Manchester gamers, mark the diary. The next Manchester Board Game Festival takes over the Pendulum Hotel on Sackville Street from Friday 12 June to Sunday 14 June 2026, with a 600-plus-strong board game library, bookable RPG sessions, traders in the Geek Fayre, and a stated headcount of 500 gamers across the weekend. Friday runs from 3pm until midnight, Saturday goes 10am to midnight, and Sunday wraps up at 8pm.
Run game nights? Backseat Gamer handles RSVPs, waitlists, date polling, and game voting so you can focus on playing.
Start organising for freeThe festival is run by independent organisers Dungeons and Flagons, who pitch themselves as Manchesters premier indie tabletop events outfit. The June weekend is the second of five festivals on the 2026 calendar, with summer follow-ups on 28-30 August, a Halloween Special running 30 October to 1 November, and an awards-night festive edition closing the year on 18-20 December. That cadence is rare for the UK convention circuit, and it makes Manchester one of the most consistent year-round destinations for board gamers in the north.
Whats handy for organisers is the breadth on offer. The 600-game library means a gaming group can show up with nothing but enthusiasm and still get a full weekend of plays in, while the bookable RPG slots remove the usual headache of finding a willing GM. The Geek Fayre side of things gives traders a foothold to demo and sell, and theres a volunteer pathway plus playtesting opportunities on the website for anyone who fancies getting more involved.
Got a regular group? Create a private community, poll for the best date, vote on games, and let your friends RSVP in one place.
Set up your group for freeTickets are live on the festival website. If youre rallying a group, this is the kind of weekend thats better with a full crew. Backseat Gamer can help you find or organise a community to roll up to Manchester with, and if you want to run your own session at the festival, you can pitch one through the organisers Get Involved page.
Sources: Manchester Board Game Festival | Dungeons and Flagons
