PAX West 2026

PAX West 2026 — Week Schedule

1. May 21, 2026 · Badges & hotel blocks on sale
   PAX West 2026 badges went on sale, with official hotel room blocks opening at the same time.
2. September 4, 2026 · Day 1 — Friday
   The show floor opens for the first of four days of demos, panels and tournaments.
3. September 5, 2026 · Day 2 — Saturday
   The busiest day of the show — Saturday badges are the highest-priced single-day option.
4. September 6, 2026 · Day 3 — Sunday
   Programming continues across the expo halls, tabletop area and tournament stages.
5. September 7, 2026 · Day 4 — Monday (Labor Day)
   The final show day, traditionally home to the Omegathon final and closing ceremonies.

PAX West 2026 Weekend Planning Blueprint

PAX West sells out and downtown Seattle fills up on a holiday weekend — a little planning makes the trip easy.

1. Buy badges the moment they go on sale. Four-day badges and the busy Saturday single-day go first, and PAX pricing is all-in with no surprise fees.
2. Book a hotel within walking distance. Lodging steps from the convention center lets you drop your bag and walk to the doors — hotel blocks open with badge sales, so move early.
3. Plan around the show, not just the badge. The full exhibitor list and panel schedule post closer to September — pick your must-play demos and must-see panels before you arrive.
4. Line up your nights. Book a large-group dinner ahead, and keep walkable after-hours spots in mind — ping pong and cocktails, an arcade bar a block from the show.
5. Pace the four days. Mix high-energy expo time with lower-key tabletop freeplay, eat real meals, and leave room for the closing-day Omegathon final.

Who This Event Fits Best

PAX West rewards a specific kind of traveler.

• The hands-on player. You want to play the game, not watch a trailer. PAX is built around playable demos of titles that are not out yet.
• The tabletop devotee. Board and card games are not an afterthought here — hundreds of tables, a borrowable library and Penny Arcade’s live D&D tradition.
• The indie hunter. The PAX Rising showcase exists to surface small developers; if you like discovering a game before it has a fanbase, this is the room.
• The group of friends. PAX is a hangout as much as a convention — Seattle’s downtown core packs hotels, ping-pong bars and large-group restaurants into a few walkable blocks.
• Maybe sit this one out if… you want a quiet, low-crowd weekend. PAX West fills downtown Seattle over a holiday weekend, and lines are part of the experience.

Official Links & Tickets

Official PAX West 2026 site
PAX sells single-day and four-day "badges" directly through its official site, with hotel blocks opening alongside badge sales. Four-day badges were priced at $252; prices are all-in.