Trade Day Information

Woman wearing love tshirt presenting at Gen Con Trade Day

Trade Day is a full-day program for educators, professors, librarians, health professionals, mental health therapists, and hobby retailers. Trade Day is designed to accelerate professional development through hands-on training, research sharing, B2B growth, and networking opportunities by providing a robust schedule of seminars, demos, workshops, and other relevant industry-focused events.

Trade Day is organized around three main areas of concentration:

Retail
Education and Library Development
Mental Health

The retail focus is centered on business, marketing, and building community. The education focus explores ideas such as gamifying your classroom or library, using gaming strategies in your curriculum, and building community. The mental health focus includes topics like implementing games as therapeutic tools.

Those who qualify for a Trade Day badge may attend any event in the Trade Day programming schedule, regardless of the concentration. Trade Day badge applications are open to adults 18 and older.

Trade Day is held in person on the Wednesday prior to the 4-day Gen Con convention in Indianapolis, IN.

2026 Keynote Speaker: Carolyn Noe

Carolyn Noe, EdD , is the founder of Super Heroines, Etc., a nonprofit organization that uses the power of fandom to build inclusive communities and advocate for equity and representation. Through creative programming rooted in comics, gaming, and pop culture, she creates welcoming spaces for women, girls, and people of underrepresented genders to connect, lead, and tell their stories.

Learn more about Super Heroines, Etc. here, and follow them on Instagram @superheroinesetc to keep up with their events. Stop by their table at Gen Con this summer and say hello to Carolyn and meet more super heroines.

Trade Day Events

Visit the Trade Day Events page for event listings, important event-related information, and details about the Trade Day Marketplace.

Trade Day is on Wednesday, July 29, 2026.

Educators & Librarians

Trade Day offers certificates of attendance that can be used toward CEUs/LEUs. Information about certificates is available on site.

Trade Day Badge Registration

Trade Day is open to professors, educators, student teachers, librarians, health professionals, developmental therapists, and hobby retailers.

For current badge pricing and information, please see the Get a Badge page.

Trade Day badge at Gen Con includes:

Access to all Trade Day event programming
A complimentary 4-day Gen Con badge

To register and purchase a Trade Day badge, attendees must submit an application. Applicants will be asked to provide information about their area of interest to qualify for review and acceptance for a badge. Trade Day badge registration closes on July 12, 2026, at midnight Eastern.

Trade Day Event Hosts

Information about hosting events at Trade Day can be found on the Trade Day Event Host page.

Trade Day Marketplace

Since its debut in 2023, the Trade Day Marketplace at Gen Con has thrived, attracting a record number of attendees who actively engage with vendors showcasing their products to the Trade Day audience. The Trade Day Marketplace is intended for game publishers, manufacturers, and distributors with products suitable for classrooms, libraries, therapeutic sessions, and retail store environments.

Trade Day Marketplace is only accessible to attendees with a current Trade Day badge.

Interested in Exhibiting at the Trade Day Marketplace?

Please visit theTrade Day Marketplace page for more information.

Trade Day Sponsorships

Trade Day offers a selection of sponsorship opportunities for businesses to get in front of a targeted audience of retailers, educators, health professionals, and librarians. Sponsors are not required to exhibit at Gen Con to participate. Gen Con allows sponsors to bundle Trade Day and Gen Con sponsorships to create unique marketing opportunities tailored to their marketing goals.

Trade Day sponsorships for 2026 are now available. Please see page 10 of the Sponsorship and Marketing Guide for more information. Questions? Please email [email protected].