Charleston Nerdfest Brings D&D, Cosplay and Arcade Battles to West Ashley
Dice rollers, cosplayers, arcade competitors and Pokémon trainers will come together in West Ashley when Charleston Nerdfest 2026 takes over Frothy Beard Brewing Company.
The one-day gathering is scheduled for Sunday, August 9, and combines tabletop gaming, cosplay, video-game competitions, vendors, food and community activities into a compact local convention.
A Convention for Charleston’s Nerd Community
Charleston Nerdfest is designed to bring several corners of the local gaming and fandom community under one roof.
Attendees can participate in tabletop role-playing games, watch or enter gaming competitions, show off cosplay, trade with other Pokémon GO players and close the day by testing their knowledge during nerd trivia.
The event is open to longtime players, casual fans and people who simply want to meet others with similar interests.
Tabletop Games and D&D Adventures
Tabletop gaming is one of the main attractions.
Game masters will lead scheduled role-playing sessions and one-shot adventures throughout the event. These shorter games allow participants to experience a complete adventure without committing to a long-running campaign.
Space may be limited for individual sessions, so players interested in joining a tabletop game should review the organizer’s schedule and registration instructions before arriving.
Cosplay Contest Hosted by Vera Cherry
Nerdfest will include a cosplay contest hosted by Vera Cherry.
The organizer’s current schedule lists the contest from 3 to 3:30 p.m. Attendees can expect costumes inspired by games, animation, comics, movies and other parts of popular culture.
Pokémon GO Trading and Arcade Competition
The Hanahan Pokémon GO community will host a trading meetup from 1 to 6 p.m. on the upstairs balcony at Frothy Beard.
The event also includes a Killer Queen Arcade five-versus-five team tournament from 4 to 6 p.m. Killer Queen is a team-based arcade game in which players can pursue multiple paths to victory, making communication and teamwork a major part of the competition.
Nerd Trivia Ends the Day
Reforged Gaming Lounge will present nerd trivia beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The organizer’s website currently shows trivia continuing until approximately 7:30 p.m., while Eventbrite lists the overall event from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Attendees planning to stay for trivia should check the final organizer schedule before heading out.
Charleston Nerdfest Event Details
Date: Sunday, August 9, 2026
Doors: 11 a.m.
Location: Frothy Beard Brewing Company
Address: 1401 Sam Rittenberg Boulevard, Charleston, SC 29407
Parking: Free parking listed
Age policy: Guests younger than 14 must attend with a parent or legal guardian
Tickets: Available through Eventbrite
Between tabletop adventures, cosplay, Pokémon GO, arcade competition and trivia, Charleston Nerdfest offers local fans a chance to do more than shop from vendors. It gives Charleston’s gaming and fandom communities a place to play, compete and connect.
