Festival del Gioco celebrates 80 years of voting for women

‘Play – Festival del Gioco’, the most important Italian event dedicated to board, role-playing and card games, returns to BolognaFiere from 22 to 24 May 2026. The 17th edition, entitled #LaPLAY, will be a tribute to the 80th anniversary of women’s right to vote in Italy, putting inclusivity and the great female authors of the sector at the centre. The protagonists of the edition will be three internationally renowned guests of honour: Tory Brown, author of the award-winning “Votes for Women” on women’s suffrage (to be released in Italian in 2026); Avery Alder, a Canadian queer designer known for games that explore identity and community; and Banana Chan, celebrated for his innovative use of horror and folklore in his titles.

The event will take place in four pavilions of BolognaFiere, with thousands of gaming tables and the largest toy library ever. The event is part of a rapidly growing market, which in 2025 recorded a +6% in value, with a peak of +23% for the trading card sector (Circana data).

The strong link with the academic and research world has been confirmed. The Scientific Area will see the participation of bodies such as Cnr, Inaf, Infn and numerous universities, consolidating the role of gaming as an educational and cultural tool. Great space for families too, with an entire pavilion of over 10,000 m2 dedicated to games for the little ones, trading cards and large wooden games, uniting different generations.

By Editor

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