Trade Show Game Ideas: Attract and Engage Crowds

Trade show game ideas are all about creating interactive, exciting ways to draw attendees to your booth and keep them engaged. Fun games like prize wheels, trivia challenges, and spin-to-win contests are classic options that offer quick rewards and boost booth traffic. More interactive games, like virtual reality experiences, scavenger hunts around the event, or digital leaderboards for top scores, add a tech-savvy, competitive edge.

Simple yet effective games like putting challenges, giant Jenga, or branded Plinko boards can create memorable moments and friendly competition. Incorporating giveaways or discounts as prizes keeps visitors motivated to participate. The key to great trade show games is making them easy to join, quick to play, and tied to your brand message, ensuring that visitors have fun while also learning about your products or services.

Trade Show Game Ideas

Here’s a list of 100+ Trade Show Game Ideas, designed to attract visitors, create fun engagement, and make your booth memorable:

Spin-to-Win and Prize Wheels

1. Spin the Prize Wheel

2. Digital Prize Wheel App

3. Trivia Spin (answer a question to spin)

4. Color Wheel Spin (color determines prize)

5. Mystery Prize Wheel (hidden prizes)

Trivia and Quizzes

6. Industry-Themed Trivia

7. Company History Quiz

8. Guess the Product Quiz

9. True or False Challenge

10. Speed Trivia (timer-based)

Contests and Raffles

11. Drop Your Business Card Raffle

12. Scan to Enter Raffle (QR Code)

13. Fill Out a Survey Contest

14. Social Media Share Contest

15. Best Caption Contest

16. Daily Drawing Giveaway

17. Guess the Number of Items (jar of candy, balls, etc.)

18. Scratch-Off Card Contest

19. Secret Word Hunt (find the word around booth)

20. Golden Ticket Hidden Giveaway

Carnival-Style Games

21. Ring Toss

22. Mini Bean Bag Toss

23. Duck Pond Game

24. Spin Art Station

25. Balloon Pop Game

26. Mini Plinko Board

27. Pop-a-Shot Basketball

28. Mini Golf Putt Challenge

29. Fishing for Prizes

30. Wheel of Fortune Game

Arcade and Interactive Games

31. Retro Arcade Machines

32. VR Experience Game

33. Interactive Touch Screen Games

34. Digital Whack-a-Mole

35. Racing Simulator

36. VR Prize Hunt

37. Giant Tetris

38. Dance-Off with Dance Mat

39. 3D Memory Matching Game

40. Augmented Reality Scavenger Hunt

Sports-Themed Games

41. Basketball Shootout

42. Football Toss

43. Soccer Goal Kick

44. Mini Ping Pong Challenge

45. Mini Hockey Shootout

46. Speed Pitch Radar Challenge

47. Cornhole Tournament

48. Darts Game (magnetic or velcro for safety)

49. Golf Swing Simulator

50. Mini Bowling

Wheel and Dice Games

51. Roll the Giant Dice

52. Lucky Number Dice Game

53. Dice Tower Prize Drop

54. Color Dice (match the colors to win)

55. Big Wheel of Fortune Trivia

Memory and Puzzle Games

56. Giant Jenga with Prizes

57. Memory Match Cards

58. Puzzle Assembly Race

59. Logo Puzzle Contest

60. Digital Puzzle Race

Digital and App-Based Games

61. AR (Augmented Reality) Booth Tour Challenge

62. Mobile Scavenger Hunt (app-based)

63. Leaderboard Gaming App

64. QR Code Treasure Hunt

65. Photo Booth Challenge (digital backdrop)

66. Virtual Slot Machine

67. Digital Scratch-off Tickets

68. Interactive Digital Kiosk Trivia

69. Selfie Station with Contest

70. Virtual Reality Escape Room

Skill Games

71. Timed Lego Build Challenge

72. Speed Stacking Cups

73. Fastest to Solve Rubik’s Cube

74. Paper Airplane Toss

75. Ping Pong Ball Bounce Challenge

76. Nerf Gun Target Shooting

77. Frisbee Toss

78. Card Tower Building

79. Chopstick Pickup Challenge

80. Marshmallow Catapult Challenge

Wheel-of-Chance and Fortune-Based Games

81. Mystery Box Game

82. Prize Capsule Machine (like claw machine)

83. Envelope Wall (pick an envelope, win a prize)

84. Pick a Key to Open the Treasure Chest

85. Scratch-and-Win Cards (customized)

Team and Group Games

86. Team Trivia Challenge

87. Booth Bingo (visit different booths)

88. Relay Races (adapted for indoors)

89. Collaborative Puzzle Assembly

90. Create-a-Mascot Contest

Artistic and Creative Games

91. Doodle Challenge

92. Design Your Own Button/Pin

93. Mini Painting Competition

94. Build the Best Lego Structure

95. Booth Sketch Challenge

96. Collaborative Art Wall (contribute to a mural)

“Guessing” Games

97. Guess the Sound (play sounds from products)

98. Guess the Weight (of an item or gift box)

99. Mystery Touch Box (feel and guess the item)

100. Guess the Smell (for certain industries like food, beauty)

