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If you’re excited to try out your Halloween costume or just looking for some inspiration, get ready to play on Melbourne Toy and Comic Con this sunday.
The fan-friendly comic and toy convention aims to provide affordable nerd entertainment right in our backyard. The one-day event will be held on Sunday, October 16, from 10am to 5pm at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd., Melbourne.
Rick Shea, Owner Famous faces and jokes and co-owner of Comic Con, an estimated 2,000 people will attend throughout the day.
For Shea, the event is about connecting with the local community.
“Melbourne has a huge geek scene and having the annual convention allows people to connect and reconnect,” he said.
Part of the convention’s charm is its small-town atmosphere.
“What makes Melbourne Toy and Comic Con special is that it’s a taste of a bigger comic in a smaller format,” Shea said. “It’s great for kids and families who aren’t ready for the big cons.”
One of the highlights of the event is the costume contest, which includes nominations for children and adults. There will also be live panels for pop culture fans.
Among the guests:
- Carlos Navarro, host of Monsters in the Morning; Recurring roles as “Alvaro” in “The Walking Dead” and “Enrique” in “Hawkeye”.
- Barry Lovinunderstudy and stuntman for The Mandalorian.
- Dorian King, stunt actor for “Cad Bane” in The Book of Boba Fett. Also appeared in Stranger Things, Suicide Squad, Venom, Agents of Shield, and The Conjuring 2.
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Vendors will be on hand with collectibles and comics to browse. Guests will be able to find Pops, modern and retro toys, play items and more.
Have fun the game store will have a game room open with dozens of board games for you to try. Demonstration teachers will help new players get started. In addition to the open game library, there will be presentations of several games such as Star Wars X-Wing, Marvel Crisis Protocol and Dungeons & Dragons.
Schedule of events
13:00 – Geek Trivia
2 o’clock in the afternoon – Panel by Carlos Navarro
3 o’clock in the afternoon – Star Wars Panel with Barry Lovin and Dorian King
4 pm – Costume contest
Throughout the day – Raffles, table and board games
If you go
Melbourne Toy and Comic Con
Where: Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd., Melbourne
If: Sunday, October 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
Tickets: $10, available online or at the door. Children under 10 enter for free.
Parking: Free of charge
On the Internet: facebook.com/melbournetoyandcomiccon or melbournetoyandcomiccon.com
Christina LaFortune is the entertainment and TgIF editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/christinalafortuneon Twitter at @lafortunecor send her an email to clafortune@floridatoday.com.
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