hobby U staff. Please Register for this fun event.
- We are bringing back the ever-popular Beer (and now Soda too) in the Vendor Hall on Saturday Afternoon starting at 2 PM. Come by and fight off that summer heat and of course do some shopping.
General Convention Site Information
(including some location changes – please read carefully)
There is ongoing construction in the Convention Hall lower-level area (known as Commons on Vine), so several activities had to be relocated; so please read carefully:
- The Exhibit Hall is still located in Freedom Hall (A&B). We have over 65 exhibitors that have all your wargaming needs for every period. For those that Pre-register, we will have a scanner (in addition to the ones in the main Registration area) for you to pick up your badge right at the entrance to Freedom Hall to jump start your shopping. You will want to make sure you visit the Registration Desk to get your free Historicon figure and maybe some other HMGS swag.
- Wally’s Basement (our member’s resale market) is relocated this year to the far left side of Freedom Hall A (left of the Tournaments). Wally’s Basement session times are listed in the Convention Hours table.
- Hobby University (celebrating their 20th Anniversary!) is located on the 4th floor of the Hotel in the Conestoga Room. Visit Hobby U. for an excellent class or just relax and cool off at the Paint & Take area.
- The Boardgame Library is relocated to the Susquehanna Room on the 4th floor, next to Hobby U.
- The War College is located in the Montgomery House (the building within the building) on the 3rd floor, in the State Conference room. The schedule is packed this year with speakers on all periods and topics.
- Showcase games are located in the Hotel Lobby and 3rd floor next to escalators, with a few scattered in Commonwealth & Heritage Ballrooms due to size of the games. These games are truly worth a visit.
- We have over 900 scheduled events throughout the weekend in every open space in the hotel:
- Club Games are located in the Commonwealth & Heritage Ballrooms and Freedom Pre-function area.
- General Games are located outside the Exhibitor Hall, on the 2nd floor (incl: Commonwealth Ballroom & Pre-function area, Federal & Pre-function area, Keystone and Independence Rooms), and the 3rd floor (incl: Heritage Ballroom and around it, Walnut, Chestnut, and Hickory Rooms).
- Registration, the HMGS store and the GM Help Desk are all located in the Hotel Lobby. Because we have gone to a full TableTop.Events (TTE) implementation, there is no longer a Game ticket board. A second GM Help Desk will be located on the 2nd floor overlooking the lobby. They both can help you find your game and show you how to register for new games during the show (on your smartphone or our computers).
| Convention Hours of Operation
(hours are subject to change) |
|||||
| Day | Gaming | Exhibit Hall | Registration | GM Help Desk | Wally’s Basement |
| Wed. | 5pm-1am | Closed | 3pm-8pm | 4pm-8pm | Closed |
| Thu. | 9am-1am | Noon-6pm | 8am-6pm | 8am-10pm | 7pm-9pm |
| Fri. | 9am-1am | 9am-6pm | 8am-8pm | 8am-10pm | 10am-12pm; 7pm-9pm |
| Sat. | 9am-1am | 9am-6pm | 8am-4pm | 8am-10pm | 10am-12pm; 2pm-4pm |
| Sun. | 9am-3pm | 9am-Noon | 8am-10am | 9am-11am | 9am-11am (Free) |
| Convention Pricing | |
|---|---|
| Onsite Registration: HMGS Member (Full Convention) | $60.00 |
| Onsite Registration: Non-Member Admission (Full Convention) | $80.00 |
| One Day Admission (Thu, Fri, Sat) | $35.00 |
| One Day Admission (Sunday) | $2.00 |
| Youth (18 or younger – w/event participation privileges) | FREE |
| Partner (non-playing partner of paid attendee) | FREE |
| Wally’s Basement table (per session; Sunday is Free!) | $25.00 |
| 1 Year HMGS Membership (New or Renewal) | $25.00 |
A couple of quick status items for everyone to know before the show:
- Parking vouchers for Day-Trippers are provided at the HMGS Store (next to Reg Desk) and after hours to 10PM at the Lobby GM Help Desk. Please bring your parking lot ticket to receive a voucher for each day.
