Let’s talk about the Fort Collins Comic Con team and the life-changing work that was done last weekend to give folks a sense of place and belonging, encourage our youngest geeks to find their way and learn to read, and honor our most creative community members – not just artists, writers, and crafters, but cosplayers, scientists, and problem-solving volunteers. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together.

It was a weekend with tons of events for folks to attend, including Open Streets, the Loveland Corn Roast Festival, the ChildSafe Hero Run, the Peach Festival, and I’m sure at least another hundred other things.

Despite that, our badge sales easily hit our pre-covid totals, allowing us to raise around $20,000 for local literacy efforts with around 3,000 attendees exploring the Northside Aztlan Community Center over the weekend of the Con.

It’s no small thing to bring so many different community elements together in this way, and each member of the team plays a critical role in empowering that connection.

• Brianna’s quiet focus and unparalleled leadership kept the volunteers organized and coordinated. Despite significant volunteer coverage gaps because it was a gap + pandemic year, we never once had a critical breakdown or something left untended. Operating as if it’s just a normal day when at 70% of your normal staffing is awe-inspiring. 100% of our volunteers in the post-even survey indicated they would volunteer again.
• Todd absolutely crushed it on maps and layouts and the backup vendor list was tall as he is. Despite a few COVID cancellations and setup shenanigans by a few vendors, we had a fully-stocked vendor hall with one of the most diverse and representative creative showcases we’ve ever had. Most vendors reported they had a fantastic Con (98% reporting they received a great value for their booth on the survey); we already have about 1/3rd of our hall filled from the 2023 interest list alone.
• Mayette and Paula teamed up on the program this year and crafted a lineup that rivaled the programming at larger cons; kept the tech flowing so smoothly that out of the full weekend of programming, we only had two minor tech issues, and sailed through two full-on cosplay catwalks with tricky room switches each day.
• Paula helped keep the pace and tone of the Con by ensuring we had an eye for the little details, making the setup and teardown tasks much easier and the experience for attendees the best it could be.
• Mayette and The Fort Collins Ghostbusters helped us build our first-ever Ghostbuster-themed escape room; each session was filled to the brim with teams solving problems and having fun. Every area of the Con was well-programmed and filled with fun things to do.
• Katie slung the swag with a smile from the info desk for two straight days while keeping things fun and entertaining for each new attendee; so much swag got into attendees’ hands and each touchpoint will be a reminder of the fun they had while spending time with us. Her team from the Poudre River Public Library District exuded joy while greeting attendees to the Con and helping out folks who were joining us for the first time.
• Ben was a non-stop problem-solving machine, not only helping a vendor “break in” to their own car after locking their keyfob in the trunk, but keeping the food truck load-in calm and orderly and making sure attendees had the best info and best experience possible, even on things that could have easily snowballed.
• Jaclyn crafted a masterful Cosplay Catwalk setup with two hilarious and well-prepared MCs including Carter and Bob (who I can’t tag; Jakki – please share the praise), an orderly procession, info sheets that were easy to fill out and read, and great music, not to mention a hilarious and out-of-this-world Zoidberg cosplay. She was also the inspiration behind the pronoun stickers made available for attendees this year.
• Ses led a brand new element of our Con while also working as a vendor: the FC3 Quest – a Con-wide scavenger hunt that was so enthralling that tweens literally stopped me to ask for help on a few items on the list. Ses’ brainstorm for next year is even bigger.
• Carter brought together the Cosplay community to fill our CosplayGround with insightful and friendly local cosplayers willing to teach their skills and share their craft with our community for two full days of panels and boothing. Even the online interactions during their promos were commented on by many as a highlight.
• Mathew kept all the spinning plates spinning, from outdoor signage to rescuing the check-in tables when the wind picked up, to ensuring the superhero training grounds were ready to go and torn down properly, to relaying important notes and just being super ready to help at a moment’s notice.
• Ruth was the smiling happy face that most of our attendees met from the get-go, the check-in table ran on significantly fewer volunteers thanks to her hard work and attention to detail to keep those lists organized and keep the line moving.
• Chad’s just-in-time arrival to hold down the fort when we were short of volunteers helped us bridge the gap in several different spots. Having him as a veteran volunteer ready to jump in and take on whatever we need is an epic help.
• Nathan zig-zagged the entire City to pick up items from sponsor banners to printouts and of course all the amazing snacks, drinks, and swag in the Volunteer Green Room (including a stack of 50 games that was fully claimed by the end of the Con). Nathan had an eye for all the crazy details that needed quick attention to make someone’s day better or make the Con perform a bit better, and his just-in-time kind words have always been a boost.

We also had some amazing super volunteers who went way above and beyond (and did in 2019 as well); bringing those folks into the organizing team for next year will be a real treat.

FoCo Comic Con is a special event made possible by the heart, imagination, and intention that the team brings. This heart earned the attention of our local elected leaders, including Congressman Joe Neguse and Mayor Pro Tem Emily Francis this year. Governor Jared Polis’ staff even reached out to see if we could line up something this year (maybe 2024!)

We’re not physically a big Con, but FC3’s spirit and heart empowered by this small but mighty team have captured the imagination of our community. Your work matters and together we make great things happen.
Thank you for all you do 🖖