Tarragona is gearing up for a weekend dedicated to board games and role-playing games with the fifth edition of the TGN Juga festival, scheduled for 7 and 8 November at the Palau Firal i de Congressos. The event, which is open to the public and free of charge, aims to promote gaming as a tool for learning, socialising, and community engagement.
The festival was announced during a press conference attended by Isabel Mascaró, the city's Education Councillor, who emphasised the educational value of games. "We firmly believe in the educational value of play. Board games are not just a form of entertainment; they are also a learning tool that fosters creativity, reasoning, cooperation, respect, and coexistence. At a time when screens occupy a significant part of our lives, TGN Juga highlights the importance of coming together and sharing experiences," she stated.
Mascaró also highlighted the collaboration of various municipal departments and city entities, noting, "The cooperation among all is what makes TGN Juga more than just a festival; it is a shared city project that connects education, culture, and community."
Alexandra Pedret Bertomeu, Vice-President of the TGN Juga Association, expressed gratitude to the IMET (Municipal Institute of Education of Tarragona) and all participating publishers, entities, and associations. "The festival is growing, as evidenced by the loyal entities and associations that participate each year. Thanks to this and new additions, we have a broader range of activities this year," she said.
The festival will open on Saturday, 7 November, from 10:00 to 20:30, and on Sunday, 8 November, from 10:00 to 14:00. The programme will include demonstrations, tournaments, role-playing games, family activities, specialised shops, and the presence of board game authors. Game explainers will assist visitors in discovering new games and participating in various sessions.
This year, 21 publishers will participate, along with 26 entities, associations, and different municipal departments. Notable new features include the Pelusas tournament, where the winner will secure a spot in the final tournament at the InterOcio Fair 2027 in Madrid, and the second edition of the Catalan Cup of Twilight Struggle. The programme will also include tournaments for games such as La cuenta, Cursa de tortugues, Ariska’t, Strategeti, Tumblin’ Dice, and Sapio-castells, as well as advanced sessions with games like Queen Alice, Covenant, and Wingspan.
Additionally, the festival will expand its role-playing game offerings and host draws linked to the 'pasaporte jugón' (gamer passport). Once again, the festival will feature the Ludoforta project, involving 25 students from the Torreforta Institute as game explainers, supported by nearly ten teachers. This educational initiative uses board games to promote social cohesion, competency learning, and the use of the Catalan language.
The festival is also part of the Pasaporte Edunauta project, providing a new play space where educational competencies can be stamped. Inclusive and scientific activities will be offered, including proposals from aFFac, mathematical challenges from the Catalonia Mathematics Museum (MMACA), and a session on intelligent plastics of the future by the Catalan Institute of Chemical Research (ICIQ). An outdoor space for inclusive games will be set up for families, along with a tent specifically for role-playing games. All activities are free, although some require prior registration.
The programming for this fifth edition of TGN Juga extends beyond the weekend of 7 and 8 November, featuring pre-festival activities under the new title Movent fitxa, in collaboration with various municipal departments. From this week until 6 October, workshops on board games and strategy for young people, as well as family gaming activities in parks and civic centres, will be held. Notably, a talk titled "Can we learn through play? Scientific evidence of ABJ with board games" will take place on Wednesday, 28 October, at the IMET headquarters. This talk is open to the public, especially for educators, and will be led by a research group from the University of Lleida and the Mente Lúdica Association, focusing on the potential of modern board games in the context of game-based learning (ABJ).
During the festival, the IMET will organise a draw for board games, requiring participants to obtain a ticket and complete two demo game sessions. The draw will take place the week after the festival, with winners contacted to collect their prizes.
The growth and consolidation of the festival have been notable since 2024. In its first two years, held at the IMET, space limitations restricted attendance. However, when the festival moved to the Palau Firal i de Congressos in 2024, visitor numbers surged to 2,230, rising to 2,472 in 2025, solidifying the festival's status and demonstrating its growing appeal.
Over five editions, TGN Juga has established itself as an educational, cultural, and community initiative promoting values linked to inclusive and playful education, social cohesion, and networking. The festival encourages intergenerational meeting spaces around board games, promotes the social use of the Catalan language, and advocates for healthy leisure alternatives that foster relationships, creativity, and shared learning, contributing to a more balanced use of free time, away from screens.
TGN Juga is co-organised by the Tarragona City Council, through the IMET, and the TGN Juga Association, with support from various municipal departments such as Tarragona Jove, the Civic Centre Network, Europe Direct, and the Equality Council, as well as backing from entities like Ludoforta, Diògenes, AJRET, AJJRR, Tirant lo Dau, Vilajuga, and Món Aualé, among others.
