Welcome one and all to the second installment of my super mega epic Ultimate How-To Guide for conventions! If you haven’t already, check out PART ONE, where I talk about planning, ticket-purchasing, and everything you need to do leading up to the convention.

Today we’re going to discuss being at the con itself and I’ll be sharing all of my tips and tricks to making the most of your days there from start to finish! Like with any vacation, you’ve saved up and spent money to attend this fantastic event, so I want to make sure you have fun and have a memorable (in a good way) time!

Today’s post is going to cover:

• Special Requirements/Needs
• What do I bring / what do I wear?
• Familiarizing Yourself With The Space
• The Autograph & Selfie Table
• Photo Op Time!
• Artists! Vendors! Merchandise! How Not To Set Your Wallet on Fire!
• Some Final Thoughts

So without further ado, grab your tea and your snack and settle in. Let’s dive in to part two of our comprehensive guide!

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With Walker Stalker Portland coming up this weekend and with several conventions tucked under my belt, I thought it was the perfect time to feature a Convention How-To on the blog! The guide will divided into two parts.

Today’s post is a step-by-step walkthrough which features:

• How to choose what convention to attend
• Ticket Types / What ticket is best for you
• Things you need to purchase ahead of time (photo ops and autographs)
• Planning your weekend out

Part Two on Wednesday will feature everything starting from the moment you pick up your passes, followed by tips and tricks for attending, enjoying, and surviving the convention weekend… and the the inevitable crash afterwards when you get home.

The very first convention I attended was a decade ago, and it was a convention specifically for the Stargate fandom run by Creation Entertainment here in Vancouver. Soon after that, I’d attended a Supernatural convention, a Sanctuary convention, and Gatecon. Each of the conventions were specific to certain shows and I’ll admit, I was young and naive then, so I threw my money at everything pretty and shiny! (If I could go back and redo those I’d probably save significant sums of cash). It wasn’t until several years later, in 2014, that I attended FanExpo Vancouver, a far more general comic convention. Fortunately, a decade of con experience has helped me learn and hopefully I can pass all that info on to you.

Whether you’re new to cons or you’re a vet just wanting someone else’s insight, I hope you learn a ton from this! This is a long post, so make sure you have a cup of tea and a snack, and strap in for the ride!

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