MEDFORD, Ore.- Happy May the Fourth to all Star Wars lovers out there. Some of these Star Wars fans were at Rogue Comic Con Saturday, which took over Pear Blossom Park.
“Every age, everybody, men and women and everyone in between, everyone is here,” Rogue Comic Con Executive Director Lanessa Pierce said. “They’re able to really show their personality, but just really be who they want to be.”
The 6th annual Rogue Comic Con started at 10:00 a.m., lasting until 7:00 p.m. According to Pierce, the convention, formerly known as Medford Comic Con, used to be run by the library and community members before the pandemic. She says she knew they had to bring it back to the Rogue Valley.
“We decided… two falls ago that we were going to bring it back, so we started planning in March of 2023, and now we are here,” Pierce said.
Admission to the convention was free. Pierce says it’s a family friendly space for fans of arts, technology and pop culture. With lots to do including workshops, vendors, costume contests and more, it’s easy to see why people showed up even in the rain.
“It’s so cool to see what people just pull out of the woodwork to create their costumes and the imagination that goes into it,” Pierce said.
One of these costume contest participants was the Ward family, who managed to take home first place for group costume. They say it was their first time at Rogue Comic Con, but it won’t be their last.
“We’ve been doing family costumes for Halloween since they were little and we’ve always had fun with that, but we’ve never breached into the comic con part,” Mrs. Ward said. “We finally decided it was time.”
The convention also featured celebrity guests, including Adrienne King known for Friday the 13th and Comic Book Writer/Artist Kevin Vanhook. Pierce says she hopes people see the importance of an event like this.
“This is the gateway for literacy, like, kids that don’t like to read, they read comic books and graphic novels,” Pierce said.
Pierce says this convention is personal for her. She says she’s so thankful her and the team she works with have been able to bring it back.
“I’m inspired, my heart is full,” Pierce said, “our community needs this, our teenagers need this, that’s what it is. Our teenagers and kids need a place to feel themselves.”
Pierce says folks can expect a lot more art, vendors and everything else next year.
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