Convention season

We are done with the winter! So time to get into a more cheerful mood and make nice plans for the upcoming spring and summer weekends.
The next months are filled with a lot of cool events and conventions so you can get out, meet people and get your geek on. Or stay at home and watch as the news rolls in with things about new games, films, comics and tv shows.
From terrains filled with (medieval) music and food, to convention halls with all the new videogame releases. The upcoming convention season has you covered.

In this post I gathered some of my personal highlights of events where I am looking forward too. If I missed any, let me know.

Keltfest , 30 -31 May -2015
Hollandse Biesbosch, Dordrecht – The Netherlands

This is one of the smaller events in the list and is organised in the outdoors of the beautiful Biesbosch. Keltfest is one of the medieval fairs but with it’s own unique twist. It focuses itself more on the time periods of the celts and not so much on the Renaissance or on castles, knights and great tourneys.
In any case it is a popular event which combines good food and drinks with great music and beautiful costumes and clothing. You can find all sorts of things at the market stalls and enjoy how groups re-enact life way back when. And nothing is more relaxing than  soaking up the sun and listen to the awesome performances of the attending bands.
If you like things like fantasy, history, good music and all that…. This is the right place to be.

Animecon , 12-14 June 2015
World Forum, The Hague – The Netherlands

One of the first and oldest anime conventions in the Netherlands. Every year it seems to get bigger and better with regards to programming, guests and the dealer-room.
There is plenty to do and to see at this event and the program is packed with a lot of activities and things to see. You can play videogames, see new anime, take a stroll around the shops or be amazed by gorgeous cosplay. Whatever is your fancy, you will probably find it here.
Last year I attended and was lucky enough to see  Yaya Han and Kamui Cosplay with their gorgeous costumes and crafts. But also was able to see Origa live in concert which was always something I had hoped for.
And this years line up looks to be mighty fine as well with plenty of international cosplayers, fun events and lots of parties. If you are into Anime/Manga this is the place to be .

E3 ,16 -18 June 2015
LA convention Centre, Los Angeles – United States

The E3, aka Electronic Entertainment Expo, is one of the biggest trade fairs for the computer gaming industry. If you consider yourself a gamer, chances are you will be familiar with this event already. This is the place were developers showcase their new titles or announce new projects that they are currently working on.
While it is no longer open to the public, the event still carries a lot if importance as it is one of the biggest media events for the gaming industry. Reporters from all kinds of media outlets will be covering this event extensively. So be prepared for a lot of incoming news articles about what you can expect in the world of gaming.
A list of games which will be attending the event can be found over at IGN.com.

San Diego Comic Con/ SDCC, 9 -12 July, 2015
San Diego convention centre, San Diego – United States

Originally started as a comic convention this has grown to be a multi-genre behemoth of popculture. Nowadays it is filled with panels and booths with tv-shows, movies, video games and other aspects of geekdom. And while the comic part still grows strong, the event has turned into a big celebration of multiple fandoms and media. With presentations and news about comics, films, games, tv-shows and much more.
Another popular aspect are the so called exclusives. Every year companies bring out merchandise which are exclusive to this convention and not sold outside of it. Some of these items will resell for crazy prices.
For many geeks visiting this convention is a dream come true. But even with 31,000 visitors it’s not easy to get a ticket. And even if you have one it often takes luck and queuing (for hours) to get into the halls and rooms to visit the press conferences of your favourite movies and shows.

Castlefest,  31 July – 2 August
Kasteel Keukenhof, Lisse – The Netherlands

Brought to you by the same team who is involved with Keltfest. This event is one of my most favourite medieval fairs to attend. A gorgeous park filled with music stages, shops, events and people just having a good time.
Each year the terrain is dressed up to give an atmosphere of a big medieval gathering complete with fresh food, a big market with craftsmen and a lot of cool areas and parties. There are several locations on the terrain for re-enactors, shops, music stages, food and relaxation.
Since it’s held at the start of august there is always a big Lughnasadh celebration on the Saturday night. This starts with the traditional burning of a wickerman followed by a big concert. This year Cesair and Faun will be the one’s headlining the Saturday night.
I will be probably enjoying it from my favourite hang out …. in the grass with friends, some mead and a knobibrot.

Gamescom, 5 -9 August 2015
Koelnmesse, Cologne – Germany

Like the E3 this is a huge and popular event for the videogames industry. The major difference is that this event is actually open to the public for most of the days. While the E3 is more for the media, Gamescom is definitely for the gamers. You can actually get hands on experience with the games and talk to the people behind them. And most companies go out of there way to promote their games to the public with goodies, cosplay competitions, e-sports and more.
You can also find a huge places for indie game developers, case modders, lasergaming and a hall filled with (exclusive) merchandise.
This year I will be attending again together with Chardy to see which games are coming up. And hopefully to see some amazing new game footage and have a lot of fun. Keeping my fingers crossed for some time at the Blizzard, Bioware and EA stand. And to see if Digital Extremes attends with Warframe or Tennolive.
Warning: On hot days it can get unbearable inside and especially on the Saturday it’s insanely busy. If you don’t like pushing and shoving or huge crowds I would suggest to avoid that day like the plague.

Abunai, 28 August -30 August 2015
NH Koningshof, Veldhoven – the Netherlands

Another big Anime/ Manga convention in the Netherlands.
The choice of the NH Koningshof gives the event another vibe as the rooms are a bit smaller and the location is more rural compared to The Hague. In the end this helps to create a bit more of a laid back and less crowded atmosphere than the Animecon.
Like always there is plenty to do but I feel the focus is less cosplay heavy and more towards fun workshops and interesting presentations. At this moment there is not much known about the program yet. But previous years show a weekend filled with anime, competitions, shopping, karaoke and plenty to do. You won’t be bored.

One Comment on “Convention season

  1. Keltfest, Castlfest, Gamescom woohoo!
    Might make the trip out to Abunai this year, it sounds more my style than Animecon does.
    Great write-up, too bad I can’t make it to the ones overseas 🙁

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