Pop-culture convention draws collectors, video-game enthusiasts

Daijah Hinmon, Contributing Writer

The line into The Greater Richmond Convention Center for the “Collect-A-Con Richmond 2024” extended beyond the entrance, filled with people dressed like anime characters and video game characters and everything in between. 

The convention occurred on Saturday, Aug. 24 and 25. “Collect-A-Con” is the nation’s largest trading card, anime and pop-culture convention, according to its website. This event included on-site Funko POP! submissions, pokemon cards and a live performance by Waka Flocka Flame. It also included special guests including voice actors Christopher Judge, Kaiji Tang, Adam McArthur and more.

This year’s “Collect-A-Con” held more than 800 vendor and dealer tables, according to its Instagram. Tables featured items tables ranging from comics to sports cards to vintage toys. 

When preparing for the convention, it was important to make sure the tables and stage were set up for the talent and vendors checking in the next day, according to event organizer Jeannie Stroumpos. 

Compared to other “Collect-A-Cons” hosted this year, Richmond’s was the least hectic, according to Stroumpos. The vendors were able to sell tons of their products, but it wasn’t as crazy as the other locations.

“‘Collect-A-Con’ has a plethora of different types of collectors,” Stroumpos said. “One of the bigger things that makes us special are our celebrity voiceover actors, King Pokémon and our musical guests.”

Waka Flocka had one of the best performances to date, according to Stroumpos. He provided fantastic crowd involvement, was super hands-on with everyone and even brought kids up on the stage. 

“I love that,” Stroumpos said. “It definitely made this ‘Collect-A-Con’ stand out.”

This event is centered around getting people involved in a large variety of interests, according to Stroumpos. 

“I’ve always wanted to come to a convention my whole life,” said River Scott, a convention attendee. 

Scott said events like these are important because you get to celebrate the things you enjoy.

Stephanie Calix attended the convention and was looking forward to seeing her favorite voice actors, she said.

Calix said the most exciting thing she experienced so far at the convention was getting an autograph from Kaiji Tang, the English voice actor of the character Gojo from “Jujutsu Kaisen.”

Conventions are interesting and an enjoyable experience, Elizabeth Menifee, an attendee of the  convention said. 

The highlights of conventions like these include getting into cosplay and interacting with others who have similar interests, she said. 

Going to conventions is a tradition, according to Menifee. It’s enjoyable being able to meet new people and purchase items you love collecting, and may never find anywhere else.

Compared to the other conventions, what makes this one unique is the variety of trading that takes place throughout the convention, according to Menifee.

“Most conventions are just props and costumes,” Menifee said. “This one is different because it’s for collectors.”

The process of setting up tables for events like this can be stressful and take up a lot of time, according to vendor Trent Hagan, who traveled all the way from Birmingham, Alabama for the convention. Organizing the layout is important when it comes to selling products at events like “Collect-A-Con.”

“It’s totally worth it,” Hagan said. 

The people are what make conventions like this worth it, Hagan said.

“You get to meet so many unique people; the costumes, the cosplay, it’s so much fun,” Hagan said.