What we’re about
Welcome, board game fans! Anyone who enjoys tabletop games or role-playing games should feel welcome to join this group. There are no dues or fees.
Beginning in January 2023, we're going to hold monthly meetings at the Bowie Branch Library to play board games. We'll also have additional meetings from time to time.
If you'd like to host a gaming event or want to start an RPG group, please message an organizer; we're happy to create a Meetup event for you so that attendees can sign up.
Code of Conduct
The Bowie Board Games and RPG Meetup aims to provide a harassment-free community for everyone, regardless of sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, age, body size, race, nationality, or religious beliefs.
We do not tolerate harassment of community members in any form. Participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the community at the discretion of the organizers. Harassment includes offensive verbal or written comments related to sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, age, body size, race, nationality, or religious beliefs, deliberate intimidation, threats, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.
Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any Bowie Board Games Meetup event or communication channel. Community members asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. Sponsors and presenters are also subject to the anti-harassment policy.
If a community member engages in harassing behavior, the organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the group. If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact an organizer immediately.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Announcements & Membership SurveyLink visible for attendees
This is a repost of the highlights from the 8/31 Announcements email
+++ Membership Survey +++
Help us decide when, where and what kind of events to schedule by answering a short anonymous survey: https://forms.gle/LwyrUoqRGvRppZw97
+++ One meeting per month for 2025 +++
Our group will be dropping back to one meeting per month for the rest of 2025. Autumn means there's more activity in the library, and more competing priorities for the meeting rooms. We're keeping the second Saturday meetings which are already on the schedule through the end of the year.
We may get some additional meetings in November and December if the meeting rooms get less busy by then.
In the meantime, we'd like to highlight that you can organize your own small-scale events. Pick a game, date, time, location, and number of players, and message the Meetup's organizers with the details to have it added to the calendar of events. If you’d like to meet at the library, we’ve been welcomed to play games upstairs. There are several tables by the computers, with two that can comfortably fit a full-sized game like Everdell. Current library hours are: M/Th/F 10 to 6, T/W 10 to 8, and Saturdays 10 to 5.
+++ Local BoardGameArena group +++
Do you play games online using Board Game Arena? Did you know we have a local group for Bowie? Join by going to https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=18077222.
+++ Library Volunteers Needed: Book Sales and Chess Club +++
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The Friends of the Library group, a local non-profit group which Andrew volunteers for, needs volunteers in order to restart its book sale shelf at the library. Book sale proceeds go towards supporting the library. If you’re willing to spend a few hours each month sorting through donated books and restocking the sale shelves at the library, please message Andrew directly or leave a comment below.
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The library's Chess Club is really popular, attracting players of all skill levels and ages. However, reduced staffing is making it hard for the library branch to keep the club going. The library is looking for help supervising club events, which involves: setting up the room, greeting new arrivals, and generally keeping things running smoothly. Familiarity with chess is helpful, but not required as there is no teaching involved. To volunteer, please leave a comment or message Andrew directly and we'll put you in touch with the club director.
Have a good autumn!
The Organizers (Aaron, Andrew, Susan, Tom)
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- Board Game Fun & Learn Bärenpark at the Bowie LibraryBowie Branch Library, PGCMLS, Bowie, MD
Join us for board games at the Bowie library.
This week Susan will be teaching Bärenpark, a quick-to-learn polyomino game (think Tetris pieces) where you race to build the best bear park.
Alternatively, you're welcome to play one of our other games or bring some of your own. If there's something specific you're hoping to play, please mention it in your RSVP or leave a comment.
This is a recurring event, held on the 2nd Saturday of each month.
Bärenpark resources:
Rulebook
How to Play video - Board Game Math TradeLink visible for attendees
Three times a year, I (Susan) run a board game Math Trade & Flea Market event in the DMV. This fall's event is being held in Columbia, Maryland on October 4th.
The math trade, which happens in the weeks leading up to the in-person meetup, is the heart of the event. It's a great opportunity to refresh your collection without spending any money, by trading away games you're no longer playing for new-to-you games you're excited to own.
What is a math trade? A math trade is a fun way for a group of people to trade many more games than they could via direct trades alone. First, everyone adds their games to a single shared list. Then each person looks through the list for games they're interested in, and indicates all of the trades they'd be willing to make. Finally a computer program determines how to maximize the number of trades within the group. Last time nearly 500 games were traded, and the longest trade chain (aka trade loop) was over 200 games long!
To participate, you'll need to do a few things:
- Log into BoardGameGeek. (BGG accounts are free.)
- Add your games to the trade Geeklist by the 9/17 deadline.
- Look for games you're interested in, and indicate which game-for-game trades you'd be willing to make. This phase is done on a second website known as the OLWLG.
- Attend the in-person meetup in Columbia on 10/4. I'm generally available to act as a proxy by prior agreement, if you want to participate but can't come on 10/4. Message me ahead of time to discuss.
I'll be honest: participating in a math trade does take some work, and there's a learning curve. That said we have a lovely established community with lots of support available. A local no-ship math trade like this one is the ideal way to try out math trading because it's relatively small there are no shipping costs involved. If you enjoy it, I run one in the DMV about every four months, and you might even find yourself participating in the big US-wide shipping math trade that's held every month.
Curious? Ready to jump in? You'll find everything you need over on BoardGameGeek:
Event discussion thread
Math Trade GeeklistTo sign up for email notifications of future DMV Math Trade & Flea Market events, click here.
