A large-scale convention celebrating anime, gaming, comics, sci-fi, manga will be held in Queens this Memorial Day weekend, and some of the biggest names in movies and comic books are coming to the borough.
The four-day BoroughCon will be held on the St. John’s campus in Jamaica from May 26 through May 29. It’s the first time the organizers, who are behind the Florida Anime convention Knightrokon, will host a convention in Queens.
Attendees will be able to participate in cosplay workshops, Q&As with filmmakers and actors, panels with subjects like “Diversity in Comics,” “How to Create Characters” and “Comic Books in the Internet Age.”
They’ll also be able to get autographs from Sean Astin, who played Sam in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, and writer Stan Berkowitz, who has written for “Justice League Action” and “Avengers Assemble.” Sessions for Live Action Role Playing (LARP), card gaming and even Sci-Fi Speed Dating will be included. Screenings of classic and unreleased films will also take place.
CEO and co-founder Matthew Goodison-Orr said Queens was a clear choice for the convention since so many fans of gaming, sci-fi and anime live in the area.
“Queens has roughly the same population as Houston, and Brooklyn is almost the size of Chicago,” he said in a statement. “Both those middle-American cities host multiple ‘cons’ annually. So why would we want to be the second-biggest-by-a-mile in Manhattan when we can build something new and different here?”
Attendees interested in cosplay can enter a tournament in which they’ll judged by international renowned cosplayers like Monika Lee, Riki “Riddle” Lecotey and Danquish. A Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament will also take place for those interested in a $2,000 grand prize. Skilled animated music video creators can also enter the AMV contest.
“If you come to BoroughCon, you’ll get a chance to meet, shake hands with or get an autograph from someone whose work you admire,” Goodison-Orr said. “BoroughCon will be for regular fans – the con for the rest of us.”
Attendees can get one-, two-,three- and four-day passes, which all range in price. A VIP pass, which costs $100 will include all events and entry to all four days. If you’re only interested in the gaming aspect of the event, a Gaming Only ticket costs $25.
For a schedule of events or to learn more, visit the website.
