I usually stick in-state for the conventions I travel to. But once in a while, I get the treat to travel to do what I love. Recently I got to attend Windsor ComiCon, which not only marked my first convention entirely in Canada but was my first pure ComiCon.
The first big difference I noticed was the lack of organized programming. The convention was very relaxed and everyone was free to explore what they liked. I didn’t see any panels or main events, but there were more hands-on, interactive events like a tabletop gaming area, a meet-and-greet with Batman and the Batmobile, and even the chance to meet mascot characters of the Paw Patrol and Pikachu.
The convention was at Caesars Casino in Windsor, which was super convenient. I was able to pay five dollars and take the Tunnel Bus from the Renaissance Center directly to the casino in Windsor. Customs was a bit strange in a ball gown, but the workers got a kick out of the giant dress.
I was a bit confused at how easy it was to see the main area of the convention without a pass. You really only needed a pass to go downstairs to the autographs and dealers area.
The dealer’s hall was the main attraction to this convention, obviously. I didn’t mind a $25 admission for this convention, partly because it was in Canadian dollars and it cost me just under $20 to get in, which was sweet. It also meant that everything in the dealer’s hall was cheaper than the prices said, which was amazing because, of course, I bought my girlfriend presents.
I was a bit disappointed in the ethics of the dealer’s hall. I noticed multiple booths selling counterfeit Pokemon plush toys, which on one hand were much more affordable than many on the market, but most conventions have much stricter guidelines on what dealers can and can’t sell, and usually that includes counterfeit product.
As mentioned before, it was a fairly inexpensive convention. However, the Saturday events ended at around 6 p.m. and this meant a rather short convention day, only eight hours. It was perfect timing for kids, though, and the convention had really good rates for children and families (with kids under a certain age getting in for free).
Overall, I was pretty happy with the convention. It was worth the $5 bus ticket and a $20 badge for sure and was a fantastic way to spend a Saturday in Windsor. Next time this group hosts another convention, I’d highly recommend checking it out!
