By Collin Bestor
The second annual Pensacon was a huge success. For three days, thousands of fans flocked to Downtown Pensacola to enjoy the festivities provided at the Bay Center, Crown Plaza hotel and the Sanger Theater. For Sci-Fi, comic book, super hero and TV fans, it felt like Christmas.
Walking into the Bay Center for the first time at Pensacon was a mesmerizing feeling like joy mixed with confusion, grandeur mixed with a sense of being lost.
“For the first fifteen to twenty minutes of arriving to the Bay Center, I was lost.” said Trevor Gunn. “I mean being here dressed in a Deadpool outfit and with fifteen or so pounds of equipment doesn’t help either. When I got here, I followed this some random guy for about five or so minutes. I had no idea where to go.”
Pensacon was like going to a major sporting event and the only way to describe it was organized chaos.
Especially with having multiple events at three different locations, fans and event goers could have had their expectations filled. Either by meeting their favorite heroes or childhood idols.
“Meeting Hacksaw Jim (Duggan) was the highlight of my evening.” said Sally Forster. “I remember watching him on TV and wishing one day I would meet him and now I did. I’m so happy.”
Over fifty vendors packed the arena floor of the Bay Center that weekend. Vendors were selling items ranging from colored wigs to comic books, swords to costumes and everything in between.
“This event is very good for vendors.” said Sally Cunningham. “The ability to see everything that these places has to offer is amazing for me. Not so much for my wallet.”
Cunningham said that she spent over $500 dollars at the event and doesn’t regret any of it.
First time guests at Pensacon had a great time. The amount of people all dressed up in costumes ranging from storm troopers to Wonder Women. It felt like Halloween in March.
There were no frowns or bad words from loud talking guests. Everyone was having a good time and enjoying themselves, typical Pensacon.
