Guide to Tampa Bay Comic Convention: actors in town, what to bring, when to go

The Tampa Bay Comic Convention of fans busts into the area with a swirl of colors, costumes and celebrities Friday through Sunday at the Tampa Convention Center. And no, don’t call it “comic con.” They were sued by San Diego over the name.

The event was canceled in 2020 during the pandemic and limped into 2021 with mask warnings. But all of that is in the wayback machine this year, when organizers expect some 50,000 people to converge on the convention to get photos with celebrities, autographs with authors, merch, nerdy panels and prize money for their cosplay.

The convention, which started in 2010, is on track to be on par with prepandemic attendance numbers, said Dan Farr, the event producer.

The celebration is a warm community of like-minded lovers of pop culture, featuring a vintage market, engaging panel discussions and some of the best cosplay ever seen. This is in addition to this year’s new feature, a big Blockbuster Experience that transports fans back to the heyday of video rentals.

The exhibit will include a collection of 10,000 DVDs and VHS tapes “available for rent forever,” along with iconic movie props and a special guest: Sandi Harding, the Oregon manager of the last remaining Blockbuster store and a key figure in the popular documentary “The Last Blockbuster.” She will greet fans of the final Blockbuster on Earth.

Farr, whose company acquired the Tampa convention in 2021, said they have upped the celebrity quotient considerably in the past few years. This year brings Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis, who will do a “Lord of the Rings” panel, as well as “Star Wars” legends Billy Dee Williams and Hayden Christensen and “Battlestar Galactica” stars Mary McDonnell and Edward James Olmos.

Farr said his years of celebrity wrangling have been enlightening: “They realize who is really the boss, and it’s the fans.”

One of Farr’s fondest memories was a Salt Lake City convention in which actor Jeremy Renner, of “The Avengers” movies and “Mayor of Kingstown,” had been contacted by a fan on social media who said they had a very sick daughter who was a fan.

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“He reached out to them, and we closed off a room and he spent 15 minutes with that family and when he came out, he had tears in his eyes,” Farr said. “He even kept in touch. Their daughter passed away not too long after that but he helped them have some support and some comfort through what was probably the worst experience of their life.”

“Before I got into this business I had no idea of the connection that existed there between the fans and these artists,” Farr said. “Fans tell them how they were going through a dark time and their characters helped pull them through. I didn’t realize the emotional end of this equation.”

Highlights of the Tampa Bay Comic Convention schedule

Friday

4:30 p.m. Priscilla Presley, Room 103

5 p.m. “Battlestar Galactica” celebrity panel with Mary McDonnell and Edward James Olmos, Ballroom D

Saturday

12:30 p.m. Billy Dee Williams, Ballroom D

4:40 p.m. “Lord of the Rings” celebrity panel with Andy Serkis and Elijah Wood, Ballroom D

Sunday

1:30 p.m. “Walking Dead” celebrity panel with Ross Marquand and Chandler Riggs, Ballroom D

2:30 p.m. “Star Trek” panel with Denise Crosby and John DeLancie, Ballroom D

What to know before you go

Cosplay contest: 3-4 p.m. Saturday in Ballroom D with $5,000 in prize money. Some of the top prize-winning cosplayers are expected to show off their creations.

Beard Competition: 5 p.m. Saturday in Room 24: Show off your luxurious beard. Compete in categories that include “just the stache,” “best partial beard,” “best styled beard” and “grizzliest beard.”

Human-Size Chess: Put yourself in the game (literally) and play chess as either a player or a pawn in this life-size battle. The game will be hosted by YouTuber FanboyHex, and prizes will be awarded. Games are at 3:30 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. Saturday and 10:30 a.m. Sunday in Room 24.

Gaming: Gaming enthusiasts will also find their haven at Anime St. Pete, with a free gaming area and a Street Fighter 6 Tournament featuring prizes. The event’s entertainment quotient is elevated with four engaging contests boasting a combined prize pool of $1,500.

Tips for attending the convention

Download the app: The convention’s daily schedule of events is available for smartphones, with a reminder feature for events of interest. Find it at tampabaycomicconvention.com/app.

Arrive early: There tends to be a long line that snakes out to the street on a blistering summer day. Bring a fan and hydrate.

Download tickets: When you buy your tickets in advance you still have to get in a line, but that line moves much faster. Order tickets at tampabaycomicconvention.com.

Bring cash: Some autographs and photo ops are cash only. But there will be multiple ATMs on site.

Parking: See tampagov.net/parking for parking locations and maps. Come very, very early if you want a spot in the convention center’s parking garage.

Tickets: They range from $35 for a day pass to $299 for a three-day VIP pass. It costs extra to buy a photo opportunity or an autograph from one of the celebrities. Autographs run $25 to $100, cash only, and photos range from $40 to $250 and must be purchased in advance. Children younger than 10 get in free with the purchase of an adult pass.

Location: Tampa Convention Center, 333 S. Franklin St.

Hours: 11 a.m-10 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday