Comic Con returns to Niagara Falls library Saturday
For one day a year, pop culture takes over Niagara Falls Public Library.
The secondannual Comic Con at the Library will gather gamers, cosplayers and superhero buffs at the Victoria Avenue branch on Saturday, starting at 11:30 a.m.
Library communications associate Kaley Stewart says the show is timed a month before Niagara Falls Comic Con so the two events don't overlap.
It's also a free event with some of the same features as the bigger show.
Niagara Falls Comic Con, in turn, has donated items such as tickets and celebrity autographs as prizes.
“We have staff who just love comic cons,” said Stewart. “They love graphic novels, they love everything you can find at typical cons, but wanted to adapt it so our library users of all ages could take part.”
The threehour show will be packed with activities placed throughout the library, such as lightsabre training with Ludo Sports, greenscreen photoops, a Batman voice competition and a cosplay competition for three age groups of children.
Awardwinning Niagara Falls makeup artist Karlee Morse will do a demo from noon to 1 p.m. Morse, a member of Niagara Falls Arts & Culture Wall of Fame, has worked on films including “Becky” and “War Machine.”
Also on site will be the original fire truck from the holiday classic “A Christmas Story” and wrestlers with Niagara Fallsbased NEO Pro Wrestling.
About 14 mostly local artists will comprise Artists Alley this year, up from last year's four.
Starting at noon, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” will be screened.
Nerd Herder and Ripley's will be among the vendors.
“It's not just comic books … it's movies, it's wrestling, it's video games,” said library operations coordinator Dan Maksenuk. “It's pop culture. It's everything.”
Added Stewart, “We're all nerds here, just in different ways.”
The idea for the show was spearheaded by the library's program associate Kristi Hendriks. About 350 people attended last year.
“She really just wanted to create an experience for folks that didn't have a price tag attached to it,” said Maksenuk. “Make it accessible and affordable for everyone to take part in.”
The event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The library is at 4848 Victoria Ave.