CAMDEN, S.C. — Get ready gamers and cosplayers, the Kershaw County Library in Camden is hosting its first Roll Con gaming convention Saturday.
Roll Con will celebrate roll-playing games across all media -- board games, card games and video games -- and encourages attendees to cosplay their favorite characters.
The idea for Roll Com came about during the pandemic, when libraries had to start looking for new ways to stay interactive and keep kids learning. One of the games that fit the bill was Dungeons and Dragons.
Kershaw County Library Director Amy Schofield said Dungeons and Dragons provides kids with beneficial learning techniques and and different ways to use the brain like strategizing and creating stories
Those kinds of activities help students become interactive with knowledge and also helps libraries to evolve.
Schofield found Mark Wood to help make Roll Con a reality.
It's for everybody," Wood said. "There's gonna be something for everybody, things from chess to high-level role play games. So, we will have something for every member of the family. Even if you aren't into board games, we have video games. If you just want to come out for a good meal, we have food trucks. There is something for every member of the family."
The event, scheduled for 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, November 13, at the Kershaw County Recreation Center (1042 West DeKalb Street in Camden) will feature game demonstrations, game tournaments, vendors and food trucks. Entrance to the event is free.
The Midlands Gaming Coalition will have gaming consoles set up with games like Super Smash Bros Ultimate and Rocket League.
The Kershaw County Library will have a collection of new Manga titles to check out; there will be "pick-up" campaigns of Dungeons and Dragons; and a larger-than-life Pikachu will be in attendance at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Adult and kid cosplay contests start at 3 p.m.
Vendors in attendance include local artist Mike Sudduth, Sudduth Sundries, Unlovely Frankenstein, Random Acts of Karma, and The Little DM Shop.