The story
Ropecon in Espoo/Helsinki
Ropecon has run since 1994 and is Europe's largest non-commercial roleplaying convention, now held at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre after two decades at Espoo's Dipoli center. Around a thousand volunteers run tabletop and live-action roleplaying games, board and card games, wargaming, lectures and workshops for crowds exceeding five thousand. It suits travelers wanting hands-on gaming rather than a spectator-focused convention.
Ropecon began in 1994 as a small roleplaying gathering and has grown into the largest non-commercial roleplaying convention in Europe, organized entirely by volunteers rather than a professional events company.