MAGFest

Abstract

This is a flyer for the event space at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood Roanoke, where the first MAGFest event was held. This space was originally scoped out for the anime fan convention Omakecon, which would become MAGFest.

Abstract

This photograph shows MAGFest founder Joseph Yamine holding a copy of the program for MAGFest 1. This photograph was taken at Captain Gamestation, a game store run by Yamine in Roanoke, VA.

Abstract

This is a draft version of the program for MAGFest 1. The program includes a tentative event schedule and various placeholder elements, such as spaces for ads, and unfinalized copy that refers to the unnamed mascot for MAGFest 1 as simply "mascot."

Scope and Contents From the Series:

This collection contains items related to the founding of Omakecon and the promotion of the first MAGFest event. This includes materials related to other events and groups, particularly anime and gaming events in the Virginia area where the MAGFest community was first organized.

Abstract

The first MAGFest event in September 2002 originated as Omakecon, a video game-focused anime convention founded by members of the video game and anime communities in Roanoke, VA. Due to an organizational dispute, Omakecon was never held. Joseph Yamine, an organizer for the event and the owner of the Roanoke video game store Captain Gamestation, relaunched Omakecon as a video game event called the Mid-Atlantic Gaming Festival.

Abstract

MAGFest (Music and Gaming Festival) is a series of community-run video game event with a focus on video game music and gaming culture. The events, run by the non-profit organization MAGFest, Inc., began in 2002 as the Mid-Atlantic Gaming Festival in Roanoke, Virginia. Since then, the organization has expanded to run multiple events and game concert series throughout the United States.

Abstract

These photographs were taken at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 2002. Although MAGFest did not have an official presence at the event, Joseph Yamine, who ran the game store Captain Gamestation and founded MAGFest, attempted to promote the event on the show floor. Yamine spoke with people including Working Designs president Victor Ireland, whose company became a sponsor the first MAGFest event.

Abstract

This photograph shows the promotional booth for MAGFest at the Baltimore-area anime convention Otakon 2002.

Abstract

This is a flyer for RoAnime Club, an anime club based out of Roanoke, VA. Members of RoAnime Club were the founders of the video game-focused anime fan event Omakecon, which would ultimately become MAGFest.

Abstract This is a flyer for a video game tournament held at Star City Comics & Games in Roanoke, VA. These tournaments were run by members of the Roanoke-based anime fan group RoAnime Club. Joseph Yamine, the founder of MAGFest, was a member of RoAnime Club and helped run these tournaments; he credits them for inspiring the creation of the video game-focused anime convention Omakecon, which became MAGFest. According to Yamine, early MAGFest participants have retroactively described this...