That would be Bexi, events staff at UK PonyCONLINE. And yes, it means exactly what it sounds like. She bought a costume and dressed up as bread for the Sunday opening ceremony. Conventions, eh? Anyway, this was a huge success, and the nearest thing in feel to an in-person convention I've experienced out of any of the online cons I've attended this year – and those run into double figures.
Admittedly UK PonyCon in all its forms is very special to me, not least because of the friendship associated with it, so I am biased. But nevertheless it was a wonderful weekend all round. The RDA charity fund-raising has reached £1,197 and so has beaten the first UKPCO's total from June, with more income to be added from various merch sales and the like.
And some of that merch income was from me! It was made clear in the closing ceremony that UK PonyCon will return next year, which is excellent to hear. Whether it's the hoped-for in-person event in May or another online con isn't something we'll know for sure for a few months yet, but either way I hope to be there again. Having this one over the tenth anniversary of FiM made it special, too.
This is where the magic happens, after all.
One of the all time great titles, there.
ReplyDeleteI still don't really get the core concept of the online con (the only one I've really felt like I was attending was the one in Second Life, which required me to reactivate an account I hadn't logged into for over 16 (sic) years), but then I don't have any real life experiences to compare - and you seem to have had a lot of fun at this one in particular, so yay!
It was entirely irresistible!
DeleteI still don't really get the core concept of the online con
I don't think I did until this one, not really. This time I had two Discord chats open: the small one for those of us who attend the Worcester meets (present tense, as we're only on a break!) and the big multi-channel one organised by the con itself. Being able to pop in and out between the two was a fine thing and really added to the atmosphere. :)
While many people I met at UKPC are on my Facebook friends list, I don't really have much to say. An online con, like an in-person con, helps to give you a topic, to get people together who wouldn't normally have anything to talk to each other about.
DeleteIf anything, being online works better for panels as you can discuss what is being talked about with other people without disrupting everyone else.
I particularly struggle to hear panel speakers at real-life conventions, so the online con has a huge advantage there.
I mean its not the same, half the fun of UKPC is seeing people, especially kids, running around in cosplay and just generally having fun, but its better than I expected. Its the first time I've really felt cheerful since the pandemic started.
"This is where the magic lives..."
ReplyDeleteThis was the first online convention that really worked for me and that I really felt a part of, and I think a large part of that was how many familiar names I recognised across the weekend. I felt a connection to people there. Which is, y'know, magic.
And magic is friendship. Hmm, that line might need a little work. ;)
Delete