Live Action Roleplaying, or LARP, has evolved far beyond its niche origins. Across Europe and North America, thousands gather each year to step into immersive worlds, from high fantasy and historical drama to post-apocalyptic wastelands and gothic horror. The best events offer more than costumes and combat. They provide community, character-driven storytelling, and environments that suspend disbelief for days at a time.
This guide focuses on some of the most respected and enduring LARP events scheduled or expected to return in 2025, highlighting both scale and substance. Whether you’re new to LARP or a seasoned player looking for your next challenge, these events represent some of the finest the hobby has to offer.
Empire Wicker Man | Credit: Tom Garnett
Drachenfest (Germany)
Held annually in Diemelstadt, Drachenfest is one of the largest fantasy LARP events in the world, regularly drawing thousands of players. The structure revolves around competing colour-coded camps, each with its own philosophy, alliances, and internal politics. The level of coordination, storytelling, and combat is unmatched in scale. Expect tent cities, ritual spaces, and massive field battles. German-speaking knowledge helps, but international players are welcomed.
https://www.drachenfest-larp.info/en
ConQuest of Mythodea (Germany)
Run by Live Adventure, ConQuest is known for its theatrical approach, large player count, and in-world logistics. The event uses extensive lore and high production values, including professional-grade makeup, props, and faction banners. While combat plays a role, the event is just as focused on diplomacy, ritual, and in-character drama. It is part of a larger Mythodea campaign setting that runs year-round.
Empire (United Kingdom)
Organised by Profound Decisions (PD), Empire is a flagship UK LARP event. It’s a system, grounded in politics, religion, military strategy, and cultural interplay between nations. Players influence the game world through votes in the Imperial Senate, battles in open field combat, and deep personal roleplay. Empire also stands out for its commitment to inclusivity and logistical efficiency. PD runs muliple Empire events around the year.
College of Wizardry (Poland)
Taking place in a real 13th-century castle, this event recreates the experience of being a student in a magical school. Unlike traditional combat-focused events, College of Wizardry leans into narrative immersion, magical academia, and social interaction. While rules-lite, it remains one of the most internationally accessible LARPs in Europe, drawing players from dozens of countries.
Bicolline (Canada)
Located in Quebec, Bicolline is North America’s largest medieval fantasy LARP. It spans an entire village built for immersive roleplay, complete with inns, guildhalls, and fortifications. The Grand Battle week draws thousands of players for faction warfare, magical plots, and large-scale events. Combat uses boffer weapons, and the game world is persistent, with long-term character arcs playing out across multiple years.
Wasteland Weekend (USA)
Though not a traditional fantasy LARP, Wasteland Weekend in California deserves mention for its fully immersive post-apocalyptic setting. Think Mad Max meets immersive festival. Participants bring their own vehicles, build themed camps, and commit to character for the duration. The line between performance art, roleplay, and real community blurs in a world of barter, survival games, and wild creativity.
Dystopia Rising (USA and Canada)
A networked post-apocalyptic horror LARP with multiple chapters across the US and Canada, Dystopia Rising is designed around ongoing character development and survival themes. Combat is boffer-based, but the real draw is the atmosphere and communal storytelling. Players build networks, face in-game traumas, and navigate morally grey survival scenarios over weekend-long events.
Twin Mask (USA, California)
Set in a high-fantasy world, Twin Mask combines deep character interaction with structured world events. It balances combat with intrigue, magic, and personal arcs. The event uses a modular rules system, allowing for customisation without overcomplication. Storylines unfold over multiple events, and new players are actively integrated into the setting without being overwhelmed.
The LARP scene in 2025 continues to push boundaries, blending theatricality, strategy, and social dynamics. What sets the best events apart is not just size or spectacle but the strength of their community and the depth of their storytelling. Whether you favour field battles, political scheming, or full-immersion narrative, the options across Europe and North America cater to every style of player.
We would like thank Clare at Profound Decisions (Empire) and Tom Garnett for their support and kind permission to reproduce their images to illustrate this article. Image credit: Tom Garnett