- The Vouchers cover the following Parking Lots: Hotel (Penn Square), Prince St., King St. and the Steinman garage off Vine St. (map attached at the end).
- If you pre-registered, you will receive an e-mail about a week before the convention with your Badge QR Code. You can also access this QR Code by clicking on your Badge on the “Get/View Your Badge” menu option under “Attend” on the convention website on TTE. Have your QR Code ready to to scan and print your Badge and Tickets (incl. any purchases, games, classes, etc.) at the self-service, badge-printing, stations.
We look forward to a great convention for everyone; so assemble your troops, count your pennies and get ready for Historicon 2025: America’s Flagship Historical Miniature Wargaming Convention.
Sincerely,
Scott Landis
Historicon Convention Director
director@historicon.org
Food and Beverage Locations and Times
(Locations in red accept HMGS Vouchers – not for alcohol)
| Location | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two Kings (Breakfast Café) | 6:30 AM – 10:00 AM Breakfast Buffet | 6:30 AM – 10:00 AM Breakfast Buffet | 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM Breakfast Buffet | 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM Breakfast Buffet |
| Starbucks (Hotel Lobby) | 6:30 AM – 5:00 PM Coffee/Tea/Breakfast Items Pre-made Salads/Sandwiches | 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM Coffee/Tea/Breakfast Items Pre-made Salads/Sandwiches | 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM Coffee/Tea/Breakfast Items Pre-made Salads/Sandwiches | 6:30 AM – 5:00 PM Coffee/Tea/Breakfast Items Pre-made Salads/Sandwiches |
| Freedom Hall Concession Cafe | 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM Breakfast Items, Grab & Go Tenders, Sandwiches, Snacks Soda, Beer, Drinks | 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM Breakfast Items, Grab & Go Tenders, Sandwiches, Snacks Soda, Beer, Drinks | 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM Breakfast Items, Grab & Go Tenders, Sandwiches, Snacks Soda, Beer, Drinks | N/A |
| Commonwealth Foyer Area (2nd Floor) Hot Dog Stand | 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM $5 Hot Dog $15 2XDog Combo $6 Specialty Dogs Chili and Kraut Soda, Beer, Drinks | 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM $5 Hot Dog $15 2XDog Combo $6 Specialty Dogs Chili and Kraut Soda, Beer, Drinks | 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM $5 Hot Dog $15 2XDog Combo $6 Specialty Dogs Chili and Kraut Soda, Beer, Drinks | N/A |
| Commonwealth Foyer Area (2nd Floor) Dinner Buffet $20pp | 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM Roasted Turkey or Meatloaf Mashed Potatoes w/gravy Green Beans Dinner Roll | 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM Baked Ziti or Chicken Parmesan Side salad Garlic Bread | 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM BBQ Pulled Pork or BBQ Braised Pit Beef Mac and Cheese Coleslaw Cornbread | N/A |
| Commonwealth Foyer Area (2nd Floor) Concession Stand | 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM Tenders/Snacks Soda, Beer, Drinks | 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM Tenders/Snacks Soda, Beer, Drinks | 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM Tenders/Snacks Soda, Beer, Drinks | N/A |
| Plough Restaurant & Bar (Hotel Lobby) | 11:00 AM-12:00 AM Lunch and Dinner classic modern American Bar menu | 11:00 AM-01:00 AM Lunch and Dinner classic modern American Bar menu | 11:00 AM-01:00 AM Lunch and Dinner classic modern American Bar menu | 11:00 AM-12:00 AM Lunch and Dinner classic modern American Bar menu |
| The Exchange Rooftop Bar and Lounge | 4:00 PM-11:00 PM Dinner/Drinks | 4:00 PM-12:00 AM Dinner/Drinks | 11:00 AM-12:00 AM Lunch/Dinner/Drinks | 11:00 AM-09:00PM Lunch/Dinner/Drinks |
Along with numerous bars, restaurants, and the Lancaster Central Farmers Market and Southern Market all within walking distance of the Hotel.