Over the last few years, videogame festivals have grown from sporadic, niche and somewhat clandestine affairs to big budget, populist events, attracting tens of thousands of people from all walks of life. Most festivals offer gamers the opportunity to play together at LAN parties, meet gaming personalities and play the hottest titles ahead of release. Here are four of the best gaming festivals happening over the next few months.

Resonate
The inaugural Resonate features a FIFA tournament, a Minecraft convention, an area suitable for kids under 12, indie showcases, and zones dedicated to fighting games, retro gaming and eSports.
Fri 29–Sat 31 Jul, SECC, Glasgow.

Dare ProtoPlay/Dare Indie Fest
The UK's biggest indie game festival focuses on independent gaming, and includes a showcase of games made by students for the annual Dare to be Digital competition – a chance to see birth of tomorrow's programming heroes.
Thu 4–Sun 7 Aug, Caird Hall and City Square, Dundee.

Insomnia58
Founded in 1999, Insomnia is the granddaddy of live gaming shows, with three events every year. This summer's festival features LAN halls, special guests, eSports tournaments, zones dedicated to indie and retro gaming, tabletop games, cosplay and – of course – a Minecraft zone.
Fri 26–Mon 29 Aug, NEC, Birmingham.

EGX
Claiming to be the UK's biggest videogames event, EGX hosts presentations from game designers, the chance to play the most anticipated games ahead of release, plus the usual eSports, indie gaming zones, cosplay competitions, retro gaming and tabletop games. The attached GamesIndustry.biz Career Fair offers enthusiasts the chance to forge a career in the business.
Thu 22–Sun 25 Sep, NEC, Birmingham