Indiana Comic Convention returns to Indy

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An annual celebration of all things pop culture is back in downtown Indianapolis this weekend. The Indiana Comic Convention opened Friday afternoon.

Among the legendary actors scheduled to make appearances are William Shatner and Ernie Hudson.

Lots of franchises will be represented at the Indiana Convention Center this weekend, from “Star Trek” and “Ghostbusters” to “Star Wars,” DC Comics, and 90s sitcoms.

Convention organizers say there will be more than 700 vendors and 500 panels for the three-day event.

Chris Provost is the emcee for some of those panels. He says he looks forward to the cosplay every year.

“[People] put thousands and thousands of hours in these costumes, and they’re huge and massive,” Provost said. “They have a massive contest. It is one of the largest cosplay contests in the country. It’s so big here. Indiana loves it, and we’d love to be a part of that.”

Along with the panels, vendors, and contests, there’s a unique experience in the convention hall that pays homage to a former staple of the film industry.

One of the 20 activities — the convention calls them “Xperiences” — is a replica of a Blockbuster store. Attendees will be transported back to the days when VHS was king, complete with the smell of popcorn and the sounds of arcade games. They’ll also get a chance to buy old movies.

Show organizer Chelsie Stoker says the traveling Blockbuster experience is run by the general manager of the last standing Blockbuster store in Bend, Oregon.

“This was extra special, especially because that’s where my journey began, renting those movies — Mary-Kate and Ashley and all those fun movies — growing up,” Stoker said. “This one, you can go back in time, show your kids.”

On Friday, local drag queens Lola Palooza and Ilana A La Mode are hosting a special Dungeons & Dragons-themed show called Dragons, Dice and Divas.

“It’s one of those things where everybody wants to be included,” Palooza said. “That’s what we are. We are inclusion in itself. In a space like this, where so many people from so many different walks of life come together, it’s really nice that there can be a whole barrage of entertainment that they can enjoy.”

The Indiana Comic Convention will also see hundreds of vendors lined up to sell art, merch and more throughout the weekend.

Tickets to the convention and for meet-and-greets are still available here.