It’s odd to think that this is my 18th year of attending fan conventions. The scene has certainly changed since I attended my first con at 18, but it’s no less fun.
I’ve been to a few smaller conventions here in Helsinki, but this year my husband and I wanted to go to a larger event in Helsinki. Apart from the airport, I haven’t been to a city as big as Helsinki since before the pandemic, so seeing so many people and being surrounded by fancy buildings was an odd feeling!
One reason my husband and I go to these events is not just for the con itself but also to spend some time in a different city for a while. We arrived on Thursday afternoon and spent the evening walking around and just taking in the city and gawking at all the things in the shops we don’t get in our town.
On Friday we headed to the convention center. My husband was cosplaying as a character from Fallout which involved prop weapons, so he had to lug a suitcase around Helsinki to get there. It took him over half an hour to get the whole thing on since there were so many small complex parts! But it was worth it because he looked great (the only reason I’m not uploading the photos is because he doesn’t like having his face shown online).
My cosplay was much simpler. I decided to dress as Elise, a vampire hunter/fairy researcher from Hunter: the Parenting, an indie web series I’m a huge fan of. I’m not sure if anybody at the con recognised my cosplay as I probably just looked like a generic goth girl, but I still had fun wearing it.
It’s odd that even after nearly 20 years of attending cons I’m still not that adept at actually making costumes. I usually either buy them or use things I find from thrift stores. Maybe I just feel intimidated from seeing so many talented cosplayers making such well-crafted outfits. It’s a habit I’ve been meaning to change, and I hope to make a more ambitious outfit for next year, or whatever event I attend next.
Friday was spent mostly shopping, as I rightly predicted that the crowds on Saturday would be huge and they might sell out of the things I wanted. I’ve been hunting for an ‘ita’ bag for a while, a bag with a see-through pocket on it for displaying badges/keyrings/pictures of your favourite character. I’m very choosy about picking things out as I want it to suit my preferences exactly. There were a lot of nice bags at the con, but they were all too small or not the shoulder bag I wanted. Finally after checking out all the booths selling bags (yes, I’m that meticulous!) I found a perfect goth style shoulder bag, which I wore for the other 2 days of the con and was both practical and looked really nice, and even matched my cosplay.
I also got some nice jewelry (which is always a plus at cons for me) and a D&D dice box shaped like a book which is now on display on my shelf. I also got a pouch bag for my growing collection of badges and a lanyard to hold my work keys with a cute magical girl design. Another highlight of cons for me is visiting the artist alley. Not only do I like supporting indie artists (being one myself) but I also find unique and interesting things you don’t find elsewhere. And of course, it wouldn’t be a con without buying some pocky and mochi!
We spent Friday evening getting some delicious Japanese food then wandering around Helsinki some more. We ended up getting lost, but Helsinki is a great city to just wander around, plus it’s not too big that you get lost completely.
On Saturday I almost didn’t go to the show floor at all since I spent most of the day watching panels and Q&A talks. I was especially glad to see Graham McTavish, as I’m a huge Tolkien nerd and he told many funny stories. The Saturday evening cosplay contest was also great, despite having to stand up for almost an hour in the que! I will say that although I had fun, one downside of this con is the mismanagement with the long lines and not enough places to sit down. It’s Wednesday now and my legs are still aching! My husband also couldn’t get any autographs, as standing in the lines would have taken up the entire con.
Sunday was spent doing mostly the same thing. We were lucky to watch a q&a by Don Rosa, the artist of the Donald Duck comics, which are hugely popular here in Finland. I haven’t read many of those comics, but I always love the chance to hear from other creators. He spoke about how much research he put into learning about the Finnish Kalevala and aboriginal mythology, despite being told that barely anyone would even tell if he was being accurate or not. That type of passion and drive is what I really love in creators, and hope to put into my own work.
The rest of the day was spent doing my absolute favourite thing to do at cons which is just to wander around and take in the vibe. I could sit on a bench for 8 hours and watch cosplayers walk and have the best day of my life. My favourite moment was seeing a cosplayer dressed as Postman Pat of all characters wielding a prop sword! Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture, partly because my camera broke and because Finns are much more reserved about having their picture taken, and there is much stronger etiquette here about asking permission to take photos, which I think is actually a good thing.
We booked our train home on Monday for the evening, as we don’t often get a chance to visit Helsinki and took the chance to visit the Korkeasaari zoo. Despite my aching feet and some groups of noisy schoolchildren, it was also great, especially the bears, which are the national animal of Finland. We ate lunch in a cafe bordering the bear enclosure so we got to watch them as we ate. There was also a European bison calf which was only 3 days old!
After an exhausting train ride home (in which we did see a wild moose from the window!), it’s now back to normality, although I still have the post-con buzz. I’m already planning my next cosplay and deciding where to go next year. I wish I could attend more cons, but I can only afford one a year.
I’ve also been teaching creative writing classes to teens at my job and have found that I actually like teaching. I’m considering running a writing panel or workshop at a con. If it is possible for me, it will certainly be a unique experience!
J.A. Arundel 