Talk:Gary Con

Reliable sources for application

Gary Con II

• http://www.blackgate.com/2010/03/22/garycon-ii-report/
• http://www.forbeck.com/2010/03/23/gary-con-ii-rocked/
• http://www.lakegenevanews.net/Articles-i-2010-03-18-242595.114135_Maple_Fest_Gary_Con_II_this_weekend.html

Gary Con IV

• http://www.blackgate.com/2012/03/25/gary-con-iv-report/

COI edit request: updated introduction

I am disclosing a conflict of interest as I am paid by Gary Con.

These proposed changes are intended to clarify and expand existing, source-based content. I welcome feedback and revisions to ensure neutrality and policy compliance.

In this initial request I'd like to have the introduction changed from its current content to the content included below. In summary, please note that I'm wordsmithing the introduction and adding an additional reference, as well as adding content regarding the available gaming systems at the event (with an additional new reference). Also note that I have kept the original two references. The purpose in the reorganization is to focus this section more on the actual Wikipedia topic than info on Gary Gygax.

Replace:

Gary Con is a gaming convention held in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin every year to celebrate the life and works of Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons and commonly considered the father of role playing games. Gygax was raised in Lake Geneva, where the company he later founded TSR, Inc. created and produced the Dungeons & Dragons game for 25 years.

With:

Gary Con is an annual gaming convention held in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

From nostalgic dungeon crawls to cutting-edge indie game systems, Gary Con offers a unique opportunity to honor the roots of tabletop gaming while embracing tabletop gaming's ever-evolving future, offering both old and new gaming systems.

Gary Con is more than just a gaming convention—it's a tribute to Gary Gygax, the father of role-playing games and co-creator of D&D, and a celebration of the community he inspired. Held annually in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (the birthplace of RPGs), Gary Con began as a memorial gathering of friends and family and has grown into a vibrant event welcoming gamers of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels. Gygax was raised in Lake Geneva, where the company he later founded TSR, Inc. created and produced the Dungeons & Dragons game for 25 years. GaryConGarner (talk) 04:42, 2 February 2026 (UTC)

This risks being a bit too promotional - for example, "an unique opportunity" and "vibrant event". Just my 2 cents. BOZ (talk) 04:54, 2 February 2026 (UTC)

Thanks @BOZ. This is my first time editing so I'm looking for all the advice I can get. Tactically speaking, should I simply delete those 'promotional' adjectives and phrases from the above post or do I need to make another COI request? Also note 'vibrant event' is text from the original post.GaryConGarner (talk) 04:59, 2 February 2026 (UTC)

I'm going to leave that up to anyone else who wants to provide more detailed feedback, as those are just the things that popped up right away to me. BOZ (talk) 05:24, 2 February 2026 (UTC)

Agreed. I’m not sure I share @BusterD:'s view that this needs such an in-depth review, but removing the non-neutral language and then submitting it again as a new edit request will likely lead to a quicker acceptance.Coffeeurbanite (talk) 20:40, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

I agree, it certainly does seem promotional and reads almost like an advert or leaflet representing it. Also, @GaryConGarner I would suggest you read WP:COI and WP:NPOV to help write more balanced and less promotional articles. PeriodicEditor (talk) 06:29, 2 February 2026 (UTC)

• Full disclosure of MY COI: I was the author of the first version of this page. After the page was written, I was recruited to work in public relations by GaryCon, and as a result, I stopped writing on the subject onwiki. I'm certain this disappointed somebody, but Wikipedia is far more important to me than any single event. I left the convention staff in 2017, and other than attending Founders & Legends in 2024, I have had no association with the organizers since that time (although some are friends).

On the merits, this page is long overdue for a rewrite, and I appreciate GaryConGarner fully disclosing here. Wikipedia can and often does work with connected editors if they act in good faith to improve the pedia.

I should point out that any tabletop.events link is going to be ruled a connected source, because tabletop is a software platform paid by conventions to organize and muster gamers and games at the convention. It is by no means a reliable secondary source. I would object to anything specific sourced by tabletop.events, but I would have no problem with the convention's current link maintained in the infobox (rather like the event's website).

The blogspot.com link is a blog and therefore not considered a reliable source on en.wiki.

GaryCon can be considered an extremely successful local event, an event which draws a national audience of old grognards and their minions. The event is so successful that it draws local news coverage. For example, Lake Geneva Regional News recently published an article about the town alders providing a $12K grant to facilitate shuttle transit between the town and the Grand Geneva (where the event manifests) during the March 2026 convention. I'm aware of several Chicago Tribune articles and some Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel articles. These should be identified and linked to the page. I'm personally aware that the GaryCon charity auction last year raised an astonishing $75K. Somebody has written about this.

If I were in your position, GaryConGarner, I would contact those working with the convention for their clipping file. Luke and his team are well-disciplined. I would search through newspapers.com for direct detailing. I might subscribe to the Lake Geneva Regional News. I would certainly gather up copies of "At the Lakes", a local tourist magazine which has covered the con at least twice. I would use as much Ewalt as you can, even though the source is historic; Ewalt is now editor-in-chief of Scientific American, and as such, a remarkably fortuitous writer to link. His previous sites.forbes.com link would likely count as a subject matter expert blog.

I can assist, to the extent my previous COI allows. User:BOZ is a frequent writer in the RPG and boardgame field and to my knowledge, not connected to the event. BOZ can be extremely helpful. As an openly connected actor, you should work on a draft linked to this talk page and avoid working directly on the convention article.

Good luck! BusterD (talk) 19:50, 2 February 2026 (UTC)

I am closing this edit request as declined because a month has passed without further discussion or a further rewrite from GaryConGarner. Thank you to Coffeeurbanite for working on fixes to the article. Altamel (talk) 05:12, 25 April 2026 (UTC)

Almost 3 months, but yes if @GaryConGarner wants to give a rewrite another try then it can be examined again. BOZ (talk) 13:59, 25 April 2026 (UTC)

Of course, this is without prejudice to them resubmitting the request. Altamel (talk) 15:46, 25 April 2026 (UTC)

@Altamel Thank you so much! @BOZ Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like me to step back in. Coffeeurbanite (talk) 19:54, 25 April 2026 (UTC)

References

Clean up

I do want to make an effort to clean up and reorganize some of the content on the page. Please let me know if there are any issues with the changes. Courtesy ping @BusterD, PeriodicEditor, GaryConGarner, and BOZ: Coffeeurbanite (talk) 20:44, 14 March 2026 (UTC)