Conventions 101: The Ultimate How-To Guide, Part One

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.

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Caught between a rock and a hard place at FanExpo Vancouver, 20 April 2014.

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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