After struggling to hold their events for two years with COVID, Ptarmicon is making a proper comeback to the City of Yellowknife.
While it may not be as extravagant as Comic-Con, or even the Edmonton Comic Expo, Ptarmicon is still an eager gathering of people who find great enjoyment in movies, video games, tabletop role playing games, and comic books. For the past few years, as with everyone else, they have had their hands tied with COVID restrictions, and have been unable to hold the conventions that they have truly wanted to hold.
this year, not only is the convention coming back in full force, but they are also holding an additional event to build up the hype. Reigh Foster, the President of the Ptarmicon society, explains.
“We are doing a promotion for our summer convention event to make sure as many people in Yellowknife know that Ptarmicon is back as possible. We have a life size cardboard standout of ‘Sir Ptomas’ and we’re gonna hide him around Yellowknife for the next three weekends.”
Sir Ptomas will be hidden in various locations throughout the city. Anyone who finds him will receive various prizes, including tickets to the convention at the end of July, and gift card to local businesses. Ptarmicon will be posting hints to his wherabouts on their Facebook page. This is the first time they have run this promotional event, though Foster explained that they had the idea in the back of their heads. What started as joking about buy a full costume of Sir Ptomas became just buying a cardboard cutout for now.
Foster continued by sharing some of the big changes that will be coming to the convention this year.
“This year we are on the Ed Jeske Arena pad, which is the biggest space we’ve ever used. We have a food court this year, that’s a new addition to the event. We have three restaurants in town that will be setting up small menus so that folks, when they come to our event they can continue to support small businesses and get some food.”
Foster explained that one of their goals with Ptarmicon is to make the event as accessible as possible, for as many people as possible. To that end, they have made admission for kids 12 and under absolutely free, so long as they are accompanied by a ticket-holding adult. This will include access to a kids zone full of events and activities catered to young nerds.
Some of the expected attractions include a cosplay contest, a video game centre, which will also host several video game tournaments, panels, workshops, and other events. The Yellowknife Larp Association will be utilizing a large space at the convention hall to build and operate a live action escape room where patrons will have the opportunity to solve puzzles and defeat foes in order to escape. Booking the Live Action Escape Room will have additional fees.
Adult tickets will be $10 per person per day and will be available online on July 16 by clicking here.
