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Austi-Con is bringing tabletop gaming back for its fifth year.

Michael and Kate Jordal, co-owners of the southeastern Minnesota marketing and event planning company Jordal Ventures, LLC, will host a weekend of tabletop gaming Oct. 22-24 at the Holiday Inn Austin Conference Center, located at 1701 Fourth Str. NW.

There will be a variety of scheduled games throughout the weekend, as well as open gaming tables. Everyone is welcome to attend. Admission is $25 per person at the door for the entire weekend. Attendees will also receive a swag bag on a first come, first serve basis.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. daily.

“It is a lot of fun for people from all over to get together and play these games,” Michael said in a press release. “We are so happy to be back at the Holiday Inn and to have the opportunity to run the convention again this year.”

Last year’s event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but 2019’s event attracted more than 300 attendees who primarily hailed from Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

The event also has a charity focus. Weirdcards Charitable Club will return to run Magic: the Gathering charity tournaments throughout the weekend, and there will be a silent auction throughout the weekend with proceeds going to the Autism Day Camp programs in Austin, which are run through the Hormel Historic Home.

There are three camps held throughout the summer, and Kate is the founder and former director of one of the camps, called Camp Just for Me. Over the past four years, Austi-Con’s charity events have raised more than $10,000 for the camps.

“We’re very fortunate to have these camps in Austin and they are an important cause to my wife. I thought it would be a really nice way to give back to the community,” Michael said.

Popular returners to Austi-Con this year include Family Fun Day Sunday, in which a family of up to four can attend Austi-Con on Sunday only for a fee of just $10 per family, as well as a miniature painting competition. There will be T-shirts and hats with this year’s Austi-Con logo available to purchase.

Several board game companies have provided donations to the event and there will be play to win events, in which participants can win the copy of the game they are playing; a board game library, and door prizes.

Attendees can also utilize lodging at the Holiday Inn for a special convention rate and there will be concessions on site. Attendees are also encouraged to support Torges Live and other local restaurants and establishments.

Jordal Ventures, LLC is following Mower County Department of Health recommendations regarding the Covid-19 pandemic.  As of press time masks are being strongly recommended for all attendees as well as frequent hand washing and cleaning/sanitizing of shared spaces.  All Austi-Con staff will be following these recommendations.

For more information about the event, visit the Austi-Con event page on Facebook, visit https://tabletop.events/conventions/austi-con-2020, or contact Michael or Kate Jordal at jordalventuresllc@gmail.com.