By Lani Gering
Can you believe that we are starting a brand-new year already? Truth be known, I am happy to see 2025 hit the bricks. It has been a hellava year on the political front and living this close to the “heart of the beast” just seems to amplify things. That, coupled with my very favorite spot in the Harbor, Bond 45, closing its doors at no fault of its own on the 1st is why I am looking forward to a better 2026.
January is historically a slow month pretty much everywhere. The Harbor may be quieter than most since the Gaylord convention traffic slows down with the exception of Super MAGFest happening January 8th to the 11th. According to their website, “Super MAGFest (short for Music and Gaming Festival) is a four-day long event dedicated to the appreciation of video game music, gaming of all types, and the gaming community. The event runs 24 hours – yes, you read that right – a day and offers consoles, arcades, tabletop, LAN, live video game cover bands, chiptunes, vendors, guest speakers and much more.”
I have been a witness to a couple of these “gatherings” over the years and I must say that just people watching the attendees is very entertaining in itself. People come from all over the USA and possibly other countries to stay up all night drinking water and using creative methods of relieving themselves on and above the use of Depends. Tack on to all of the music and gaming, the Cosplay. I never fully understood what cosplay meant until I joined a good friend for a couple of Bloody Mary’s at Old Hickory while her youngest daughter and friend participated last year. I wish I had taken some photos. According to the google definition, “Cosplay – short for Costume Play – is considered a performance art where fans and gamers dress as characters from anime, games, movies, etc. combining costume creation, role play and community offering creativity, stress relief and connection, with options to buy or make outfits and participate in conventions or online. It’s about bringing beloved characters to life, embracing fun and personal expression regardless of age, gender or body type focusing on enjoying the hobby.”
When I snooped out the Gaylord lobby the first time MAGFest took place at least 10 years ago and watching the age range of the people checking in to the various hotels around the Harbor, I deducted that this was definitely a “kids/young adults” thing. However, last year I saw a group of men who were clearly in their late 60’s parading around in all sorts of homemade armor evidently depicting a video game unknown to me. Maybe there’s one called Gladiator? So, I guess it is an ever-evolving event as the gamers grow older.
Pictured here is a photo of the Sonic cosplayers from MAGFest 2025. At least I know who Sonic is. That’s more than I can say for the bulk of the players outfit’s themes. I have included a shot of one of the gamers rooms and of one of the musicians who evidently plays and records the music that accompanies a game or two. I sourced these shots from the Super.MAGfest.org site.
In looking for the cost to attend, it appears that all four days are sold out. For future reference, pricing ranges from $165 down to $35 on Sunday. It looks like it is best to register for your badge online earlier in the year. Just in case any of you are interested. And, keep in mind that it doesn’t cost a thing to just hang out in the Atrium of the Gaylord and watch the cosplayers mix and mingle and pose for photos. Maybe you could offer to take a photo or two.
For those of you who want to just wind down from the holidays, there are lots of good places to eat and drink and take a quiet ride on the Capital Wheel. I recommend treating yourself to a glass of wine and a pizza at Fiorella’s before you head out to take a spin. The Wheel is open year-round, weather permitting, but you may want to check on the exact hours of operation before you go. All of the information you need can be found online at thecapitalwheel.com and on their Facebook and Instagram pages.
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year with big hopes for a better 2026!