The events feature concerts by chiptune artists and video game cover bands, educational panels and activities, free-to-play arcade cabinets, a bring your own computer (BYOC) LAN party, community jam spaces, and charity speedruns & auctions.

All events are primarily run by a large volunteer base, supported and organized by a small, paid office staff.

[4] The exhibition hall contains hundreds of full-size arcade cabinets, and even pinball machines that are donated for the event from local collectors and vending companies.

All arcades are set to play for free on admission price, and are monitored 24 hours a day by maintenance and technical staff.

Arcades range from various manufacturers like Atari, Nintendo, Taito, Midway, Williams, Capcom, Sega, ICE, Rock Ola, and Exidy.

Previous bands include Machinae Supremacy, Earthbound Papas, Minibosses, Powerglove, the NESkimos, the Advantage and Chromelodeon.

Other major attractions include guest panels from the video game industry such as Sid Meier, Jon St. John[7] and Nobuo Uematsu.

[12] Charles Margolis donated an X-Men arcade cabinet to the event for MAGFest VI in 2008, and it was placed in a central area that year.

[12] MAGFest 8 was initially billed as the host of a charity speedrunning drive by Mike Uyama and Andrew Schroeder, but internet connectivity issues at the hotel caused the event to be spun off as independently at another venue as Games Done Quick.

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the event, with a September 2020 announcement cancelling the in-person Super MAGFest 2021, which had been due to take part the coming January.

[20] In addition to the financial challenge the pandemic represented, with the loss of 95% of the organisation's revenue for the year, "interpersonal and cultural issues" within the senior management team led to instability.

Lenik considered the move a retaliatory action, and was told that she could only keep her health insurance if she signed an agreement not to sue the organisation.

[28] In the wake of MAGFest's move from Virginia to Maryland in 2012, a secondary circuit of smaller events were held at the former primary venue in Alexandria, now in Baltimore.