PAX South

The geeks are nearly upon us, and they’re coming in costume. Get ready for the return of PAX South, a three-day celebration of all things gaming that descends on San Antonio Jan. 19-20. Attendees can enter video game tournaments, forge new friendships among hundreds of board and card game tables, bring their own computers and handheld consoles to the free play arena or rub elbows with the hundreds of exhibitors sharing their latest work on the show floor. PAX South — one of a family of gaming expos under the Penny Arcade umbrella — doesn’t draw as mind-bogglingly huge a crowd as related gatherings in Boston and Seattle. But the cozier atmosphere means more room to play new games, meet fellow enthusiasts and chat up developers about their wares. In addition, dozens of panel sessions let industry veterans, experts and fans talk shop. The annual show, which made its local debut in 2015, also includes bar crawls and other meet-up opportunities. The PAX South Fans group on Facebook has compiled a list of events and resources for convention-goers, new and old, plus there's online discussion at the Penny Arcade forums. The event is free for children 6 and under, though we’d rate some of the panel discussions T for Teen.