The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
‘See it, play it...’
Comic Con for Kids debuts at Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks
UPPER PROVIDENCE >> In the words of its creator, Comic Con for Kids is a chance to “expand your child’s play possibilities as they truly see it, play it and be it.”
As a bonding experience between parents and their young kids, the fun doesn’t come any more tailor-made than Comic Con for Kids, which debuts at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks this weekend.
Comic Con for Kids will be held Saturday, Oct. 12, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 13, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, 100 Station Ave., Oaks.
Geared for kids ages 6 to 14, Comic Con for Kids is billed as a one-of-a-kind family pop culture event that brings social media celebrities, gaming, cosplay and tech together under one roof, including the region’s only official Marvel character appearances with Spider-Man, Iron Man, Black Panther and Captain America.
“We do market to parents,” noted Gabe Young, founder of Open World Events, which produces family events that drew in more than 150,000 paid attendees across the country last year and holds seven Guinness World Records, including one for largest convention for a single video game. “We talk about what a bonding experience it is. But that being said, we sometimes attract tweens and teens who may want to be without parents. That’s the minority case though.”
Headquartered in Bucks County, Open World Events launches every event in Young’s “hometown” Philadelphia area.
“We have a lot of events like Comic Con that are for adults, but the biggest difference with this one is that we designed this for kids. We have a lot of attractions where kids can participate with their parents. We also have workshops where kids
can learn about creating their own comics or costumes, or learn from some of the artists.
Also four stages of live entertainment, costume contests, karaoke, a lot of high energy stuff. These are things that we learned to do at our other events that are rolled into this one.”
At Comic Con for Kids, young fans will meet the YouTubers and social media stars who’ve reached celebrity status once reserved for pro athletes and movie stars, while stepping inside the mixed reality worlds and complex sci-tech components that are integrated into every part of their lives, Young pointed out.
Spanning almost five acres, featured exhibitors include intel, The Franklin Institute, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, Mid-Atlantic Droid and Prop Builders; more than 50 different comic and anime featured artists; meet and greets with YouTube gamers like Fortnite superstar Ali-A and girl gaming hero Clare Siobhan; plus “cosplay” dance contests, handon exhibits and superhero science, the Intel NUC Gaming Zone, and an Indie gaming mecca.
In 2018, guests at Brick Fest Live LEGO Fan Experience, which went on to become the top touring LEGO event in the U.S., got a taste of Comic Con for Kids during a pop-up style event, said Young, who credited his own young kids for a lot of his inspiration.
“We produce a number of family events, so what we do is integrate other events into our own events. At Brick Fest Live we had a little comic area, which included Comic Con for Kids and some people showing up in costume.”
About 20,000 people are expected at Comic Con for Kids, Young predicted.
“We produce about 20 shows a year so we kind of know what’s headed. We project a number, maybe it’ll be 25,000, maybe it’ll be 15,000 so we will see.”
Young’s partner in Open World Events and co-creator of Comic Con for Kids Chad Collins added: “Comic Con for Kids is the world that the next generation is living in, and it’s a chance for parents to not only understand it, but also give their children the unforgettable moments that convert their screen time to family time. Whatever kids are into today – Comic Con for Kids is a home for that.”
Tickets start at $14.99 and are free for children age two and under.
For more information or to purchase tickets, go to www.comicconforkids.com.