ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – A pop culture event returns to Bay College this weekend for its second year.
Toys, games, and records are just a few of the things you will find at BAY-CON on April 22.
BAY-CON “strikes back” this year, following a successful inaugural event last May.
“BAY-CON came from a place before the pandemic where we wanted to do something fun, and then of course everything closed down,” said Dave Laur, executive director of student life at Bay College. “Connections was one of those things I felt that I lost during that time, and a lot of other people did too. So we really wanted to get this going again.”
This year, more than 50 vendors are bringing their memorabilia, hand-crafted items, and artwork to the event. There will also be a cosplay contest, trivia, a zombie lab, and plenty of other ways to bring out your inner pop culture nerd.
“Just a bunch of positivity, people being happy, being around others who like the same things as them,” Laur said. “No judging–just be yourself, be here.”
Other attractions include a gaming room, a food truck, and an opportunity to get an autograph from voice actor Sean Chiplock.
Organizers are excited to provide an event of this scale right here in the U.P.
“When we look at where does a person go to do these type of things, we hear about Green Bay a lot or downstate a lot,” said Laur. “There really was this hole that we said, ‘Hey, we could do something like that here.'”
BAY-CON is sponsored by student clubs. The event fulfills the college’s mission of student success, community success, and culture of success.
Most of all, BAY-CON is an opportunity to have fun. Laur says there’s even a chance you will reconnect with your childhood self.
“Yesterday I was talking with some students and they saw a toy that they had as a kid, and instantly they were like six years old again–big smiles on their faces,” he said. “Being able to bring that to our community is great.”
BAY-CON starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. Entry is free, but $2 donations are encouraged for guests ages 10 and older. Proceeds will go toward student clubs and athletic teams.
Visit the BAY-CON event page on Facebook for more information.
