'It just blew up:' Vernon Comic Con founder excited for this year’s convention | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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'It just blew up:' Vernon Comic Con founder excited for this year’s convention

Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Vernon Comic Con

Move over Kelowna and Penticton, Vernon has its own Comic Con.

This is the third year the comic festival will be held at Vernon’s Village Green Hotel Complex. Founder Peter Kaz said the family-friendly event, which will be held May 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., was created when he moved to Vernon and wanted to meet other “geeks.”

“I created it to bring attention to not only the hotel complex, but to gather with other people who are like-minded and chat about movies and whatever else,” he said.

He also wanted to create something for Vernon, apart from Kelowna and Penticton.

“There isn’t much here and why do we have to drive to Kelowna or Penticton? I want to bring it here and it make our own,” Kaz said.

The first year had 1,500 people but the number more than doubled last year with 5,000 visitors, he said. “It just blew up.”

While he doesn’t have any expectations for this year’s event, he’s hoping it will continue to grow.

Past patrons have travelled far distances for the convention, with some visiting from as far as Prince George.

During the first year, he said participants didn’t really know what a comic con was, but after seeing the advertisements online they brought their whole families.

“People think a comic con is just for people who collect comics,” he said, adding that it has grown into video games and card games, movies, cosplay and more.

This year’s convention will feature more than 45 vendors, including some who have worked with EA Sports, DC and Marvel, he said. It's also the first time the convention will hold a cosplay contest with prizes.

It’s basically nerd Christmas and Halloween wrapped into one event, he said.

One of his favourite group costumes he’s seen was when an entire family, including a grandmother, dressed to the nines in superhero costumes. He’s also a huge Star Wars fan, with replica helmets in his office.

The event is free and more information can be found through its Facebook page.

Kelowna’s Comic Con will be held Aug. 22 and 23. Penticton’s annual pop-culture festival, The Penti-Con, will be held May 30 at the Penticton Curling Club.

 


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