Indy Pop Con 2016

A few weekends ago was the third year of Indy PopCon in downtown Indianapolis. This was my second year attending, and I have to say that it is one of the most fun conventions out there. I love the sense of community at this convention, and I feel so lucky that something so incredible started in my city.

This would have worked better as a series of posts; however, since I didn't have a blog then and it's been almost a month since the show, I'll just cover the highlights. For me, that was the experience of having a VIP pass (thanks, Shawn!), as I had never had one at a convention before. And while VIP has a lot of perks, there were three in particular that made it completely worth it to me.

1. Early Access to the Show Floor 

A lot of conventions offer this perk as part of their VIP packages, but it's never really been of interest to me. After being able to experience the floor with barely any crowds, I can say that it is a fantastic perk. Conventions get busy and the rooms get full and it gets hot in there. It's not always the most pleasant thing. This gave us an opportunity to check everything out and spend some extra time at booths that are typically more crowded. We actually made a lot of our purchases during this 30-minute time frame, and it left us with time to see other things.

2. VIP Lounge

Again, this is a fairly common VIP perk for conventions, but I was absolutely thrilled to have access to this room. It was just a room set up with tables and chairs. There were also a couple of couches and a TV and a gaming system. It was a neat little set up. And on every table was a bottle of hand sanitizer and at every seat was a bottle of water. Its as so nice to get out of the crowds and go sit in a cool room and drink some water.

3. Free Stage Autograph Pass

This was something that was new to me and that seemed to work really well. PopCon is a very inclusive convention, and they invite creators of all kinds - including YouTubers and Twitch streamers. Because there is such high demand for these guests, the convention set up free stage autographs. This stage was set up all weekend with signings going on every day and up to three groups of people signing at a time. The way it worked was you would wait in line in the morning and so many wristbands would be given out at the beginning of the day. If they ran out (which I'm honestly not sure if they ever did or not), at least you weren't waiting all day in line. And the reason for the stage was so that those people who weren't able to get wristbands still got to see the guests up close. If you were VIP, you could reserve one wristband for one signing ahead of time. I know you can't please everyone, but dammit PopCon really tries.

Whitney Avalon and Steve Gossett of Princess Rap Battle

PopCon really has something for everyone, and the amount of guests there were insane - in a good way. There were a handful of people that I really wanted to meet, and I was able to meet every single one. Not only that, but I was able to have an actual conversation with everyone, as well. That's not something that happens all that frequently at conventions.

There were two guests in particular that I have been wanting to meet for quite awhile, Nolan North  (Nathan Drake, Uncharted; Peter Hastings, Pretty Little Liars) and Charles Martinet (Paarthurnax, Skyrim; Mario Brothers, Every Other Nintendo Game Ever). The thing I loved so much about both of these guys is that they love their characters just as much as the fans do. I've met people before who just see it as a job, and that's fine. But as a fan, when I'm talking to someone who is truly passionate about a project that I really enjoy, it's incredibly memorable for me.

I was also super excited to meet Whitney Avalon and Steve Gossett of Princess Rap Battle (pictured above). They were my free stage autograph of choice. I've been a fan of Princess Rap Battle since the Cinderella vs. Belle video featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar that came out last year. Their videos are so ridiculous and so clever. My only complaint is that I wish there were more. I absolutely adore them.

There were so many panels and workshops and movie screenings and board games and even an entire video gaming arena. I'm seriously considering getting a hotel room next year so I can be in the middle of everything all weekend.

I've been to my fair share of conventions the past few years, and I've had so much fun. There's just something different about Indy PopCon that makes it such a unique experience. You leave feeling really inspired. Hell, that's what finally motivated me to make this blog.

Can't wait until next year.
xx

SaveSave