Fans are back at cons, and they’re back in a big way! The fact that attendance at WonderCon returned to normal on March 24 – 26, 2023, in Anaheim, CA, was encouraging, as it brought the event back to normal following a down year in 2022. On Friday, there was a reasonable amount of attendance, which is typical for this Con, but on Saturday it became jam-packed with attendees and cosplayers alike.
It was easy to navigate the crowds at WonderCon 2023 on Friday, as long as your attention wasn’t distracted by all the colorful, creative pop culture conventions around you. While wandering the convention center, looking for interesting people to chat with, we stopped and talked with a few people.
Cosplayer @stephanie_robledo_ arrived at Wonder Con in Star Wars inspired gear on full display. She has attended Wonder Con for years and was thrilled to see it back in full force this year along with meeting new friends.
“I just love the community. You do meet new friends all the time, everyone cheering you up like, ‘Oh my God, that’s such a great costume.’ Like, I just love everything about it. The creativity of just going out of your comfort zone,” she said, further adding that she is looking forward to Star Wars Celebration.
Stephanie is not alone with the enjoyment of the show. Cosplayers pictured below @ci_cosplay and @dromhunter shared the same sentiment about the convention and the amount of work that goes into crafting the perfect costume is fun while also a challenge to completion. As far as advice, the two said that fans should go and have fun.
“Matter of such a simple little cosplay is just come and have fun and we’re all here to make friends,” said Ciri. “We’re all here to have fun and It’s an amazing experience to have,” said Yennefer.
Although the weather was in the chill factor, this did not stop anyone from attending the show. Compared to the juggernaut of San Diego Comic Con, many people I’ve spoke with like the less-congested show due to the swiftness of walking from one booth to another.
