Awesome Con is where ‘it’s cool to be nerdy’
Thousands are expected to let their geek flags fly this weekend in the nation s capital at Awesome Con For the th year the Walter E Washington Convention Center plays host to D C s version of Comic Con from Friday to Sunday No matter what type of pop custom you are looking for it will preponderance likely be represented While walking around the convention center you ll likely see people dressed as superheroes both Marvel and DC anime characters video battle characters and characters from both Star Wars and Star Trek Awesome Con features celebrities for autograph sessions authors and over exhibitors While there are a lot of younger people at Awesome Con there are a lot of grown-ups still young at heart in attendance and they didn t come alone Malcolm and Coral brought their and -year-old children to take in the fun We are very much into playing pretend Coral explained She communicated WTOP they dress up for Halloween as a family and go to Renaissance festivals but this was their first trip to Awesome Con Her husband summed up the appeal of a pop tradition convention It s cool to be nerdy in a sense Just all the little things that we re interested in you find so multiple other people interested in the same things Malcolm disclosed Related stories Tom Cruise opens CinemaCon speech with moment of silence for Val Kilmer Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo tease new Wicked For Good footage during CinemaCon mastery lap A behind-the-scenes look at Nintendo Switch One person who was also having a ton of fun as she walked around the convention hall was Leandra from Laurel Maryland She was the bulk likely the only -foot- -inch person dressed as Velma from Scooby Doo With these boots I m apparently -foot- -foot- Leandra reported I love conventions I ve been coming for years Leandra explained WTOP why she dressed as one of those kids that travels in the Mystery Machine She s the best I think she is so smart she s so friendly They solve the mysteries because of her she noted One participant making his first appearance at Awesome Con this year is a member of the military from Hannover Pennsylvania who dressed like pro wrestler Ric Flair I have four more years and I retire from the United States Navy Christian Hardy explained This is my attempt at a side hustle for my next chapter because I don t want to have to get a real job Hardy who has been a lifelong wrestling fan was dressed in a camel hair blazer slacks alligator boots sunglasses a blonde wig and a replica of the NWA World Heavyweight title belt over his shoulder Hardy s booth Smart Mark Tees sells T-shirts with wrestling lingo on the front Another person living the dream of his childhood was Nate Himert a member of the Southern Maryland nonprofit Chesapeake Ghostbusters The group works with the Arc of Baltimore to raise money to help provide services for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities Himert grew up watching the original Ghostbusters When I m old enough and have a big boy job and make big boy money I m going to spend it on particular Ghostbusters gear and here I am Himert joked When he isn t fighting ghosts or putting smiles on kids faces he s an attorney for the authorities Source
