USPS Publication Number 16300
T h is C o m mu n i t y N ewsp a p er is a pu bl ica t ion of E sca m bia / S a n t a Rosa B a r Assoc ia t ion
Se r v i ng t he Fi r st Jud icial Ci rcu it
Section A, Page 1
Vol. 19, No. 6
Visit The Summation Weekly Online: www.summationweekly.com
February 6, 2019
February may conjure up images of sweet valentines, but for Pensacola February means crowds of cosplayers, hanging out with celebrities, revamped menus at your favorite restaurants and a whole heck of a lot of fun. That’s right, it’s time for Pensacon. Needless to say, Pensacon promises to be bigger and better than last year, and with the expansion of Poseidon’s Bay behind the Pensacola Bay Center, the inclusion of Gallery Night Feb. 22 during the convention, bigger guest celebrities and much more, it’s shaping up to be just that. Kat Bishop, director of marketing and guest services for Pensacon, said they expect around 35,000 attendees at Pensacon this year, continuing its upward growth year over year. If you’ve been in Pensacola for any amount of time, you know that Pensacon is one of the biggest events hosted in the city, having earned a place in league with the Blue Angels air shows and the Foo Foo Fest. But why is that? Well, according to Bishop, it’s because Pensacola really gets into the spirit of Pensacon, with the renaming of the Pensacola International Airport to the Pensacola Intergalactic Airport during the convention, bars and restaurants featuring geek-themed menus and decorations, a special Gallery Night and an entire city preparing for a weekend of nonstop events at some of the major venues around town, including the Pensacola Bay Center, the Saenger, the Rex and Pensacola Little theatres and the Pensacola Grande Hotel. “It’s an amazing, fun spectacle that you don’t get to see in many cities,” Bishop said. “A lot of cons, you go the con, you pay money to see the people, you stand in line, you get their autograph, then maybe go to a panel, then you leave. There’s no involvement from the town or the community. That’s what makes Pensacon stand out both to our attendees and to the celebrities because it’s just a different feel.” It’s this “different feel” that helps Pensacon get the volume and quality of guests that visit the convention every year. The guest roster this year include more than 100 actors, artists and authors, with the likes of William Shatner, Peter Davison, Kevin Conroy, Paige O’Hara
and many more expected to attend. It seems Pensacola’s little convention has a reputation that proceeds it, with Bishop explaining that many guests ask to attend the convention, rather than having an invitation sent out to them. “The reason we have so many guests is because celebrities and agents are constantly asking to come to Pensacon,” she said. “They have heard about Pensacon through word of mouth from other celebrities. … From the beginning we tried to make sure that every guest felt welcomed, with Southern hospitality. We take really good care of them at the con and they really like that. But they also really, really love the community involvement. From the moment they land at the airport and see the “Pensacola Intergalactic Airport” with all the signs changed and the prop displays in there, they are immersed in Pensacon, and the entire city appears to be embracing the con and welcoming these people to our city, happy to have them here. It just starts it off on a good foot.” Bishop also said that the team at Pensacon realizes just how lucky they are to have a community that supports them as much as Pensacola does. To help give back to the community, Pensacon last year had a charity livestream on Twitch that ran during the convention which raised donations for the Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital. Between the livestream during Pensacon and another charity event at a sister convention, $22,000 was raised for the hospital in 2018. This year, Pensacon will host another charity livestream during the convention that will again raise money for the Children’s Hospital. The stream will include some Twitch personalities as hosts, including GernaderJake, GSXRClyde and others. Can’t attend? Don’t worry. This charity livestream will be available for any and all to watch and donate to have a chance to win prizes and maybe even catch a surprise visit from a guest or two.
While the charity livestream is a central part of Pensacon’s efforts, it’s by no means the only one, with Pensacon donating to several local nonprofits throughout the year. There will also be a charity auction Feb. 24 at the Bay Center, where attendees will be able to bid on special collectors items, including banners signed by Pensacon guests from this year and last year. “We’re really passionate about giving back to the Pensacola community, because the community has done so much for us,” she said. “That’s why we raise money for Manna, for United Way, for Pensacola Children’s Chorus, for Pensacola Little Theatre. We want to make a difference in our community, so we do our best to use our platform for good and to get more attention for them.” If anything could be said about Pensacon, it’s that it’s almost too popular. A complaint often heard by attendees is that the crowds are hard to navigate, especially when it comes to celebrity signings and the Pensacola Bay Center. This year, to help alleviate some of the crowds, Pensacon will have a large stage for performances behind the Pensacola Bay Center, in Poseidon’s Bay, and more events will be offered throughout downtown Pensacola to help disperse the crowds throughout the city. There will also be a new ticketing schedule for some of the largest celebrity signings, where attendees will be given a ticket with a number. Attendees will be able to go through the convention while waiting for their number to be called for the signing. Still, Bishop suggested attendees give plenty of time for events they really want to go to, as some events have a limited number of seats and added safety measures around the venues will require more time to get into the building. Safety measures will include standing metal detectors and metal detector wandings at most events, especially those events inside venues throughout the city. Cosplay-
WE’RE SOCIAL
1 Section, 8 Pages
By kaitlyn peacock photos by bara’ah jaraiseh Cover: Members of the 501st Legion, an all-volunteer, fan based costuming group
ers be warned that no weapons will be allowed into the convention without first being checked at the weapons check area at the Pensacola Bay Center. Even if the crowds are a little hectic, most people who attend Pensacon agree, it’s the best place to be in Pensacola. “Ninety-nine percent of attendees had a good time and said they would return, according to the surveyors that Visit Pensacola has come out and survey attendees,” Bishop said. “Obviously that’s just a sampling of the population but you find that stands to reason it’s pretty true. “At the end of the day, that’s what’s most important,” Bishop continued. “That’s why we lose sleep and, you know, our sanity, so we can provide something for everybody to enjoy.” Been to Pensacon before and looking for something unique to try? Try collecting all the unique T-shirts offered at Pensacon. Volunteers will be given a special T-shirt for their time and effort and the OneBlood bus will offer a Pensacon shirt for those who donate blood during the convention. These shirts can only be obtained during the 2019 Pensacon convention. If you’re new to Pensacon, and even if you aren’t new, the biggest advice Bishop offered is to stay hydrated during the convention and to wear good, comfortable shoes. Pensacon spans across a large portion of downtown, and February can be hot with the Florida springtime not far off. Bring a refillable water bottle, especially if you are planning to cosplay, and find your best kicks for the weekend. Bishop also recommended downloading the Pensacon app, which will have a convention schedule, guest information, trolley stops and more. Looking for a list of guests and all the goings-on at Pensacon this year? Visit Pensacon.com for all that and more, and stay up to date on cancellations or schedule changes as convention weekend approaches.
CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA