HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — Love to dress up like Princess Leia? Or Aquaman? Or maybe one of those dragons on “Game of Thrones”?
Cosplay your way of having fun?
There’ll be plenty of action September 20 -22 when Spa-Con Infinity — Eighth Edition — takes over the Hot Springs Convention Center for a full weekend of entertainment.
Spa-Con is Hot Springs’ pop culture and comics convention, and cosplay is the practice of dressing up as a character from a movie, book or video game. This year there will be a kids cosplay showcase, a cosplay contest, an evening of dance fun at Cosplay Club and demonstrations for fans. There’ll also be cosplay guests in some of the most elaborate costumes found anywhere.
“This year’s cosplay guests are so incredibly talented, and Spa-Con is so thrilled they will be joining us,” Visit Hot Springs Special Events Manager Alexis Hampo said. “I’m so excited to have new and returning cosplayers this year. Akakioga hasn’t been to Spa-Con since 2019, so it will be great to have her back in Hot Springs.
“Steven K. Smith, also known as SKS Props, is so talented and has made a huge impact in cosplay craftsmanship with his EVA foam product made specifically for cosplaying. I think our attendees will really enjoy his demonstration Saturday morning, September 21.
“Casey Renee, like a lot of our previous cosplay guests, has written a book specifically about building cosplays. It’s always so excited to bring in true professionals to Spa-Con. Casey Renee, Akakioga and Eric Woods will be judging our Cosplay Contest Sponsored by Hot Springs Beauty College on Saturday.”
Judging for the cosplay contest will begin at 4 p.m. winners will be announced at Cosplay Club in Horner Hall at 8 p.m. Cosplay Club opens at 7 p.m.
Previously announced attractions for this year’s Spa-Con include internationally known nerdcore rapper MC Lars, who will open things with a concert Friday night, September 20. The concert, to be held in the Convention Center’s Horner Hall, is free with the purchase of Spa-Con VIP passes or weekend passes. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the concert begins at 7. Seth Gilliam, best known for his role as Father Gabriel Stokes in the “Walking Dead” TV series, also will be on hand, along with
two iconic vehicles with connections to famed movie franchises — “Back to the Future” and “The Fast and the Furious.”
Weekend passes and VIP passes are available now at www.spa-con.org.
The Kids Cosplay Showcase at 10 a.m. Saturday is an opportunity for all kids in cosplay to get on stage and show off their cosplays to family, friends and Spa-Con’s cosplay guests. It’s not a contest, but instead a celebration of all the kids’ cosplay. Admission is included with a Spa-Con Weekend or VIP Pass.
Saturday evening’s Cosplay Club in Horner Hall is the only cosplay dance party in Hot Springs. Admission is included with a Spa-Con Weekend or VIP Pass, and winners of the cosplay contest will be announced.
Cosplay demonstrations include Distressing Foam to Look Like Bone by SKS Props at 11 a.m. Saturday; Cosplay 101 with Akakioga at 2 p.m., and Introductions to Embellishments with Casey Renee Cosplay at 11 a.m. Sunday.
This year’s cosplay guests will be:
- SKS Props — Steven K. Smith is a husband, father and multi-award-winning professional fabricator from St. Louis. He has made a name for himself in the Cosplay community by not only creating extremely detailed builds based off of popular video games and pop culture media, but also by then freely sharing the tips and techniques used in the construction process. He developed a line of high density EVA foam products specifically designed for prop and costume fabrication.
- Casey Renee — An award-winning cosplayer focused on education, craftsmanship, and sewing. She has written a book, Cosplay Foundations, and loves sharing her experience with others and helping the cosplay community learn new things and celebrate each other’s cosplay construction journey.
- Akakioga — Akakioga Cosplay is an internationally recognized cosplayer, anime, video game, and comics lover. She specializes in craftsmanship with an emphasis on needlework and foamsmithing. Being a Black cosplayer within the community, Aka advocates for people of color in the cosplay world.
- Eric Woods — Last year’s Cosplay Contest winner is an Arkansan, father of a 1-year-old, and has been making cosplays since he was 14. He has learned skills from paint foam to 3D printing and leathercraft. His favorite part of cosplay is weathering, making a cosplay look like it’s been worn and used.
For more information call Alexis Hampo at 501-321-2027.