Breakout Con, Toronto

Breakout Con is a tabletop gaming convention in downtown Toronto. According to the organiser, it was set up by a team of gaming community leaders from across the city, and the first one was held in 2016. They describe it as a convention made by gamers for gamers, and over the years it has added things like industry panels and a megagame to the programme.

The whole convention sits inside one big hotel, the Sheraton Centre Toronto, opposite City Hall. It spreads over four days, Thursday to Sunday, across a set of named halls: a main board game hall, roleplaying rooms, a family hall, an auction hall and space for the painting sessions. Some halls run late into the night, so the hotel has a lively, round-the-clock feel over the weekend.

Why painters should know about it

Most of Breakout Con is about board games and roleplaying games. What makes it worth a look for miniature painters is the painting programme on the organiser's miniature painting page. It's run by an award-winning painting studio from Markham, Ontario, whose painters take commission work from around the world, and it's aimed squarely at gamers who want to stop playing with grey, unpainted models.

The organiser doesn't list a painting competition or miniature wargames tournaments, so come for the classes, the drop-in and the games rather than to enter a contest or play a big battle.

Breakout Con 2027 runs Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 March 2027 at Sheraton Centre Toronto, 123 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2M9. The convention runs from Thursday 10am until Sunday 5:30pm. It's usually held in March, so if you're reading this after the 2027 convention, expect next year's to land around the same time.

Not every hall keeps the same hours. The board game hall and the roleplaying rooms run late into the evening on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, while the family hall closes each evening at 6pm. The organiser notes that some halls run 24-hour gaming, so check which ones are open if you're a night owl.

Registration desk hours

You collect your badge at the registration desk, and its hours are shorter than the convention's: Thursday 10am to 6pm, Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 8pm, Sunday 9am to 2pm. If you arrive on Sunday afternoon, the desk may already be closed, so plan to pick up your badge earlier in the weekend.

Which day to go

The painting workshops run across all four days, Thursday through Sunday, so there's no single "painting day". Saturday is the busiest day: it's the day of the bring and buy auction and the desk stays open latest. Thursday and Friday are calmer if you'd like more room at the painting tables. Sunday finishes early, with the family hall closing at 2pm and the convention at 5:30pm.

Entry to Breakout Con is by paid pass, sold through the organiser's pass page. You'll need an account on the official site to buy one. There's a full pass for all four days and single-day passes for each day, plus youth and child passes. Prices for 2027 hadn't been published when we checked. Last published prices: Full Pass $105 for all four days, one day $45 ($50 on Saturday), Youth (9 to 15) $35 a day, 8 and under free.

Prices on the organiser's site are shown in dollars. Check the pass page for the current list before you budget.

Buying on the day

You can buy a pass at the door, but the organiser recommends buying in advance. On-site passes are first come, first served, and some days often sell out. On site, payment is cash or debit only, so don't rely on a credit card at the desk.

Children and young gamers

Youth passes cover ages 9 to 15, and children aged 8 and under go free with a child pass. Children 12 and under must be with a parent or guardian at all times. There's no crèche or drop-off area, and some events may be restricted because of their content.

Refunds

Refunds up to one week before the convention, after which all sales are final. The organiser asks you to contact them directly for a refund, and at the time we checked, they were pointing people to their Facebook page rather than a contact form.

The painting programme is a set of open-format painting workshops running from Thursday to Sunday. It's overseen by a team of professional painters from a commission painting studio in Ontario. There are two ways to join in.

The painting drop-in

The drop-in is the easy way in. Come by, sit down and try your hand at painting a miniature. You can bring your own miniatures and supplies, or use theirs: the organiser says miniatures, paints and brushes are provided. An experienced painter gives one-to-one advice and support, with tips and tricks to get your models tabletop-worthy.

That makes it a good fit if you've never painted before, or if you've got a model at home that's stalled on one tricky step and you'd like a second opinion.

The technique classes

The classes are more structured and hands-on. The organiser's painting page describes three kinds:

Booking a place

Painting sessions are listed in the convention schedule, and the organiser asks you to sign up while spots are available. The painting page doesn't list prices, times or age limits for the classes, so check the miniature painting page and the schedule once the 2027 programme is published.

