WINNIPEG — It's almost Halloween night, but one event in the city is giving people another reason to dress up this weekend, Winnipeg Comiccon. On Saturday, the RBC Convention Centre was filled with fans of all things pop culture, and many were dressed to impress in elaborate costumes imitating their favourite characters from Sci-Fi movies, comic books, and anime. Melissa Wiess dressed up as the Scarlet Witch from the Marvel TV Show Wandavision. She said there's something for everyone at the event. "It's really the community, the costumes, the people. It's so fun. It's such a great atmosphere." In addition to costumes, the space is filled with booths selling board games, comics, video games, and movie posters. Masks were mandatory at the event, and all eligible attendees were required to be fully vaccinated. Wiess said this is the first Comiccon in Winnipeg since before the pandemic, and it makes life feel a little more normal. "These events just kind of give people that comfort feeling, that hope that one-day things will be back to normal," said Wiess. Brandon Bisesi experienced his first-ever Comiccon, and he dressed up as Din Djarin from the Star Wars TV show The Mandalorian. "There's a lot of people dressed up. You don't have to be dressed up, but it's fun to get dressed up and take a picture with people, and (they) appreciate the hard work you put into your costume." If dressing up isn't your thing, Comiccon had celebrity guests ranging from actors to voice actors to comic book creators. Spokesperson Jason Rockman said Winnipeg Comiccon is a family event and a fun way to celebrate Halloween. "With pop culture being at such an all-time high, it's just a great time to come to one of these events. (When) you come once, it's almost guaranteed you're coming back again." It's a sentiment Wiess knows to be true. "That's how I started. I came out just to take a look and then all of a sudden (I got) sucked right in, just loved the atmosphere." Winnipeg Comiccon wraps up on Halloween night at 6 p.m.