Bonus: Unique and Specialized Games

101. Fortune Teller Booth (fun, themed fortunes)

102. Escape Room in a Booth (micro version)

103. Drone Flying Challenge

104. Karaoke Contest

105. Mystery Guest (guess who’s coming for a prize)

106. Mini Obstacle Course

107. Sustainability Challenge Game (for eco-themed shows)

108. Time Capsule Message (future self marketing)

109. Personality Quiz (get a prize based on your “type”)

110. “Who’s Who” Match (match employees to fun facts)

How to play

1. Spin the Prize Wheel

How to Play (Step-by-Step):

1. Set up a physical prize wheel (you can buy or rent one, or make a DIY version).

2. Label each section of the wheel with different prizes, prize categories (small, medium, grand prize), or even “Try Again.”

3. Create a sign or instructions that invite guests to spin (like “Spin to Win!”).

4. Allow one spin per participant (or based on certain conditions, like completing a demo or signing up).

5. Have the guest spin the wheel using the handle or by flicking it.

6. When the wheel stops, read the prize or outcome it lands on.

7. Award the corresponding prize immediately or give them a voucher to claim it later.

8. Celebrate and encourage photos for extra booth energy!

✅ Tip: Always have a few “instant win” categories to build excitement!

2. Digital Prize Wheel App

How to Play (Step-by-Step):

1. Choose a digital prize wheel app (such as Wheel of Names, Spin the Wheel App, or a custom touchscreen app).

2. Set up the wheel on a tablet, touchscreen kiosk, or computer screen. Customize prize names and probabilities.

3. Design your booth area with a “Tap to Spin” sign or banner to attract people.

4. Let the guest tap the screen or click a button to spin the wheel.

5. The digital wheel spins automatically and selects a prize at random.

6. Display the prize immediately on the screen with flashing colors, sounds, or animations.

7. Give the participant their prize right away or hand them a winning ticket to redeem.

8. Optional: Collect basic information (like name and email) before they spin for lead generation!

✅ Tip: Use a “winner every time” setting to keep spirits high!

3. Trivia Spin (Answer a Question to Spin)

How to Play (Step-by-Step):

1. Prepare a list of trivia questions related to your industry, company, or fun general knowledge.

2. Set up your prize wheel (physical or digital) with labeled prizes.

3. Greet the participant and explain: “Answer a question correctly and you get to spin the wheel!”

4. Ask the trivia question aloud (or have them pick a random question card).

5. If they answer correctly, they earn one spin.

6. If they answer incorrectly, you can either give a consolation spin (for a smaller prize chance) or a thank-you gift.

7. Let them spin the wheel and win a prize based on where it lands.

8. Award the prize immediately, and take a quick photo if they allow (great for social media!).

✅ Tip: Mix easy and medium questions to ensure most people get to spin without frustration!

4. Color Wheel Spin (Color Determines Prize)

How to Play (Step-by-Step):

1. Set up a prize wheel divided into colored sections instead of prize names (e.g., Red, Blue, Green, Yellow).

2. Assign each color a prize category:

   • Red = Small Prize

   • Blue = Medium Prize

   • Green = Grand Prize

   • Yellow = Bonus Spin

3. Display a clear poster explaining what each color means.

4. Invite participants to spin the wheel.

5. When the wheel stops, identify the color it lands on.

6. Match the color to the prize category and hand over the corresponding prize.

7. If they land on a bonus action (like Bonus Spin), allow them to spin again or go for a mystery prize.

✅ Tip: Use vibrant colors and bright prizes to draw attention to the wheel!

5. Mystery Prize Wheel (Hidden Prizes)

How to Play (Step-by-Step):

1. Set up a prize wheel with numbered sections (e.g., 1–10) or question marks instead of listing prizes.

2. Create a “mystery prize” list where each number corresponds to a surprise prize (hidden from participants).

3. Keep the mystery prize list secret—only the booth team knows what each number hides.

4. Invite participants to spin the wheel.

5. When the wheel stops, record the number or symbol where it landed.

6. Reveal the hidden prize that corresponds to that number.

7. Hand over the mystery prize with a little excitement and celebration.

8. Optional: Some numbers could even offer “Mystery Challenges” (like telling a joke to get an extra prize).

✅ Tip: Mix high-value prizes with small surprises to keep the suspense fun and positive!