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GrandeCon (photo courtesy of Wonderland and Odyssey House Women's Shelter)
By Liam Verster
Comic Convention in Grande Prairie

GrandeCon is being planned for the summer to benefit Odyssey House

Feb 19, 2021 | 2:07 PM

Plans are in the works to hold a massive comic convention in Grande Prairie that will benefit the Odyssey House Women’s Shelter.

Details are still being discussed, but Odyssey House and Wonderland have partnered together to hold a three-day convention called GrandeCon at Revolution Place sometime in the summer.

The idea to hold GrandeCon came after the Board of Directors at Odyssey House was brainstorming big events like concerts and business partnerships to raise money for the shelter.

Makayla Marcotte, the Communications Director for Odyssey House, says the board settled on the idea of a comic convention, which she thinks is be a great idea, as the comic book and fandom ideology align strongly with those of Odyssey House.

“They really focus on the positive and they’re very inclusive of everyone in their ‘geek community’ as they call it. They really focus on overcoming adversity and helping others within their comic book narratives and their storylines,” says Marcotte

This idea led to the partnership with Wonderland Owner Vincent Joyall, who has experience in holding conventions. He says there is a strong comic community in Grande Prairie, and there is a need and want to hold this event.

He also echoes the sentiment that working with Odyssey House is a fitting partnership for such an event.

“Ultimately we realized that Grande Prairie has the capacity, the facility, and we have every single element we need, especially when you look at the foundation of Odyssey House’s Board (of Directors). They’re incredibly reliable, they’re very dedicated, and they actually emulate a lot of the characteristics that I know and love in my comics. They truly are heroes in the most humble way, because they are helping the community be safer. It’s pretty remarkable,” says Joyall.

The current plan for GrandeCon would see vendors and exhibits, games and tournaments, celebrity guests, cosplay, and more.

Joyall also has connected with Norm Coyne, who founded the Northern FanCon, which has been a staple event in Prince George since 2015 and has drawn some big guests like Kevin Smith, William Shatner, Karl Urban, Sean Astin, Trica Helfer, and others in the past.

Though they are planning for a massive event, Marcotte says they will adjust the scale and scope of GrandeCon depending on the COVID-19 situation at the time of the event.

“We are a women’s shelter, we literally work to create safer spaces. We believe everybody has the right to live with dignity and respect, and so at the end of the day, it will come down to how many people we can have in a room, and whatever regulations we have to follow and whatever work we’re going to have to do to make sure that it’s safe. Because everybody’s safety always comes first for us, that’s the big thing,” says Marcotte.

The details are still being finalized, as is the deal with the City to rent out the arena for three days to hold the event, but Marcotte is confident they can make it work. She adds that Coyne moved his convention to a virtual platform last year, so they have someone on the team who can help them pivot to an online format if necessary.

The event will act as a fundraiser for Odyssey House, and after covering the costs of running the event, the profits going to support the shelter’s operations.

Along with raising money, Marcotte says this will be a great opportunity to raise awareness of domestic abuse and prevention resources available to people.

“I personally am always looking to open doors and have conversations about prevention and gender-based violence, and dating violence and stuff in non-traditional settings, like settings where it would be a little bit more unusual for me to speak. And this geek community that Vince has allowed me to join is very welcoming to us having those conversations because they’re already having conversations about lots of other things. They’re an inclusive safe space and they’re just very welcoming,” says Marcotte.

Joyall adds that usually during these types of events, people are usually just focused on enjoying the festivities, but GrandeCon will provide that opportunity while also fulfilling a greater mission.

“Everything we buy; every time we share a post or a link; every single ticket we buy for a friend or VIP pass we buy for a loved one, we’re giving back to Odyssey House. It’s mind-blowing how in unison the three parties that are putting this event on are, and how the vision is unified. This is going to be a weekend to remember,” says Joyall.

Joyall adds GrandeCon will hopefully lay the groundwork to have more comic conventions in Grande Prairie in the years to come.

Tickets for GrandeCon will be available once all the details are set, including dates, capacity, and specific vendors and celebrity figures who will participate in the event. More information will be made available through GrandeCons’ Facebook page.

by Liam Verster