Cartoon culture will come alive next weekend as local youngsters – and the young at heart – don creative costumes for the City of Logan’s first anime and pop culture convention.
#AKACON will take over Beenleigh Events Centre from 10am until 6pm on Saturday March 5, with hundreds of anime fans attending.
The event will feature a cosplay competition, guest panels, live performances and more than 30 exhibitors offering a range of merchandise.
Beenleigh business Let’s Go Akamaru! is spearheading the unique pop-culture gathering, which is also being sponsored by Logan City Council.
City Lifestyle Chair Councillor Laurie Koranski said Council’s Community Events Grants Funding Program was designed to support events such as #AKACON.
“Council is proud to support great local events like #AKACON that provide such unique experiences and opportunities for our community,” Cr Koranski said.
“We hope this great convention will inspire similar events in our diverse and creative City, so local anime fans can continue to celebrate their passion closer to home.”
Division 12 Councillor Karen Murphy said those hoping to attend next weekend’s event should book tickets now.
“Let’s Go Akamaru! is one of our great local businesses with an amazing following among the residents of Beenleigh and surrounds, so it’s no surprise tickets are absolutely flying out the door,” Cr Murphy said.
“#AKACON will be a fantastic opportunity for our local anime fans and I can’t wait to see them out in force next weekend.”
Let’s Go Akamaru! owner Raine Lovebright said it was a thrill to bring such a large-scale event together for local pop-culture fans.
“If they’re a big fan of anime…. there’s not going to be anything like it,” Ms Lovebright said.
“It’s a great opportunity to get art, to get merch, to come and have fun, to meet other people that are into anime and see how anime is made.”
Ms Lovebright said her anime business had gone from strength to strength since opening on City Road in Beenleigh 18 months ago.
“We’re doing great, the reason why we are able to go ahead and do something amazing like this is because we have such amazing support there,” she said.
Tickets to #AKACON are $25 and entry is free to children aged 12 and under who are accompanied by a ticket-holding adult.
