The Platteville Gaming Association hosted their 32nd annual convention, Plattecon, last weekend in Ullsvik Hall. Plattecon is a gaming convention hosted by the PGA each year for alumni, students and the local community.

Plattecon began in 1988 when PGA members wanted a convention in Southwestern Wisconsin where people could play games and enjoy themselves in an organized setting. Since then, the convention has grown to include various clubs, events and special guests. This year saw the most participation from other clubs and a turnout of roughly 400 attendees, despite the inclement weather.

“While the weather kept attendance down, a lot of familiar faces showed up, so it’s nice to see that [the support],” Artemis Room coordinator Justin Jacobson said.

The convention featured special events hosted by each organization involved in its planning. Among these were the traditional costume contest, where con-goers could enter their homemade outfits for judging to win prizes provided by Amazon Student. Another returning favorite received a sci-fi touch in the form of Derelict, a game where players must work together as a team of clones to clear a facility of monstrous enemies.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Radio Station hosted karaoke at the convention for the first time, bringing a new event and extra energy to attendees.

“I think it’s really cool that karaoke was done this year, and I think a lot of people were really interested in it and had fun with it,” UW-Platteville alumna Elinor Burton said.

This year’s convention placed an emphasis on allowing student artists a platform to sell their art. Several artist tables were run by independent students and UW-Platteville’s Clay Club, alongside alumni and professional artists. Vendors at the convention included returning and local businesses.

Many artists also participated in the silent auction on Saturday, where people could bid on the best pieces as well as games from vendors at the convention. The auction ran for five hours and saw many people walk away with new games and art after silent bidding.

“I really like the silent auction because it gives me an opportunity to anonymously crush a stranger’s dreams,” con-goer Thomas Vaitkevicius said.

Senior business administration major and convention coordinator Ian Syron praised the hard work of volunteers and dedication of alumni for the success.

The PGA hosts the convention every year, normally during the first weekend in March and always seeks to expand campus involvement in the event.

“This is something that we’re proud of; that we as a club take to heart. We put our heart and soul into [the convention], and we will continue to put our heart and soul into [it],” Syron said.

The convention will return next March with more events and efforts to include even more students and organizations.