Geek culture — first spawned in the late 1960s by Star Trek, the multicultural standard-bearer and progenitor of conventions, aka cons — may be the first world’s biggest equalizer. Forget black, white and Asian. Cons have green, blue and purple people, too. They’re multifaceted multiverses of both family and grown-up-oriented activities. You can wear anything you want (preferably not your street clothes), perform, compete, dance, rock out and even see some skin.
Tampa Bay ComicCon. The most anticipated con of the summer. Expect to see wall-to-wall folks of all ages in all manner of getups threading through the Tampa Convention Center to attend workshops, procure autographs and compete in contests. CL contributor and resident all-things-geek consultant Brian Frederick says to expect “a variety of elaborate costumes, from tiny to gargantuan, each in possession of fantastic props, brutal play weapons and cleavage for miles.” This summer the 15-year-old con will be blessed by sci-fi royalty: Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher. Other celebs include Jena Malone (Hunger Games), Iain Glen (Game Of Thrones), Freema Agyeman (Dr. Who, Torchwood) and Matt Ryan (Constantine), plus the recognizable cartoon voices Of Tom Kenny (Spongebob Squarepants), George Lowe (Space Ghost) and Billy West (various voices from Futurama, Ren, Woody Woodpecker). Guests of honor include comic book writers Neil Adams and Mark Waid (Batman, Green Lantern, Superman, X-Men). Oh, and don’t forget to look for those after-parties in Ybor at the Castle and the Social.
The event takes place July 30-Aug. 2. Hours are noon to midnight Friday, 8 a.m.-midnight Saturday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com and cost $60 for thee-day admission; $30 for Friday only; $35 for Saturday and $30 for Sunday. The Tampa Convention Center is at 333 S. Franklin St., Tampa, tampabaycomiccon.com.
Here’s the lowdown on some other Florida cons this summer:
Omni Expo. Taking place in Orlando this weekend, May 22-24, Omni appeals to anime fans and tech geeks with voice-actor celebs and cosplay fun. Rosen Centre Hotel, 9840 International Drive, $36-$100, omniexpo.com.
Space Coast Nerd Fest. Also this weekend, May 23-24, the neighborhood of space travelers becomes an oh-so-apt mecca for all sorts of out-there fun. Science-fiction, comics, gaming and tech enthusiasts should find plenty to do. The two-day event includes a Ren Fair, pop-culture fun, a Rick Grimes impersonator and more. $10 a day, two-day pass is $15. Melbourne Auditorium, 626 E. Hibiscus Blvd, Melbourne. spacecoastnerdfest.org.
Dice Tower IV. Head back to Orlando June 24-28 for an event that’s all things gaming. According the event’s website, MENSA will be at the con, “for people who want to prove they are a genius,” and a Pandemic Survival Event will test your mettle. Tickets are sold out but you can sign up for a waiting list. Doubletree Sea World Resort, 10100 International Drive, Orlando boardgaming.info/convention.
The Grand Brony Gala. This three-day convention located in Tampa is inspired by the animated series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. The term “brony” came about when My Little Pony started attracting a following of males from 18 to 35, outside of the expected demographic of little girls. This year, the third annual convention takes place July 10-12 at the Embassy Suites Tampa-USF near Busch Gardens. Celeb guests include actor John de Lancie (Q from Star Trek: The Next Generation), composer Daniel Ingram, and writer Dave Polsky. $10-$160. grandbronygala.com.
Geekycon. This one has the most stylishly designed website of them all. The convention, taking place this year July 30-Aug. 2 in Orlando, started as LeakyCon, a Harry Potter fan shindig started by The Leaky Cauldron, the Potter fan site. Now Geekycon is a more all-encompassing experience with a communal, laid-back vibe. Thursday and Friday nights offer rock concerts; sing-alongs and the Esther Earl Rocking Charity Ball are also scheduled. In short, the emphasis here is on making con-nections, so singles take note. Tickets range from $60 to $275. Orange County Convention Center, geekycon.com.
This article appears in May 14-20, 2015.