This coming weekend brings the annual Fandomfest, a three-day celebration of "all things entertainment." The convention, which has been drawing in celebrities, artists and nerds from all over for the better part of a decade, takes place July 29 through July 31 at the Kentucky Convention Center. For the uninitiated, here’s a list of the biggest things to check out over the weekend.
The Celebrities!
Fandomfest has been known to draw in some big names, and this year is no different. The former president of Marvel and practically-nerd-god among men Stan Lee will be attending. The famed creator of Spider-Man, Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk (among others) will be signing autographs and taking photos for those who are worthy. Excelsior!
Also attending is Kevin Smith, director of cult hits like "Clerks," "Dogma" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," to support his latest film, "Yoga Hosers." Other guests include Anthony Michael Hall ("Weird Science," "Edward Scissorhands"), C. Thomas Howell ("E.T," "The Outsiders"), Brad Dourif (the "Child’s Play" series), and the suit actors from the Japanese Godzilla films, including the original, Haruo Nakajima. As a former obsessive of the classic Godzilla movies ("Godzilla vs. Destroyah" being my favorite), I’m really hoping I run into one of these guys on the floor.
The Artists!
A number of artists of all sorts will be appearing at this year’s fest. These include Kim Jung Gi, an internationally renowned artist, Angel Medina, a favorite among comic artists, and NEHS, an artist known for his unique style of paintings. Several others will have art for sale and tables set up around the center, so definitely take some time to check them out.
The Writers!
Some big names in writing will also be stopping by. Eric Beebe, the founder of Post Mortem Press, a Cincinnati-based publishing company that seeks to help underground writers, will be stopping by, as well as history writer Brent Mehring and some names in fantasy writing, such as E.D.E Bell, Stephen Zimmer and JJ Sherwood. Some local writers like Ronald R. Van Stockum and Amy McCorkle will also be in attendance. If literary escapism is your thing, these folks are the ones to look for.
The Gaming!
What is a nerd-focused convention without video games? Gaming will begin on Saturday, but the big event will take place on Sunday in an event called Fightfest. It features tournaments in Street Fighter V, Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and (my personal favorite) Super Smash Bros for Wii U. The games are bound to be a great time, and I myself may not be able to resist jumping in on the action.
The Cosplay!
Cosplay and conventions go together like peanut butter and jelly, and it will be no different at Fandomfest. The practice, for those who don’t know, involves dressing up as your favorite character from your favorite media, whatever that may be. It’s a great opportunity to get creative. There will even be a cosplay competition. A huge number of popular cosplayers, such as Ivy Doomkitty, Super Sirens and Chris Raines aka Tennessee’s Deadpool will be around adding to the fun.
Apart from these things, there will be a plethora of fun events going down all weekend including mass Pokemon Go, a number of panels and Q&As, and much more. Fandomfest will be the perfect opportunity to let your inner nerd run wild!
Tickets and a schedule of specific events can be found at Fandomfest’s website.
