Winnipeg Comiccon draws 28,000 attendees in 2nd year

The second WinnipegComiccon event welcomed 28,000 attendees downtown for a weekend of pop culture, celebrity guests and cosplay.

"It's a celebration of pop culture. When you walk into the room, you'll find something that you're a fan of," event spokesperson Jason Rockman said.

The second iteration of the event was held at the RBC Convention Centreand organized by the same company known for similar events in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.

Last year, the event which still had to follow pandemic restrictions attracted 14,000 people.

"We're very, very happy with the outcome. Obviously Winnipeg wanted a show, and we were able to deliver the kind of show that they deserve," Rockman said.

Celebrity guests included Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead), Matthew Lewis (Harry Potter) andLea Thompson (Back to the Future).

Evadina Jerez spent two or three hours every day of the last two months making a Mandalorian costume for the event.

Jerez put apersonal touch on the costume, adding the Chilean flag to one of theprops.

Jerez's interest in cosplay short for costume playbegan as a kid dressing up for Halloween. It has since grown into a passion that has given Jerez a sense of community.

"I just kind of was like, oh, I've been doing this for so long, and I enjoy it, so why can't I dress up outside of Halloween?" Jerez said.

Wynn Loiselle-Shire dressed up as Dreamxd, a Minecraft character, in an almost completely homemade costume.

"I definitely see the prices going up even this year, and I guarantee they're going to keep going up. But I find that still, just as the prices go up, we start using more unconventional materials more."

Loiselle-Shire's estimated costume cost was about $50, but it took hours to make.

Some cosplayers, like Vee Hill, rely on stuff they already own or repurposingmaterials for their outfits. Part of Hill's costume was made from two blankets, for example.

Hill, who first got into the hobby in 2020, hopes to see more people get involved in cosplay.

"It's extremely fun and I highly recommend it for anyone to join. It'sso much fun."