A crowd of cosplayers, along with sci-fi, fantasy, anime and gaming fans, will gather in Ponoka this Saturday for Central Alberta Fanfest.
The one-day expo runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ponoka Jubilee Library and aims to bring a small-town version of a big-city comic convention to the region.
“Central Alberta Fanfest is a small-town Comic Con experience,” said Cynthia Bottomley, library liaison and event organizer.
“We strive to bring a proper, fun-filled convention experience for people in central Alberta who can’t reach either Edmonton or Calgary, where they have the larger cons.”
Now in its sixth year, Fanfest began in 2019 and has steadily grown. Organizers hope to see close to 100 attendees this year.
“So it’s much larger than it was last year,” said Bottomley. “I’m just thrilled to see it grow so much.”
The highlight of the event is the cosplay contest, which now includes new categories for furries and props. Participation isn’t required, and attendees are welcome whether they’re in costume or not.
Three cosplay groups have been confirmed for the event, including USS Cerebus, a Star Trek group from Edmonton; a Star Wars group from Calgary; and Midnight at 25:00, an anime cosplay troupe from Edmonton that will perform a dance routine.
Gamers can take part in Super Smash Bros. sessions and a small tournament, with support from groups from Maskwacis and Lacombe.
The event will also feature a vendor market with 12 booths offering items such as plush toys and books.
Bottomley encourages the public to attend, even if they’re new to fan culture.
“This is actually the perfect event for anyone that has no idea what this world is about, or who might just be slightly curious,” she said.
“It’s a very friendly, engaging crowd and we’ve designed the sessions to be entertaining and very accessible.”
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