UK PonyCon 2018, Sunday: Derpy Fever!

The pleasingly multi-gen banners (later auctioned) at Selfie Corner

Given my lack of sleep on Saturday night, I was relieved that I'd arranged with Hawthorn that breakfast on Sunday would be at 8am rather than 7:30 – the extra half-hour didn't make a huge difference, but it didn't do any harm. The reason was simply that we wouldn't need to wait to register on Sunday, so there wasn't any point in rushing to get there that early. We had another fry-up at the Joseph Else – sadly we saw no other con-goers there on either day – and tried to delay leaving as long as possible.

This was because the rain that had somehow held off for Saturday... hadn't today. The tram stop wasn't right outside the venue, and this was that unpleasant English rain that isn't very heavy but just goes on and on and on. I had one of those plasticky rain ponchos, and frankly I was glad of it. Having used up my Synthwave Fluttershy T-shirt the previous day, this time I was kitted out in Scootaloo colours. The venue cloakroom was even more welcome this time around!

Zen's OC and Ace's Sunburst "Loaf" plushies watch EileMonty's panel

Sunday is the shorter of the two UK PonyCon days, with no evening programme, and it also tends to have a more laid-back feel as most people have done the shopping they most wanted to do. Indeed, for the first hour or so I mostly just hung around with friends and chatted. At 10:30, I had a choice: StormBlaze's art panel, the mouthful of "10 Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Collecting MLP" or EileMonty's panel. They all looked interesting, but I plumped for the last.

Perhaps surprisingly given her outstanding performance on stage the previous night, EileMonty didn't spend the whole time fielding compliments! Instead, she gave some insights into the routine of a voice actor/singer, with some handy tips (drink lots of water!), some interesting info (did you know she's a Beano VA?) and some fun impressions too. The room was still rather too hot, so I was glad I'd taken in a bottle of water, having finally discovered a couple of unsignposted vending machines on the lower-ground floor.

The Griffish Isles flag is auctioned

I'd originally planned to stay in the same room for "MLP The Movie: Its Place in Literary History", but the heat was just too much. I did catch some of the panel, presented by a Dutch(?) person whose name I still don't know (put your name in your con book blurb, people!), but the layout of the cinema room made it easy to duck in and out without causing a disturbance so I also got in a little extra shopping and discovered a couple of new names. Also drank more water and totally forgot to look for a Sky Skimmer...

With the queues at the café again beyond what I considered sensible, I confined myself to a drink and a vending-machine chocolate bar for lunch. Then it was time for the day's big set piece: the Grand Charity Auction for long-time UKPC beneficiary the RDA. Last year's £260 top bid was comprehensively eclipsed by the £440 for a WeLoveFine flocked Derpy figure and many other lots went for plenty. The final total was a con record £4,674! We also got to see Midnight Dynasty presenting in a potato costume, though sadly this wasn't auctioned...

We all sang as "Crystal Princess", which was a cute touch

We were starting to sense by now that the end was nigh, though none of us wanted it to be (even if our wallets did!), which said something. While some did some last-minute shopping as many vendors cut prices, the rest of us headed to the karaoke room. This time I wasn't going to mess around with obscurities. What's the one song that's both well known and fits a multi-gen con? Right: "Call Upon the Sea Ponies". Suffice to say I made a much better job of this one than I had with the previous day's song!

I hung around there for a couple of hours – missing Mad Munchkin's panel, but I'd attended one of hers at a previous UKPC. Instead, I ended up meeting Alex and Kieran, people I'd only previously talked to online, so yay for that. I sang once more, making a decent go of "Flawless", which seemed to enjoy considerable popularity this year. No complaints from me there! In fact, the members of Team Custard are as we speak hard at work (*cough*) on a UKPC18-specific parody version ("We're Small Horses") which will make sense to about 12 people in the world. :P

An exciting alternative to pony stacking: Polo Pony!

The pre-closing ceremony singalong was introduced by accident in 2016 when technical hitches delayed things, but it's now an established and popular event. A couple of beachballs were chucked into the crowd for us to have fun with, though at one point things apparently got a bit too fun, with one ball going up over a side balcony, and we got a gentle telling off. We enjoyed singing lots of the classics, though I was mildly annoyed when my out-and-out favourite EqG song, "Shine Like Rainbows", was cut off halfway in favour of something bouncier. I mean, come on: "Together we stand / As the rain begins to fall" would have been perfect for Sunday's weather!

And then it was time for the end. Closing ceremonies are never exactly fun, though it was nice to be able to thank those who worked so hard to make UK PonyCon 2018 the roaring success it was. There were the usual prize awards and draw results, and as usual my raffle tickets won nothing at all. UKPC being what it is, we won't know for many months where the 2019 iteration will be held – if it's not tempting fate to assume there will be one! – not least because the committee need a darn good rest. So, reluctantly, it was time to leave.

Go home, Fluttershy, you're drunk

Once outside, Griffin and Oilyvalves (who knew Nottingham better than most of us) suggested Team Custard headed up to the Gooseberry Bush for a post-con meal. This was yet another Wetherspoons, but it did what was required in giving us plenty of food and space to have a nice chat. Far better than simply going back to a cold, empty hotel room! Sadly there wasn't space for a tabletop plushie parade (a happy memory of UKPC 2015) but after my oddly-named Ultimate Burger I did, finally, succumb to the temptation of custard with my apple crumble.

Somewhere around 9:30, Hawthorn and I bade our farewells and started back to the Travelodge. On foot; we didn't bother with a tram as it was dry by now, though there was time for one last look at the building that had until a scant few hours before been full of ponies and pony things and hundreds of happy, silly pony people. I still had my con badge around my neck, where it had hung since I got out of the shower that morning, and there was a real pang when I finally took it off after reaching my room. It was, sadly, nearly time to go home.

The ponies admire the glory that is custard

Next time: One Last 'Spoons