15 Fun and Engaging Trade Show Booth Game Ideas

Trade shows are a great opportunity for businesses to increase brand visibility, generate leads, and connect with potential customers. But standing out on a crowded showroom floor? That takes more than a sharp-looking banner and a bowl of mints.

To truly capture attention and engage attendees, your trade show booth needs to be fun.

One of the best ways to do this is by incorporating trade show booth games into your design. In fact, according to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), interactive experiences—like games, contests, and product demos—consistently lead to higher foot traffic and attendee engagement.

With that in mind, here are fifteen fun and engaging trade show game ideas to help you promote your business and attract attention at your next event.

1. Spinning Prize Wheel

The prize wheel is a classic at trade shows, and for good reason. This booth game draws crowds with its bright colors, buzzing energy, and the irresistible suspense of “Where will it land?” Attendees get a thrill from the spin, and even small prizes feel like a win when they’re earned with a bit of luck.

One of the best aspects of this exhibition game is that it can be customized to fit your brand and marketing objectives at a relatively low cost. For example, you can use different colors, shapes, and images on the wheel to reflect your company’s logo or branding.

Pro Tip: Try to include a mix of small prizes (such as branded keychains) and larger prizes (such as gift cards or discount coupons) on the wheel. This will help appeal to a wider range of players and encourage more visitors to stop by your booth.

2. VR Trade Show Games

If you have a higher budget and are looking to make a big splash, consider renting a virtual reality (VR) game. VR trade show games are incredibly engaging and helpful for attracting attendees to your booth.

Some popular VR game options include racing simulators, driving range games, and other immersive experiences. Since these are such a hit with attendees, be sure to include a sign-up form or another lead-generation mechanism to capture valuable contact information.

Pro Tip: Consider working with a trade show display company to ensure that your booth is set up properly for your VR game, as this is no trivial task. This will help you to minimize potential issues and create memorable experiences for all.

3. Roll Doubles, Get a Prize

Some people prefer a quick and simple game that doesn’t require much thought or focus. If you’re looking to appeal to this audience, try playing a simple dice game called “roll doubles, get a prize.”

This game is cheap, easy to set up, and can be played by almost anyone. Simply put a table in front of your booth and place a few small prizes on it. Then, challenge passersby to roll doubles. If they do, they get to choose one of the available prizes from the table.

Pro Tip: To make this trade show game more enticing, offer a large prize (such as an Amazon gift card) to anyone who rolls doubles twice in a row.

4. Mini Basketball Arcade Game

Want to attract visitors and keep them entertained? A mini basketball arcade game for your trade show booth is a slam dunk. It’s fast-paced, fun for all ages, and naturally fuels a little friendly competition—especially with a built-in scoreboard tracking high scores.

To boost lead generation, make gameplay part of your sign-up process. Ask visitors to drop a business card or scan a QR code to play.

Pro Tip: Allow top scorers to win prizes—branded swag, gift cards, or exclusive giveaways are all great ways to keep the energy high and your brand top of mind.

5. Trivia Games

Who doesn’t love the chance to show off their knowledge? If you want to engage visitors at your trade show booth with an intellectual challenge, trivia games are a great option.

There are many different types of trivia games that you can choose from, including:

• General Knowledge Quizzes
• Themed Quizzes (such as pop culture or sports)
• Custom-Made Questions About Your Industry

No matter which you choose, be sure to make it engaging by offering prizes or special offers to those who answer questions correctly.  It may also prove beneficial to display the questions in a Jeopardy-like format on a large screen or monitor. This will improve the overall entertainment value of the trade show game.

Pro Tip: For maximum effectiveness, try to tailor your trivia questions according to the demographics of your target audience. 

6. Cornhole

Cornhole brings a casual, competitive energy to your booth that’s hard to ignore. This classic bean bag toss game is easy to set up, fun to play, and great for sparking engagement with attendees.

Its simple rules and fast rounds make it accessible to everyone, while the action naturally draws in spectators and passersby. All you need is enough floor space and a steady stream of bean bags to keep the fun going.

Pro Tip: To incentivize participants, offer instant-win prizes. Alternatively, consider offering discounts or other special offers to attendees who participate in your game.

7. General Drawings

A general prize drawing is a simple but powerful way to generate leads and spark interest at your next trade show.

This interactive trade contest can be set up in many different ways. For instance, you can ask attendees to sign up for your drawing by providing their contact information or business card. You can also utilize social media and encourage participants to share or like your company’s page to enter the contest.

Pro Tip: To increase your chances of getting attendees to stop by your booth, consider offering multiple prizes in the drawing. This can include promotional items, branded swag, or other enticing rewards.