If you'd like a head start, our guide to painting your first miniature covers the same ground as a fundamentals class, and the drybrushing and edge highlighting guide is good practice for making colours pop.

The board game library

Board gaming is the heart of Breakout Con. The main hall has dozens of tables for open play and a large library of games to borrow. Sign a game out at the admin desk with some ID or collateral, play it, and bring it back after one play or one hour, whichever takes longer. You can take borrowed games to some of the other gaming rooms too.

Roleplaying games

The roleplaying rooms run scheduled games all weekend, and new games start every hour. Sign up in advance through the online schedule, or speak to a volunteer at the sign-up table on the day. Some games are labelled family friendly for younger players.

Bring and buy auction

On Saturday the bring and buy auction fills one of the ballrooms. Drop-off is 9am to 11:30am, the auction runs 12pm to 6pm, and it's cash only. Board games and roleplaying games make up most of it, but miniatures and terrain are allowed too, so it's worth a browse for a painter. Sellers must register online by the Friday evening deadline, can list up to 20 items, and pay a small fee on each item that sells. Buyers pick items up and pay at the cashier.

Family gaming hall

The family hall is a quieter space with a hall manager, a mini-library of games for ages 4 to 10, volunteers to teach them, and a Play-to-Win raffle for children 12 and under. Adults playing in this hall need to be with someone under 18. It closes at 6pm each evening and at 2pm on Sunday.

For game designers

Protospiel North is a free playtesting area where amateur and established designers test board game prototypes, and any attendee can bring one. There's also a mentorship programme, where new designers apply to have their games played and given feedback by industry guests.

New painters. If you've never painted a miniature, the drop-in is about as gentle a start as you'll find: supplies are there, and so is a professional to help. Our guide to painting your first miniature and the beginner starter kit will help you carry on at home.

Improving painters. The technique classes are the draw if you already paint and want to level up, especially on cloth and difficult colours. Pair a class with our guide to drybrushing and edge highlighting for practice afterwards.

Board gamers. If your shelf is full of games with plastic miniatures still in grey, this is the convention for you. Play all weekend, then spend an hour at the drop-in learning to paint them.

Families. Children 8 and under go free, there's a youth pass for ages 9 to 15, and the family hall gives younger gamers a quieter space. Children need a parent or guardian with them.

Wargamers. The organiser doesn't list miniature wargames or tournaments, so if that's what you're after, Hot Lead in Stratford, Ontario, also usually in March, is the better fit.

The venue

Breakout Con is held at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2M9, opposite City Hall in the middle of downtown. The organiser describes the convention space as fully wheelchair accessible.

By subway and train

The nearest subway stations are Osgoode on the west side of the hotel and Queen on the east side, both a short walk away. Union Station, Toronto's main rail hub, is close by and connected to the subway.

From the airport

Flying in from the UK, you'll most likely land at Toronto Pearson, about 28 km from the hotel. The organiser points to the UP Express train to Union Station, at $12.35 CAD, or a taxi or ride-share, which takes around 45 minutes depending on traffic.

Parking

Hotel parking is $50 a night with valet; the Nathan Phillips Square garage under City Hall, across the street, is cheaper. The organiser recommends that city garage as the best rate near the convention.

Staying at the hotel

The organiser arranges a convention room rate at the Sheraton Centre each year. Last year the convention rate started at $249 a night (single or double) before taxes, with a cut-off date about a month before the convention. Check the organiser's hotel and travel page for this year's rate and booking link, and book early: the rate is subject to availability.

Masks

In recent years some halls, including the bring and buy auction, have been marked as mask-mandatory, with a few masks available at the registration desk. The rules can change closer to the event, so read the health and safety page before you go.

Details checked against the organiser's website in October 2026. Always check the official site before you travel. Pass prices, the class list, the hotel rate and the full schedule are published by the organiser, so that's the place to look for anything this page doesn't cover.

Planning more than one show? Our miniature events around the world page lists the big shows by region.