Alcon 2012
Posted by Beth on Tue, 08 May 2012.
Alcon (short for AnimeLeague Convention) is a fun and friendly 1,000-person anime convention taking place over an epic four days this 6th to 9th September in Leicester at De Montfort University!
Make sure to Register and Pay before the end of May to get all four days at a discounted rate of just £30! (The link to register is http://www.alcon.org.uk/register.php)!
Accommodation on-site is also available at an unbeatable rate of just £26 per night! Each year it seems to get bigger and better. Though you have to be 16+ to attend (have ID present). This year there are places for 1,000 attendants!
Also there will be a fair few guests coming along, some popular cosplayers, [TealPirate, Twinfools and Nova] and a fair few voice actors, some popular ones like Little Kuriboh and Masakox. [Whom have done, Yugi-oh Abridged, Naruto Abridged and Dragonball Z Abridged.] (They are really amusing!) As well as the special guest Kyle Hebert whom has voiced in over FIFTY animes and games! Including Kamina from Guren Lagaan!
There are several workshops to improve your singing, and voice acting talents. As well as stalls selling various merchandise, like anime and manga goodies, and tasty Japanese snacks! There will be artists exhibiting their artwork to buy also. And if you were passing through, don't be shocked by people dressed in colourful garb, looking strange or dressed as a large furry animal. See Hunter's article about Cosplay
Alcon will have events and activities going on from 10am in the morning through to 3am at night, including a dealers room, anime screenings, anime bar and night-club,artist ally, roleplaying, cardgaming, video-gaming room, another room for retro-gaming, a cosplay café, DDRing, J-Culture, Cosplay Hangout, events, panels and much more, there is something for everyone, with more special events than you can shake a stick (of pocky) at! So you can't complain that you can't do it all, better that then barely any events at all!
For more information about this fun and friendly event coming up, go to the FAQ [Frequently Asked Questions] section: http://www.alcon.org.uk/faq.php
Here are a few questions people have asked to help you guys out!
Q - What time do events start and end on each day?
A - On Thursday the Campus Centre, including the bar and it's events will open from 5pm onward until midnight. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday the convention runs from 10am until 2am.
Q - Why 16+ only?
A - Due to venue and insurance requirements we can only allow 16+ into the event. This applies in all situations, even if a guardian is present.
Having sat down with FreeSaiyan, the event organiser for Alcon, I asked him some questions about the upcoming event:
How long has Alcon been around for?
FreeSaiyan: Since 2007
What is the most hardest part of setting up an convention?
FreeSaiyan: Promotion, Getting the numbers to guarantee you'll not lose money on the event. If you don't get the attendees, you don't have an event. It is the attendees that decide, ultimately, whether you have an event or not. You can make an incredible event, but if no one knows about it, then it's wasted.
Anything to say to anyone reading this and interested in going?
FreeSaiyan: Why don't you come and experience this, its more like a holiday then a convention!
Details:
Website: http://www.alcon.org.uk/
Email: info@alcon.org.uk
Forums: http://www.animeleague.net/forum
Location
De Montfort University, The
Gateway, Leicester,
LE1 9BH
Dates: 6th-9th September 2012
Price: Just £30 for all four days if you pay before end of May, £35 thereafter.
Accommodation: £26/night on-site.
You must register and pay beforehand to attend!
In the end, it is a really fun experience, why not go and experience it for yourself? To see what all the fuss is about?