Gen Con isn’t all about gaming. Every year, gamers give back to the community, which is a key part of The Best Four Days in Gaming™!
Gen Con’s balloon sculptures have become a beloved tradition, with charity proceeds supporting a new organization each year. On the last day of the convention, fans eagerly bid for the coveted honor of the first pop, setting off a wave of excitement as kids join in to turn these intricate designs into a flurry of colorful pieces.
From 2022 and beyond, sculptures have been created in partnership with local Indy Event Services group, Banzi Events. As we wrap up 2024, we’re looking back on a decade of unforgettable balloon creations—do you have a favorite from years past?
2014 – Balloon People
2015 – Wiggly Octopus
2016 – Dragon’s Throne
2017 – 50th Anniversary Gen Con
2018 – Alien Abduction
2019 – The Flying Phoenix
2021 – Blazing Blue Dragon
2022 – Genevieve the Dragon
Genevieve the Dragon graced us with her presence in all of her balloon glory. On Sunday, we raised over $1,400 for charity.
2023 – Apollo Lunar Lander
The sculpture, created from sustainably sourced, biodegradable latex balloons and displayed at Gen Con in Indianapolis, took over 200 crew hours. The entire sculpture generated only one large garbage bag of waste. On Sunday, we raised about $1,400 for charity. And Banzi Events used the Earth balloon to reveal the gender of their soon-to-arrive baby!
2024 – Gnome Hollow
This year, we had a special sponsor for the Balloon Sculpture, Gnome Hollow from Ops Games. We raised over $1,000 for our charity partners.
2025 – ???
What magical balloon sculpture will appear at Gen Con Indy next year? You’ll have to wait and find out…
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