It’s busy, but not so busy that you don’t get time to talk to people. That’s a big part of what makes it so good.
I caught up with traders, suppliers, creators and customers, swapped ideas, talked games and dice, and sent people towards other stands when someone else had exactly what they needed.
I also finally got to play the game I’ve been quietly working on with Gareth Edwards, which was genuinely exciting. Seeing it properly on the table was brilliant, and hopefully it’ll be released in 2027.
Before the doors opened
The stand took over seven hours to set up.
The Tabletop Scotland team were amazing, helping move everything from the van to the stall so I could concentrate on getting it built and stocked.
Then on Sunday night it took more than four hours to strip everything down and get it back into the van.
There’s a lot more to these weekends than turning up and firing up the card machine.
I’m also not convinced Greggs for breakfast, lunch and tea for three days counts as a balanced diet.
What worked
I’ve been changing what I bring to events, with more focus on tabletop gaming, miniatures, games and unusual accessories.
Tabletop Scotland gave me a pretty strong sign that it’s working.
Some older products are on their way out, newer ideas are earning their space, and the stand is starting to feel much clearer about what it should be.
There will still be an irresponsible quantity of dice, obviously.
Until next year
Thank you to everyone who stopped for a chat, bought something, recommended a game or simply came back to say hello.
And a massive thank you to the Tabletop Scotland team for organising such a great show.
I was exhausted by the end of it, but I’m already looking forward to doing it all again in 2027.
