Polar Vortex 2026
Welcome to Polar Vortex 10!
Join us for our annual general gaming convention held during February in the Chicagoland area.
We invite you to a weekend of RPG's, board games, card games, miniature games, our charity silent auction supporting the American Cancer Society, paint and take, Play & Win, game demos from supporting manufacturers, vendors, board game library, cosplay, larping, costume contest, and more!
You can discover further details at polarvortex.games
So come relax, have a great time, and join us as we launch into the new gaming year. May your dice rolls and card draws be ever in your favor!
You can still reserve a hotel room with our block rate in person, or over the phone at 630-505-1000. Be sure to inform them you're staying for Polar Vortex when reserving your room to lock in the block rate.
If you booked a room after 2/7 and didn't inform them, you can still receive the block rate by contacting the hotel about your reservation.
CONVENTION HOURS
Will Call & on-site registration opens Friday @ noon.
The Main Hall, Getz, and Shaw rooms are open till midnight and reopen at 8am.
The Dining Rooms & Hotel Lobby can be used for open gaming after midnight.
| Friday, Feb 12th | Saturday, Feb 13th | Sunday, Feb 14th |
|---|---|---|
| 1 pm - 12 am | 9 am - 12 am | 9 am - 8 pm |
REGISTRATION HOURS
| Friday, Feb 12th | Saturday, Feb 13th | Sunday, Feb 14th |
|---|---|---|
| 12 pm - 8 pm | 8 am - 8 pm | 8 am - 3 pm |
EVENT SLOTS
| Friday, Feb 12th | Saturday, Feb 13th | Sunday, Feb 14th |
|---|---|---|
| Con Setup : 8 am - noon | Slot 3: 9 am - 1 pm | Slot 6: 9 am - 1 pm |
| Slot 1: 2 pm - 6 pm | Slot 4: 2 pm - 6 pm | Slot 7: 2 pm - 6 pm |
| Slot 2: 7 pm - 11 pm | Slot 5: 7 pm - 11 pm | Con Breakdown: 6 pm - 10 pm |
CONVENTION SCHEDULE
| Friday, Feb 12th | Saturday, Feb 13th | Sunday, Feb 14th | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noon – Registration Opens | 8am – Registration opens | 8am – Registration Opens | |
| Noon – Online Silent Auction Begins | 11:30am – Concession Stand Opens | 11:30am – Concession Stand Opens | |
| Noon – Concession Stand Opens | 12pm – Cosplay Meet & Greet | 1pm – Play & Win Raffle Begins | |
| 1pm – Game Rooms Open | 1pm – Cosplay Contest | 1pm – Miniature Competition Awards Ceremony | |
| 2pm – Scheduled Events begin | 1pm – Thunderworks Meet & Greet | 2:30pm – Concession Stand Closes | |
| 6pm – Friday Silent Auction Ends | 6pm – Online Silent Auction Ends | 3pm – Registration Closes | |
| 7pm – Friday Silent Auction Winner Pickup Begins | 7pm – Online Silent Auction Winner Pickup Begins | 4pm – Sunday Silent Auction Ends | |
| 7:30pm – Concession Stand Closes | 7pm – Be Mine Valentine Event | 5pm – Sunday Auction Winner Pickup Begins | |
| 7pm – Volunteer Dinner | 7pm – Volunteer Dinner | 6pm – All Auction Winner Pickup Ends | |
| 8pm – Registration Closes | 7:30pm – Concession Stand Closes | 8pm – Polar Vortex 10 Ends. Open Gaming may continue till midnight. | |
| 12am – Game rooms locked. Open Gaming available in Dining Room & Lobby after hours. | 8pm – Miniature Competition Entry Ends | ||
| 8pm – Registration Closes | |||
| 9pm – Miniature Competition Judging Begins | |||
| 12am – Game rooms locked. Open Gaming available in Dining Room & Lobby after hours. |
DELICIOUS IN CONVENTION
The hotel’s Concession Stand will be open in the lobby Friday & Saturday from 11:30am – 7:30pm, and on Sunday from 11:30am – 2:30pm. The restaurant is open during breakfast and dinner hours with the bar staying open late.
Entre Bar & Restaurant Hours
Thursday: 6:30 AM – 10:00 AM (breakfast), 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM (dinner + bar)
Friday: 6:30 AM – 10:00 AM (breakfast), 5:00 PM – 12:30 AM (dinner + bar)
Saturday–Sunday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 AM (breakfast), 5:00 PM – 12:30 AM (dinner + bar)
CONCESSION STAND MENU
Dungeon Dog : $8
Chicago Hot Dog
relish, tomatoes, onions, mustard, sports peppers
Scholar's Quills in Crushed Pomodoro : $9
Penne Pasta with maranara sauce
Aurochburger with Golden Cheese : $10
Cheeseburger
Old School Orc and Cheese on Gnomish Butter Bread : $10
Ham & Swiss on Crossaint
Emerald Glazed Cockatrice Breast on Hearthbread : $10
Grilled Pesto Chicken on Foccacia
The Halfling's Leaf : $8
Vegetable Wrap
Dwarven Flatbread with Forge Cheese or Dire Boar Sausage : $7
Pizza (by the slice)
cheese or sausage
Emperor's Salad : $7
Ceasar Salad
Wood Elf's Bounty : $7
Garden Salad
Individual Beverages: $3.50
Pepsi, diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Starry, Regular Coffee, Decaf Coffee, Tea, Bottled Water
Domestic Beer: $8
Bud Light, Coors Light, Michelob Ultra
Individual chips, cookies, and candy bars: $3
Registration
Badges Closed Tickets ClosedMerch Sales
ClosedDates
Location
Lisle, Illinois
Venue
Sheraton Lisle Naperville Hotel
3000 Warrenville Rd, Lisle, IL 60532, USA
(630) 505-1000
POLAR VORTEX HOTEL BLOCK
Sheraton Lisle Naperville Hotel
3000 Warrenville Rd, Lisle, IL 6053
Polar Vortex has secured a hotel block with the Sheraton Lisle Naperville Hotel!
Booking a room at the Sheraton allows you to game as late as you want and/or start your day at the con bright and early so you don’t miss any of the fun.
The Sheraton has an excellent breakfast buffet, restaurant + bar, gym, pool, and many other amenities to make your stay a memorable one.
Rooms are $119/night.
Online Reservations are now closed.
You can still reserve a hotel room with our block rate in person, or over the phone at 630-505-1000. Be sure to inform them you're staying for Polar Vortex when reserving your room to lock in the block rate.
If you booked a room after 2/7 and didn't inform them, you can still receive the block rate by contacting the hotel about your reservation.
