We Did It: A Greenwood Games 2026 Recap
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Greenwood Games is officially wrapped and it exceeded every expectation I had for what a first-year community event could be.
Here's what I'll remember most.
The wind had other plans
The wind was our biggest logistical villain of the day, doing its best to blow over games. Everyone figured out a way to adapt though...tape & rocks for the win! Noted for next year: keep the event inside!
The vibe was pure delight
The Phinney community never disappoints! Everyone approached the day with enthusiasm and curiosity. It really felt like a win-win-win. Businesses saw extra foot traffic, neighbors had a fun free afternoon, and desigers got to do their 2nd favorite thing: play their game!
One of my favorite moments was hearing kids decalre that Satanimals was their favorite find of the day. A game about building a demonic petting zoo and sacrificing visitors turned out to be a massive hit with the youngest players on the route. I was not expecting this, but I am thrilled about it!
The indoor locations that invited people to sit down and actually play a game at a table were the busiest all day. There's something to learn there for next year.
And the thing that made me the happiest: strangers helping strangers. Several times throughout the day I witnessed groups comparing notes, pointing each other toward their favorite demo tables, and giving hints about the playbook clues.
The meta-puzzle answer
If you submitted an answer to the playbook meta-puzzle, the answer was Neighbors Playing Games. We are pulling several names from everyone who submitted a correct answer, and each winner will receive one of the games from the event. We'll be in touch in August.
Thank you
This event happened because a lot of people said yes.
Thank you to our incredible game designers and studios who showed up, set up tables, and shared their work with the neighborhood:
Always Awake Games, LindenCo, Cherry Picked Games, Season Studio, Fun First Games, Vineblade Studios, Dream Compendium, Rainbow Rabbits Games, Coinflip Games, Mega Mint Games, JBird Games, Swoopy Games, Tarpey Games, the Eye Write It Project, Mega Mint Games, Rafael Tavares Games, and the Seattle GO Center volunteers who taught anyone willing to learn one of the oldest games in the world.
Thank you to the Greenwood Ave businesses who opened their windows, their doors, and their spaces to make the whole thing work:
Diva Espresso, Wing Dome, Illumination, Gorgeous George, Draft Punk, Fortuna, Yoshi, Yanni's, Phinney Station, Chicken Supply, Pie Bar, Bella Vita, Prost!, Ken's Market, Greenwood Hardware, Atulea, Holy Mountain, Doe Bay, Rub-A-Dub Dog, Kym's Kiddy Corner, and Ridgewood Bottle & Tap.
Thank you to our high school volunteers, who ran demo tables, walked the avenue troubleshooting all afternoon, and kept the whole thing moving. Special thanks to Julia for being our official event photographer.
And thank you to the PhinneyWood Blog and the Phinney Neighborhood Association for their support in getting the word out. This event lives and dies by community, and your support made it happen!
Want to do it again?
Because we do. Greenwood Games 2027 is already in the works. If you want to be the first to hear when things get official, drop your email below and I'll keep you posted.
@rainbowrabbitscards