8. Augmented Reality Games

Another engaging idea for your next trade show is to set up an augmented reality (AR) game in your booth. With AR games, visitors can interact with the physical world around them while also enjoying a digital experience.

AR provides many possibilities at a trade show (if you have the budget), as it can be used to create custom games based on your brand’s message and image. Some possible game ideas include AR scavenger hunts throughout the event space. Or, you can create AR photo booths where visitors can take and post selfies and receive branded gifts as a reward.

Pro Tip: The best AR games at trade shows are often those that merge the digital and physical worlds in a fun and meaningful way. If possible, try to get a feel for the event layout beforehand.

9. “Name that Tune”

If you want to attract people who have a good sense of humor and enjoy being challenged, “Name That Tune” is a great option. This game works by playing short clips of popular songs and then asking players to guess the title and artist of each tune, within a set time limit.

To make this fun trade show game even better, consider displaying the song clips on a large monitor or screen in your booth. This will encourage more visitors to try their luck at this fun game.

Pro Tip: To maximize foot traffic, consider offering small prizes or discounts for players who score the most points.

10. Putt-Putt Golf

Add a playful twist to your booth with a mini putt-putt golf setup. It’s eye-catching, easy to play, and gives visitors a reason to stop, chat, and have a little fun.

This classic game offers more than just entertainment—it creates natural opportunities for connection. While attendees line up or take their shots, your booth staff can engage them in conversation and share what your business has to offer.

Pro Tip: Require a sign-up to play. It’s a low-friction way to collect leads while maintaining a relaxed and enjoyable experience.

11. Interactive Scavenger Hunts

Another fun way to engage visitors at your trade show booth is by organizing an interactive scavenger hunt. This game works by providing booth visitors with a list of tasks that must be completed in order to win a prize.

Some potential tasks you can include in your scavenger hunt could be taking a picture at your booth, finding a hidden object, etc. By adding a competitive element to the scavenger hunt, you can encourage visitors to stay longer and engage with your booth staff.

Pro Tip: Promote your scavenger hunt on social media prior to the show so visitors know what to expect when they visit your booth.

12. Counting Game

The counting game is a classic crowd-pleaser—easy to set up, fun to play, and great for all ages. Simply fill a clear container with small items, such as candy, marbles, or branded trinkets, and invite visitors to guess the total for a chance to win a prize.

It’s a low-effort way to boost booth interaction while subtly weaving in brand recognition. You can even customize the rules, like offering bonus prizes for guesses closest without going over.

Pro Tip: Include an eye-catching backdrop or other visual elements to draw visitors’ attention and increase engagement with your counting game.

13. Memory Match Game

This type of trade show activity is easy to set up, great for attendees of all ages, and offers the opportunity to win a prize.

To play the memory match game, simply place two identical pairs of pictures or images on a board. Visitors will then get a chance to flip over two cards at a time in an attempt to match pairs. If they can match all the pairs in a set time, they win a prize.

Pro Tip: Offer multiple prize levels for players who achieve varying numbers of matching pairs to encourage more visitors to play the game.

14. Jumbo Games

If you are looking to take your trade show game-playing to the next level, consider setting up a jumbo game like Jenga or Connect Four at your booth.

These larger-than-life versions of classic games can be an excellent way to engage visitors and draw them in for some fun and competitive play. Jumbo games are also a great match for your trade show booth because they require minimal setup and can be played by visitors of all ages.

Pro Tip: Consider creating custom branding or messaging for your jumbo game. This can help visitors more easily associate it with your company and remember your company after the show has ended.

15. Scratch-Off Cards

Another fun, interactive game that you can set up at your trade show booth is scratch-off cards. These cards work by allowing visitors to scratch off a section of the card to reveal a prize or other surprise.

Scratch-off cards are typically used in marketing and promotions as a way to generate leads and increase sales. However, they can also be a fun way to engage visitors and encourage them to spend more time at your booth. 

Pro Tip: Try creating custom scratch-off cards that are unique to your brand or product to increase interest in your game. For example, you could include images of your company logo, tagline, products, or other elements that are strongly associated with your business.

Need Help Designing Your Next Trade Show Booth?

At Art & Display, we create custom trade show booths that turn heads, spark conversations, and drive real results. Our team of experienced designers and graphic pros knows how to bring your brand to life, with layouts and visuals that draw people in and leave a lasting impression.

Contact us today to learn more about our services and get started on designing your trade show booth.​

Published on: November 25, 2022
Updated on: July 10, 2025