This past Saturday, Auburn was overrun with superheroes, anime characters, Starfleet officers, Jedi Masters and even a Sith Lord. The Schweinfurth Art Center, working with Syracuse’s Salt City Comic-Con, hosted its first annual Cosplay Invades Auburn! The event, meant to serve as a celebration of the creativity and commitment of cosplayers, served as a pre-game to the comic and pop-culture convention, which will be held at the Syracuse Oncenter in two weeks.
Cosplay, a simplification of the phrase “Costume Play”, simply means dressing up like a character from a work of fiction, usually from a comic, video game or television show.
The inaugural event attracted over 100 cosplayers and even more viewers. Cosplayers of all ages were on hand, from young children to a tenured university professor. Many friends and families arrived together in themed costumes, and one mother-and- daughter team even cosplayed two Pokemon characters.
Some cosplayers, like Steve Barker of Port Byron, went the extra mile. Not only did he create his own Captain America costume, complete with a satellite dish he converted into the character’s iconic shield, but he also designed and customized a Captain America motorcycle.
Attendance far surpassed expectations and drew fans from Auburn and all of central New York. Syracuse-based fans were well-represented. Several cosplayers drove as far two hours to be a part of this unique event.
The day’s activity sprawled onto the Art Center’s front lawn and into the main showroom floor. Vendors sold cosplay and geek culture products. A make-up station also helped cosplayers with last minute needs and repairs.
Prizes were randomly awarded to fans. Syracuse’s Salt City Comic-Con provided VIP Passes, Weekend Passes and One-Day passes to the upcoming show. Cosplay by McCall’s, the new line of patterns from McCall’s, also provided innovative cosplay patterns packages as prizes.
Cosplayers competed in four categories. Three categories were based on age and a “group cosplay” category for multiple characters. An all-star panel of judges included Syracuse Professor Chris Wildrick, comic book artist Randy Elliot, cosplay expert Kate McKay and comic-shop owner and convention organizer TJ Yeldon. Prizes, including the random raffles, had an estimated value of more than $800.
The community helped market the event, including local businesses like Underground Wines, 3 Leaf Tea and Angelo’s Pizza. The Seymour Library also developed a themed display, showcasing cosplay books and an assortment of graphic novels.
“What a thrill to celebrate cosplay and geek culture in Auburn, with a fantastic event like this that adds to the rich fabric of the community,” said marketing consultant and geek culture expert Ed Catto.
The Syracuse’s Salty City Comic-Con will be held in downtown Syracuse June 24 and 25.
For more information, visit syracusecomiccon.com.