A woman is preparing to cosplay Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars at Penti-Con 2022.

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

Lovers of nerd culture are basking in every minute of Penti-Con in the South Okanagan.

After two years of cancellations due to COVID-19, the pop culture festival has returned to the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre.

Darth Vader and his minions.

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

Guests get to take photos with the villains of Star Wars, admire all the geek-themed artwork, play in non-stop Dungeons and Dragons tournaments, browse the nostalgic action figures and retro video games, and meet cultural icons like Pokémon voice actor Adin Rudd and Datu Shishir Inocalla, a stunt double for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Michelangelo in the 1990s.

Many attendees dressed up as their favourite fictional characters and ready to play the part. They call it cosplay.

These girls are not portraying any iconic characters – they just wanted to wear televisions over their heads.

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

Logan Davy from Summerland was at the event dressed at Nightmare!Sans from the video game Undertale.

“He’s an evil character – I like the vibe and the impression he gives off,” Davy said.

Logan Davy as Nightmare!Sans from the video game Undertale.

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

As a costume designer, Davy said it’s important to put lots of thought into minor and obscure details that will be appreciated by serious fans.

Lir Waid is another young designer who was excited to be at Penti-Con. He’s a local 17-year-old who was dressed as Grell Sutcliff from an anime show called Black Butler.

“It’s quite nice again seeing everyone back again,” he said.

Dmitri Caspersen and Lir Waid, portraying Tommy Slater for Fear Street and Grell Sutcliff from Black Butler.

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

Waid takes cosplay seriously – he started working on costume projects at the age of 10, he’s been to every local convention since they began in 2016, and he plans on going to college for acting.

“I cosplay as a way to escape and just embrace my weirdness and creativity – and that has skyrocketed me to my acting career and who I am today.”

Star Trek fans giving the Vulcan salute.

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

He said the trick to better cosplay is to give each project all the time and patience they need. For his Grell Sutcliff getup, he put a tedious amount of work into getting his hair, made out of red yarn, just right. It’s also important to make sure the costumes are comfy and don’t cause itching.

“Each strand of hair I punched in myself,” he said.

“And I use the wisdom I gained from all the past few years.”

Keith Calder and James Mohninger from Saved Games in Osoyoos were among the vendors at Penti-Con 2022.

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

For this weekend’s convention, Waid also designed the costume for his friend Dmitri Caspersen, who was dressed as Tommy Slater from Fear Street.

Making blue jeans appear bloody was one of the toughest challenges for Tommy Slater’s costume, he said.

Penti-Con continues tomorrow. Doors open at 10 a.m. and single day passes are available.

Cosplayers Lir Waid and Dmitri Caspersen meeting stunt actor Datu Shishir Inocalla at Penti-Con.

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

Mad scientists and a weeping angel.

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

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