Announcements! Info!

WHAT IS LUDOPHILIA?
For any of you who have missed it until now, Ludophilia is the name we've given to our annual 4-day boardgaming (and craft beer sharing) extravaganza in the far northwest suburbs of Chicago!   It's much too friendly and informal to be called a "convention".  It's just an excuse for friends and friends-of-friends to get together in a large-ish hotel conference room with a few hundred board games and have the chance to strategize, socialize, and relax uninterrupted.  Everyone brings favorite games (and beverages) to share, and then it's open house at the hotel Thursday morning through Sunday morning!  Set up your own lodging plans if you want to stay overnight, and everyone is mostly responsible for their own food and drink.

SAVE THE DATE
The weekend for Ludophilia 9 will be Thursday, May 16th through Sunday, May 19th, 2019.  This is the weekend that falls comfortably between Mother's Day and Memorial Day, so I hope we're missing most of everyone's holiday plans.  Mark your calendars NOW!  I'll be sending out a few reminders and additional information as the time draws nearer.

We typically play from 8:00am until midnight-ish Thursday through Saturday, but we'll be packing up around lunch time on Sunday.

WHERE?

We're at the same place as last year, the Country Inn and Suites, 600 Tracy Trail, Crystal Lake, IL  60014.  Phone: 815-477-3500.  We're in their largest conference room, the Lincoln Room, which has proven to be a nice size for most of the time.  It's true that we sometimes get a little crowded, but we do have some overflow space into their breakfast area if absolutely necessary.

We've been on the brink of actually needing a larger venue for the last couple years, but not enough to warrant paying for a whole second room.  However, I will say that if enough people pre-register to make it worth considering, I will definitely look into getting the room across the hall for Friday and/or Saturday night.  For this to be worth it, I would need a significant number of you to pre-commit to being there on certain days, so please don't hesitate to pre-register (see details below) if you're hoping for that!

If you will be staying at the hotel as I will be, you can call 815-477-3500 or 800-830-5222 for reservations, or look online at https://www.countryinns.com/crystal-lake-hotel-il-60014/ilcryst.  Be sure to ask for the room block for "Ludophliia" for a special rate of $98+tax.

ADMISSION COST
Once again, I'll be keeping the admission cost for everyone the same as it's been: $10 per person per day (THURSDAY through SATURDAY). No charge for Sunday, since it's really mostly a packing-up and saying-goodbye day.  That's just $30 for a long weekend of fun, free games, and beer.  This is strictly to cover our costs. If we collect the same amount as we have the last 2 years, we should be able to cover the cost of the room within our buffer.

You can start registering now by sending me $30 via Paypal to tempus42@yahoo.com.  Be sure to use the Family & Friends option to avoid fees, and be sure to include a note with your name and the days you plan on attending.

Or you can send a check to me at :
Brad Johnson
1517 Driftwood Lane
Crystal Lake, IL 60014

I can also accept cash and check during the con, but booking early is the best way to make sure we keep this thing running.

BEER!

I'm not sure if the main reason to come to Ludophilia is the games or the homebrew.  Most of you probably know our brewer, Bill Dyer, has treated us amazingly well over the years, providing a bountiful supply of his outstanding homebrew, now on tap!  He's certainly got a lot planned for this year as well, with his current batches including Vanilla Bourbon Porter, Traditional German Bock, Tequila Pear Cider, Blood Orange Ginger Mead, and an IPA To Be Named Later.  If you haven't tried Bill's offerings, then you are missing out.  As always, Bill brings this to us out of the kindness of his heart, but I do encourage everyone who plans to partake to bring a little something to show your gratitude -- a special beverage of your own to share with him (and others), or a small donation to his efforts is certainly not out of place.

PIZZA!  AND A SPECIAL GUEST?

I do have a little money in our slush fund, so right now I am planning on buying pizza for the group Friday evening.  I'm also in discussions to possibly bring in a special guest member to grace us with his acclaimed talk "The History of Beer" for entertainment and learning while we eat.  PLEASE drop me a note to let me know if you would be interested in such an event.

GAME LIBRARY

The game library spreadsheet is up at https://tinyurl.com/ludo9lib.  If you are planning to bring games, please enter what you're bringing on the "Data Entry: Bringing" tab so people can see what will be available and to help avoid bringing unnecessary duplicates.  If there's a special game you want to play that you don't have, enter it on the "Data Entry: Requests" tab to let others know you're looking for it.  The file is pre-loaded with what I am currently planning to bring as the base library, but this is subject to change when I go to pack.  If there's something on my list that you DEFINITELY want me to bring, please put a note in the "Upvote" column so I'm sure to pack it.

STAY TUNED

More details will follow!  Please keep watching your email and this blog.

I sincerely hope that you all can make it to Ludophilia 9, May 16-19.  Whether you can come for one day or the whole weekend, I think you'll find it to be a good time.  It's been really excellent for the last 8 years with so many fun people coming from all over the country (and Canada!) for some focused boardgaming!  If you have any questions or you'd just like to let me know your plans, please don't hesitate to email!  Also, if you have a friend whom you'd like me to add to the invitation and notification email list, please send me their contact information!