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Attendees often dress up as their favorite characters, an act known as cosplay, short for “costume play.� Some of these costumes are hand-made with intricate detail and others are bought from retail outlets. Many times, it depends on the budget of the person.

“In general, I was always a very big fan of Halloween, and never really outgrew playing dress-up as a kid. The actual cosplay hobby, however, started for me in 2008 in high school,� Sydney Williams, a cosplayer and resident of nearby Sumner County, said. “My friends in our Anime and Manga Club were making group cosplays for a convention, and I joined in. From there, there was no dragging me out of it, I was hooked!�

Panels where attendees gather to discuss topics within their fandoms, learn about industries such as voice acting or even learn how to create their own costumes make up the majority of the weekend’s schedule. Other events include a contest judging each cosplay, with cash prizes available. Groups of performers who dance to songs, called “idols� also perform during a block known as an idol festival.

Areas for people to play board games, card games and video games drew a large crowd for people wanting to spend some time with friends and potential new friends. It also provided a reprieve from the main convention hall.

Vendors also set up in hopes of making some money, much like in a flea market. Some vendors offer hand-made products, others specialize in selling imported merchandise and others serve as networking for other conventions in the state, such as YamaCon in Pigeon Forge and Omnicon in Cookeville.

“[A] long time ago, we started with our convention in a hotel. We found that there wasn’t enough space for the value we wanted to provide,� Devin Adkins, a local resident who was one of the initial organizers of the convention, said. “We tried bigger hotels, but the cost to the attendees wasn’t ideal and wanted to give them more.�

Adkins learned about the Farm Bureau Expo Center through friends at another event and said he “fell in love� with the location.

“There were initially some growing pains as people took some time to get used to not being on site of a hotel. I think people now enjoy and appreciate the ease of having space to walk, free parking and not being shoulder to shoulder,� Adkins said. “Additionally, the major bonus is all the staff from the FB expo center are friendly and helpful. It also allows us to grow into the property and never truly run out of room.�

People across the state, and even from nearby states, drive to Lebanon to attend the convention, often booking out nearby hotels, and local restaurants notice the increase in sales.

“There’s a sense of camaraderie and community amongst con attendees. Even if you don’t know anyone in your day to day life that enjoys a show you like, participates in cosplaying, or plays the same game, chances are you’ll run into other fans of that same thing,� Williams said. “The things I love most about cons are usually cosplay-related. I enjoy wandering about in my hard work, I enjoy seeing everyone else’s cosplay projects. I also really love hosting and attending panels about the cosplay hobby, and the cultural panels about the history of anime in America, or its influences on our media and vice versa!�

Considered a niche event for many years, the interest in pop culture, especially convention gatherings, spiked after the height of the pandemic as people sitting at home discovered new forms of entertainment and found fellow fans. The explosion in popularity and attendance has allowed smaller conventions, like those in Tennessee, to afford to bring actors, comic book artists and other celebrities to the area as guests.

“I got into cosplay when the upsurge of its presence on social media occurred during COVID lockdown times, but the ability to experiment with makeup, creating new outfits and props that practically disobeyed the laws of real life, as well as the copious amount of opportunities I’ve had to make new friends and create everlasting memories made me stay,� a cosplayer going by their “stage name� Kaleidokye said.

“Going to conventions and being a part of a fandom teaches you many skills. To name a few, budgeting, sewing, event management, networking, starting a business, audio mixing — the possibilities are endless,� Adkins said. “It really just depends on what part of the community you want to be in. I honestly learned more traveling the country and working with people than in a lot of my college courses. Hopefully, you can learn and grow with us.�

“Attending conventions will always be a place to show off my cool cosplays and be proud of how far I’ve come and grown over my four years of attending them,� Kaleidokye said. “It’s also just an amazing place to look at other people’s cosplays and [give] compliments left and right, just to watch faces light up as we talk about the media or our [favorite] characters!�

On-site security is provided by in-house staff members called “Access Control.� Smaller situations such as ID checking for adult-themed events and preventing unauthorized access are handled by them. Deputies from the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office provide law enforcement security.

The weather had a few surprises in store for the Middle Tennessee area. On Friday, around 2:30 p.m., a strong thunderstorm traveling through Wilson County caused power to flicker in the Expo Center, momentarily disrupting the convention, but within minutes, the staff was able to quickly get everything back up and running, minimizing the impact. Pop-up thunderstorms broke up periods of intense sunlight and heat, leading many attendees unsure if they should bring an umbrella or personal fan — or both.

“I’d say, you really should give it a try and attend one! Most of the time, regardless of whether it is an anime or a pop culture con, you’ll find something to see or do that you enjoy,� Williams said. “You’ll meet people and make friends, you may learn something new! And even if you decide they’re not for you, I can almost guarantee you’ll still have had a good time.�

Planning a convention each year takes months of preparation. Adkins said he tries to have some aspects of the con pre-planned two years in advance, including themes, guests and other ideas. He called it a labor of love.