Nerds. Nerds everywhere.

New to the Treasure Valley this year was the first ever Treasure Valley Comic Con. For the last few years, I have dreamed of going to comic con but have never been able to due to the cost, the distance, and the timing. So when I heard that comic con was coming to Nampa, Idaho, only a 45-minute drive from my house, I was ecstatic, to say the very least.

After I paid for my three-day ticket and Amazon Primed the final touches for my latest cosplay, I had to lie in wait for the magic that I knew was to come. I took the day off Friday, so I could enjoy all three days of the con, and I am so glad that I did. Not only were there amazing cosplayers left and right, but there were SO MANY incredible artists, writers, designers, gamers, and celebrities there all weekend long.

The convention was held at the Nampa Civic Center and was put on in part by 103.5 Kiss FM, along with many incredible sponsors. There were costume contests, wrestling tournaments, LARPing groups, gaming tournaments, meet-and-greets, and so much more. One of the most incredible parts of the convention were the Q&A sessions with the various celebrities that were brought in. Todd Bridges, Margot Kidder, Todd Haberkorn, Aly Michalka, Paris Warner, Charles Baker, Peyton Wich, April Matson, Cooper Andrews, Randy Havens, Emma Kenney, Rick Cosnett, and Stephanie Masoner all attended and answered questions, told stories, and made the convention an even more unforgettable experience for everyone there.

Not only were the events sponsored by the Convention amazing, but the response from the community was even more so. News Sites, social media and reader boards all over the Treasure Valley were talking about the convention beforehand. Soon after the convention had started, photos of cosplayers filled the internet. It is not often that cosplaying makes the news, but these Idaho towns decided to make it happen.

As a beginning cosplayer, it was so incredible to go to Treasure Valley Comic Con and have people take photos with me and compliment my cosplay. I also got to learn from internet-famous cosplayers how to better my cosplays, how to maintain and style wigs, and how they've made it in the cosplaying world. Also, just being around a bunch of other avid cosplayers is amazing in itself.

My sister as Yuri Katsuki from Yuri on Ice and me as a female Keith Kogane from Voltron: Legendary Defender featuring an adorable snapchat filter

Conventions are places where nobody is judged and everyone is so welcoming and accepting. All too often, people make fun of cosplayers, comic enthusiasts, anime watchers, gamers, and artists. Conventions are one of the few places that everyone just lets go of society's rules and exists exactly how they want to.

All in all, the first ever Treasure Valley Comic Con was FANTASTIC. I know that it will only grow and get better every year, and I cannot wait for next July to roll around so that I can be a part of it all again.