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About LANFest

In 2002, a group of 20 people got together to play video games at the Intel Campus in Washington State. This was the first LAN (Local Area Network) event that LANFest hosted. This small group soon became 700 people at the first site, spanned across several states at multiple sites, and now has over 400 volunteers helping build healthy communities through gaming across the U.S. LANFest discovered a deep sense of community that can be found in all types of gaming; PC, Console, VR, Tabletop, and Mobile.
Over 20 years later, LANFest now spans 17 States with 21 Chapters. LANFest Chapters are composed of local volunteers working to build healthy communities through gaming for everyone. You can expect to see families playing together at a LANFest Event, Educational Panels and Workshops, and Fundraising for local charities. 
With more than 4 Million Volunteer hours and 21 Years of community gaming, LANFest strives to build healthy communities through gaming. Join us in that celebration and help us build community!

LEARN MORE ABOUT LANFEST

LANFest Core Values

Our Beliefs

We believe having fun is vital to our health.

When we do pleasurable activities, it releases dopamine which leads to positivity and can counteract more uncomfortable feelings of hopelessness and stress.

We believe gaming unites people and promotes fun.

Strong communities are critical because they're often an important source of social connection and a sense of belonging.

We believe our community of gaming can create great impact.

Studies indicate that the very act of giving back to the community boosts your happiness, health, and sense of well-being.

Our Grassroots

LANFest consists of grassroot gamers that are considered hardware elders. Each chapter is unique to the community it serves which highlights the diversity and authenticity of each one. These communities impact the larger gaming ecosystem by being the bedrock: promoting healthy gaming through gamers and non-gamers.

Our Foundation

LANFest’s diverse and inclusive community allows us to impact all types of communities and have the vast knowledge needed to achieve our vision. Volunteers are the driving force that ensures we reach our mission. In 2022, our HQ team organized, produced or worked 145 partnered events. Our volunteers committed more than 84,000 hours running chapter events.