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FanCon marking fifth year

You know that time when you really need someone to sit down and pay attention to what you have to say about something? This is that time for me. And you know what? I am going to do it weekly.

You know that time when you really need someone to sit down and pay attention to what you have to say about something? This is that time for me. And you know what? I am going to do it weekly. So, I guess we start with me welcoming you and laying down what I will be talking about in this column.

This is a wildly exciting time for many cultural things in our city and I am extremely proud to have a front row seat to much of it. What does that mean and what will I be talking about in particular? Not gonna lie - this column is about Northern FanCon... but not just Northern FanCon. We are going to get into many different elements of the show itself but also I want to tell you things you might not know about the event and how it has benefited our city and its people.

That all being said, this particular column, I wanted to start off with highlighting that Northern FanCon will celebrate its fifth anniversary this year and that deserves a significant bit of attention. First off, for those of you who do not know, Northern FanCon is Northern B.C.'s very own comic conference based in Prince George hosted by the Prince George Citizen with my company UNLTD Media & Events. There is a great story I will share with you in weeks to come on how it all began.

Since its inaugural year, Northern FanCon has attracted over 50 celebrity guests including William Shatner, Karl Urban, Sean Astin, Levar Burton, Kevin Smith, Nichelle Nichols, Jason Mewes, Jewel Staite, Tia Carrere, Alicia Witt, Giancarlo Esposito, Isaiah Mustafa, Brett Dalton, Denise Crosby, Candice Patton, John De Lancie, Michael Biehn, Tricia Helfer, Michael Hogan and many others. The majority of the guests who visit Prince George for FanCon have never heard of our city and we have the unique opportunity to be give them an experience and a taste they will take with them. Again, I have some great stories regarding these so watch for them in upcoming columns.

Every single one of these guests is on hand to sign autographs, take photos and appear on stage for live interviews and/or panels. We have even seen live performances recorded at FanCon and rebroadcast. This year's Fatman on Batman live show was released through Kevin Smith's podcast network and Youtube channel and has been viewed over 160,000 times.

The event also sees dozens of world-renowned artists, cosplayers and filmmakers attending to showcase their current projects, connect with fans and host workshops. Beyond this, many of the fans themselves don costumes of their own to attend the show, all in complete comfort in what is an undeniably inclusive atmosphere where expression is encouraged and praised.

And finally, Northern FanCon hosts hundreds of vendors and exhibitors which carry unique items, offer exclusive services and generally have things you didn't know you need but end up wanting - nay, needing.

All in all, Northern FanCon has showcased our city to literally tens of thousands of attendees, driven millions of dollars into the local economy and fostered relationships that continue to build opportunity for Prince George - in film, art, and business (more on this to come!)

I could go on for hours about the different elements of the show and will certainly be giving each area its own due in weeks to come but I wanted to give an overview to illustrate at least in some part how colossal what we have actually is. I have travelled to other conventions in cities 10 times the size of Prince George and found that we compete on the same scale as many of our larger counterparts. In terms of number of exhibitors, quality of show, number of guests and artists. I have heard it said that Northern FanCon swings well above its weight class and I can tell you honestly - I believe this is true.

There is way too much to tell you in one single sitting. Northern FanCon has become more than an event. It has become a legacy.

The city issued the proclamation that May 3-5, 2019 has been declared FanCon Days. Countless people throughout our region look forward to this event every year. Having been in a front row seat for the event, I have witnessed firsthand the scale and value of Northern FanCon for the city and so many of its citizens. Coming in to our milestone year, it is beyond important to make sure everyone understands the significance and value of what we have built.

And that, dear reader, is why I am starting this column.

NEXT: Norm offers no-holds barred behind the scenes look at what had to happen to launch FanCon Year 1.