Inaugural Des Moines Con attracts thousands of pop culture fans to Iowa Events Center

DES MOINES, Iowa — An excellent conference took over Hy-Vee Corridor in the course of the weekend, which allowed Iowans to expertise a sort of occasion they often need to cross state strains to attend.

The inaugural Des Moines Con attracted hundreds of attendees to the Iowa Occasions Heart. The showcase featured comedian books, anime, video video games, and plenty of different totally different facets of popular culture.

“It’s been a lot enjoyable and so gratifying to come back out,” mentioned Des Moines Con organizer Ben Penrod. “Cons are again, and I’m hyped.”

Penrod runs totally different comedian conventions throughout the nation, and he mentioned a buddy of his satisfied him to provide Iowa a attempt.

“I used to be in search of new cities to go to as a result of I’m making an attempt to remain busy,” Penrod mentioned. “I feel lots of people did overlook Des Moines and thought, ‘perhaps we’ll go to a different metropolis.’ I disagree. It’s a no brainer to come back, contemplating no person has run something like this right here in 4 years.”

The occasion allowed native creatives to specific themselves, both by art work or by costumes.

13-year-old Emily Logan of Ankeny determined to come back to the conference sporting her personal creation: a personality with a tv for a head.

“My TV head is considered one of my unique designs and considered one of my first cosplays that I’ve ever put collectively,” Logan mentioned. “We had so many individuals come as much as us and ask for pictures.”

Logan got here to the conference together with her older brother Nick, 14, and her buddy Allison Withrow, 12. All of them mentioned it was their first comedian conference ever, and had been overjoyed they didn’t need to journey far to expertise it.

“I hope this reveals that it’s not simply corn individuals in Iowa, there’s quite a lot of different individuals you may make mates with,” Emily Logan mentioned. “We’ve made mates right here, there’s lots of people which have such inventive methods.”

Carroll-based graphic artist Randy Siplon arrange a sales space of his work contained in the Des Moines Con. Siplon mentioned he often travels to different cons throughout the Midwest along with his exhibition, however cherishes the possibility to remain dwelling along with his work.

“It’s nice,” Siplon mentioned. “It brings us all collectively, we take pleasure in the identical issues, and it’s an excellent sense of neighborhood.”

Penrod mentioned he has dedicated to carry the Des Moines Con again to Hy-Vee Corridor subsequent 12 months.