A narrow, horizontal image of one shelf of Free Parking's games library with many, brightly-colore games including Framework, Pollen, and Azul.

Free Parking has been home to so many of your game nights—date nights, families, groups of friends, birthday parties, solo folks needing a moment of calm, designers and playtesters. That you have chosen to hang out with us in our library is such a gift to us, we hope it has been the same to you!

But would you like to meet some other lovers of board gaming? Play games with new folk and discover new games? One of my favorite memories of GenCon, a huge board gaming convention in Indianapolis every year, is being in the games library and seeing someone with Great Western Trail, exclaiming out loud, “Oh, I’ve wanted to learn that!”, and his immediately inviting me to play with his friends.

We want this same feeling to happen at Free Parking! Starting on December 11, we are launching Community Tabletop nights. We will have hosted gaming tables where you can be seated with other gamers wanting to play something similar: a chunky strategy game, a silly, large-scale party game, a dexterity game, a game none of you have played before, even.

Additionally, any day you come into FP and you’re open to meeting and playing with someone else, ask your librarian for a “join the table” sign for your table, or look around for someone else who’s got one up and meet a new friend!

Alice Connor, Board Game Librarian

The board game Railroad Ink. Image is of a yellow and white dry-erase grid with simple railroads and highways drawn in as well as the player's score. The sheet is on a wooden table with some dice and a dry-erase marker.

Play Railroad Ink

Railroad Ink is a charming and meditative roll-and-write game from designer Hjalmar Hach (also Evergreen and The King’s Dilemma). What is this “roll-and-write” you speak of? I’m glad you asked.

It actually does what it says on the tin: players roll dice and write the results down. Obviously how players write the things down is the meat of the game, where the points are. In Railroad Ink, players draw chunks of highway and railroads into grid squares on their map in order to connect exits around the outside edge, build complex networks, and get bonus points for their longest highways and railroads.

The game comes in several flavors, you might say, the boxes in different colors and including two bonus dice that add an additional spice to each version.* The game can be played by as many people as you have pre-printed whiteboards for, and becomes contemplative, even dreamy, as players move through the 7 rounds.

*We cannot tell a lie, it does look a little bit like candy. Don’t get us started on Azul and Project L—so many tasty-looking games in our library!

Chicken and waffle fries in a basket with red and white paper on a wooden table with bar patrons in the background.

Brunch: Chicken and Waffle Fries

Tender fried chicken and crisp, maple-infused waffle fries—they’re strikingly delicious! Chef Anthony Sanzenbacker’s take on the classic chicken and waffles is served with maple syrup and hot honey dipping sauce. Come by and try it alongside a game of Railroad Ink!

The beautiful new Free Parking gift cards which are red writing on black background, sticking out of a red envelope. Behind it is a stack of colorful board games.

Introducing: Gift Cards!

You asked, we listened—you can now buy gift cards to Free Parking for your friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, acquaintances, and enemies. Who will you get them for?