Convention of cosplay, concerts, and concepts
By Cazzy Lewchuk, Staff Writer
Northwest Fan Fest (NWFF), a convention celebrating geek culture, occurred at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster on May 29â31. The West Coast Fan Society moved the convention from last yearâs University of British Columbia location to New Westminster to allow for easier accessibility by public transit in order to attract more fans.
As with most fandom conventions, the entire weekend was filled with exciting events, attractions, and activities. Several celebrities were featured guests, including cast members from Once Upon a Time, â80s cartoon director Tom Cook, and infamous low-budget film director Uwe Boll. Each guest had photo-ops, autograph sessions, and Q&A panels for true fan interaction.
Many artists were also present and performing throughout the convention. Rock concerts were performed at night by girl groups Kieran Strange and the Doubleclicks. Improv (and often raunchy) comedy was performed by local troupes the Fictionals and Synaptic Chaos Theatre. One of the most popular performances was Portal 2: The (Unauthorized Musical), as designed by nerd theatre group Geekenders.
Many smaller panels were also present, though they were run in a more amateur style. Some explored a specific fandom. Others involved playing games or LARP (live action roleplay). Some were about introduction and inclusion, such as a panel on body positivity in cosplay. Others were competitive in nature and geared towards more experienced fans. A âwalk-offâ showdown, inspired by the famous scene in Zoolander, featured fans in character attempting to upstage each other on the runway floor, with the winner determined by judges and applause.
Cosplaying is a memorable part of almost every fandom convention, and was particularly highlighted at NWFF. Some cosplayers were featured as special guests, and there were designated areas for photo-ops and cosplayer gathering of a particular fandom. There were many extremely elaborate cosplays, including full-bodied animal costumes, handmade suits of armour or metal, and head-to-toe makeup coverage.
Compared to the convention centres where these kinds of events usually take place, the Anvil Centre was noticeably smaller. However, that only served to add to the prevalence of cosplayers. Seeing groups of superheroes, anime characters, and monsters walking around downtown New Westminster was quite a sight.
The event attracted a variety of fans, from young children to senior citizens visiting throughout the weekend. A wide range of merchandise was available for sale in a marketplace and artist alley, including original artwork and âextremeâ selfie sticks. No matter what the interest or fandom one identified with, NWFF had an impressive range of panels and booths with something for everyone.
Northwest Fan Fest has grown a lot since its inception and pulled off another successful year. Itâs a convention run directly for fans by fans, and did its job extremely well once again.
