5 PopCon Indy highlights for superfans and casuals
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PopCon Indy rolls back into town this weekend. Photo: Andy Sams/PopCon Indy
Over the past 10 years, PopCon Indy has grown from a scrappy Kickstarter campaign to an annual springtime staple at the Indiana Convention Center.
Why it matters: Friday, the pop culture convention returns for its 11th year with its biggest lineup of celebs, vendors and attractions yet.
- In addition to a film festival, live podcasting and cosplay contests, this year's event features afterparties with live music and opportunities to hone content creation skills.
The big picture: The convention is the latest downtown Indianapolis event expected to attract thousands in a year that has already seen the Circle City host an NBA All-Star Weekend and a solar eclipse.
What they're saying: "We feel PopCon is where every fan finds their place," said PopCon president Carl Doninger. "There really is something for everyone."
Here are five PopCon 2024 highlights for total nerds and total noobs alike:
💍 Talk about rings with Frodo, Gollum and Sauron
The intrigue: Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis and Sala Baker — three major players from "Lord of the Rings" and countless other franchises — will chat and take photos with fans throughout the weekend.
The intrigue: Jim Cummings — the iconic voice actor behind cartoon characters like Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and Taz — will explain how he puts so much personality into each of his characters on Saturday afternoon.
🎙️ Learn how to start a podcast
The intrigue: This afternoon, veteran podcasters will provide tips and networking opportunities to creators looking to take their interesting conversations to the masses.
🧪 Break bad with Hank, Tuco and Walter Jr.
The intrigue: Actors Dean Norris, Raymond Cruz and RJ Mitte take the stage Saturday afternoon to answer questions and share stories from the "Breaking Bad" set.
🎭 Take the kids to a cosplay parade
The intrigue: On Sunday afternoon, PopCon's youngest attendees will be given the chance to show off their own cosplay creations at a booth run by Rubber City Cosplay from Akron, Ohio.
💭 Justin's thought bubble: PopCon 2024's voice actor lineup is top tier with the voices of Gohan, Solid Snake and Arthur Morgan in the house. But for me, the standout is Johnny Yong Bosch.
- I credit "Trigun" as the show that cemented me as an anime fan in the late 90s, and Bosch's dynamic performance as leading man Vash the Stampede is one I can still quote nearly word for word.
If you go: PopCon Indy runs Friday through Sunday at the Indiana Convention Center, 100 South Capitol Ave.
- The show is open 1-7pm Friday, 10:30am-7pm Saturday and 10:30am-5pm Sunday.
- Daily passes start at $30 for Friday and Saturday, and $40 for Saturday. Three-day general admission starts at $60.