Following in the footsteps of a 2018 event that brought comic book and other “nerd” culture to downtown Sanford, the Lee County Library will host Pop Con, a comic convention on Saturday, August 24 at its downtown location on Hawkins Avenue.
Allison Sills, the Lee County Library’s cataloging and tech services librarian, was a part of Hugger Mugger Brewing’s “Phenomicon” in 2018 and describes herself as “a huge science fiction convention fan.” After learning that there wasn’t likely to be a 2019 Phenomicon, she decided to continue the library’s contribution to that event as a standalone convention of its own.
“It’s gonna be loud in here,” Sills said. “Definitely a louder atmosphere than normal.”
The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free. Featured presenters include Emmy award-winning Hollywood makeup artists Dean and Starr Jones, “Cemetery Plots” creator Dan Johnson, local NASA ambassador Dan Combs, and local cosplay aficionado May Hemmer.
Additionally, there will be a cosplay competition, multiple gaming opportunities (including video, tabletop and roleplaying), a replica of the Jurassic Park jeep, food trucks, free ice cream, and more. The library’s auditorium will also be used as a StarLab planetarium for half hour increments throughout the day. The Star Lab is the only offering for which visitors are asked to sign up in advance by calling (919) 718-4665 or visiting the library’s website.
