UK Games Expo, Birmingham

UK Games Expo is run by UK Games Expo Ltd, which describes it as the UK's largest hobby games convention. It's a three-day show, Friday to Sunday, usually in late May or early June. The trade hall, gaming halls, tournaments and family zones sit in the NEC, and the gaming carries on in the Hilton hotel next door, late into the evening.

How it started

The organiser says the show was founded in 2007 by Richard Denning and Tony Hyams, to create an inclusive, family-friendly space for games. The first show ran in Birmingham on 2 and 3 June 2007 and welcomed about 1,200 people, and it started life as a hobby rather than a business.

It has grown a little since. The 2026 show was its 20th anniversary, and the organiser reports 87,837 visitors and over 900 exhibitors in 2026, across six halls and the Hilton. For 2027, its 21st year, the organiser says the show returns to five halls of the NEC plus the Hilton.

What sort of games?

The organiser lists board games, card games, roleplaying games, miniature wargames, party games and strategy games, and says it hosts tournaments for card games, board games and wargames. Board games lead the way, with open gaming, a board game library and a playtest zone where designers try out games that aren't finished yet.

For miniature fans, the highlights are the Sir Coates Painting Masters competition, Paint and Take, the wargame tournaments and the Bring and Buy. There's also a Living History Village, cosplay groups, the UK Games Expo Awards, a museum area and a designer programme.

UK Games Expo 2027 is on Friday 4 to Sunday 6 June 2027. The headline opening hours are Friday and Saturday 9am to midnight, Sunday 9am to 4pm. The status above reads Confirmed, which means the organiser has published these dates on its own site. The organiser has also announced the following year's show for 2 to 4 June 2028, if you like to plan well ahead.

Those headline hours hide an important detail: not every part of the show is open all that time. The trade hall, where you do your shopping, keeps daytime hours, while the gaming halls and the Hilton keep going into the night. Here's how the organiser's opening hours page breaks it down.

Which day should I go?

If shopping is your main reason for going, any of the three days works, but Sunday is the shortest day. If you want to play late, Friday and Saturday are the evenings the gaming halls and the Hilton stay open until midnight. Painting competition winners are announced from 3pm on Sunday 6 June 2027 on the Main Stage, so painters who enter often plan to be there on the Sunday afternoon.

The organiser also lists a Thursday evening session in the NEC gaming and tournament halls, and the ticket desk opens on the Thursday too. Check the organiser's opening hours page closer to the time, as separate areas such as the board game library keep their own hours.

Tickets go on sale in December 2026, according to the organiser's ticket page. You buy entry by the day: pick one, two or all three days, and there are adult, young adult and family versions of each. The organiser's ticket page currently lists these prices, including VAT:

The show is at the NEC, the big exhibition centre on the edge of Birmingham, close to Birmingham Airport. The organiser describes it as being at the heart of the UK motorway network, and it's well served by train too.

Sir Coates Painting Masters

This is the show's miniature painting competition, run by UK Games Expo with a partner painting academy, and the organiser says it's open to everyone from seasoned pros to first-time painters. There are seven categories:

How to enter. You need an entry ticket and an account on the organiser's website. The entry form appears once the 2027 competition is announced. After registering, your entry shows under "My Expo Events", and you hand your miniature in at the Sir Coates Masters desk at the show. The organiser doesn't list an entry fee.

Judging and prizes. Four judges pick finalists and then three winners per category, with a fifth judge to settle ties. They look at painting skill, creativity, colour and theme, and the organiser says the look and story of a piece count as much as the brushwork. Every entrant gets a badge and sticker, finalists get a pin badge, the top three in each category get trophies, and there's a large glass trophy for Best in Show. Winners are announced from 3pm on Sunday 6 June 2027 on the Main Stage. Our guides on entering a painting competition and what judges look for will help you get ready.

Paint and Take

Paint and Take is a sit-down table where you paint a miniature with paints, brushes and supplies provided, then take it home. The organiser says it's for everyone from complete newcomers to experienced painters. It's a lovely first go at the hobby, and a good way to rest your feet with a brush in hand. The organiser doesn't say whether it costs anything or needs booking, so check the programme on the day.

Tournaments and open gaming

The organiser hosts tournaments for card games, board games and wargames. The 2027 events list wasn't published when we checked, and the organiser says events will be added closer to the show, so check its events page early in the year if you want a tournament place. Away from the competitive tables, open gaming areas, demos on stands and the board game library mean you can sit down and play from the moment you arrive.

The Bring and Buy

The Bring and Buy is the show's second-hand sale: people bring games they no longer need and the volunteers sell them on. For buyers it's simple, but note that all payments are cash only, and £50 notes aren't accepted. For sellers, here are the main rules from the organiser's page:

The organiser's page talks about games rather than miniatures, so if you're hoping to sell painted armies or models, check what's accepted before you pack them.

The trade hall

The organiser says the trade hall has over 900 exhibitors. It's open Friday and Saturday 9am to 6pm, Sunday 9am to 4pm, shorter than the gaming halls, so do your shopping first. That's a lot of ground, so pick up the programme and map pack when you arrive and mark your must-sees. If your bags get heavy, the organiser's Shop and Drop service stores them in a box for a small fee until the end of the day. Nothing is stored overnight.

Family zones

The Family Zone is in hall 2, with a Let's Play area for family games, a Children's Zone for younger ones and a Children's RPG Zone running games for ages 5 to 12. The organiser says trained staff are on hand to teach games, and there are treasure and scavenger hunt sheets from the help desk in hall 2.

Board gamers. If you love board games, this is a big one. The library and open gaming areas let you try before you buy, and the playtest zone gives you a look at what's coming next.

Painters. The Painting Masters has a category for nearly everything, from single miniatures to monsters and busts, plus Squires for painters aged 15 and under. Even if you're not entering, the finalists are well worth a look. Our four week competition plan helps if you want to enter.

Wargamers. Wargame tournaments are on the organiser's list, with their own event fee and booking. Don't expect the wall-to-wall wargames tables of a dedicated wargames show, though.

Is it good for beginners?

Yes. Paint and Take is made for first-timers, many stands demo their games, and the organiser's volunteers in blue shirts are there to help if you're lost. The organiser also suggests picking up the programme and map pack on arrival and using its show app.

Can children go?

Yes. Children aged 10 and under go free, there are young adult and family tickets, and the family zones in hall 2 are built for them. Our guide to painting miniatures with kids has ideas for keeping it fun if Paint and Take sparks something.

Details checked against the organiser's website in October 2026. Always check the official site before you travel. The full programme, floor maps and events list are published by UK Games Expo Ltd, so that's the place to look for anything this page doesn't cover.

Planning more than one show this year? Our miniature events around the world page lists the big shows by region, and the UK hobby calendar covers the UK year month by month.