Hello! My name is Melissa, and I will be sharing my experiences with you from pop culture conventions/comic cons! Topics will range from celebrity encounters to interesting panels to how I made a convention myself! Panels can consist of Q & As (questions and answers with celebrities), trivia/games, how-to crafts, contests, etc. Some cons also have what is known as Artist’s Alley, where vendors sell some of their pop culture related art. Depending on the convention, other vendors may also sell items such as different types of games, toys, etc. Although I have not done this, attendees may also dress in costume.
Specific events/conventions would include the following: New York Comic Con, the Fan Fest Society, Retro Con, Collecticon, Connecticon, etc. Conventions are also a great place to make new friends; we have met new people at several of our cons starting back in 2012 that we keep in touch with to this day. Traveling to these events is a strong passion of mine, and I am thrilled to share my experiences with you! I am also willing to give out advice on the subject so feel free to stop by the reference desk when I am in!
First Convention: Anime Next June 8, 2025
My husband and I had never attended a huge anime/comic/pop culture convention (or con, as they call it). We decided to try it with Anime Next, which is usually held in New Jersey. Some well-known voice actors who attended were Pokemon Voice Actress Michele Knotz and Dragon Ball Voice Actor Kyle Hebert. (Both will be featured in future posts since I have been able to meet them several times.) As a pleasant surprise, we had actually met Michele Knotz previously at a mutual friend’s party, so we have come to know her fairly well over the years. One panel, in particular, that was fun to attend was Pokemon Trivia; I do not have tons of knowledge on the topic but being in the room with this clientele can be so much fun.
One last point for now: be prepared for long lines throughout the days of your cons, at least for popular events/guests and if these cons have large attendance. I will get into more specifics in future posts!
