This review is a bit of a mixed bag because I spent the weekend (31 Jan.–2 Feb. 2025) wavering between feeling sick and being mostly okay, which definitely influenced my overall experience.

First, let me start with some context: I have a rule about not attending events when I’m sick, but since I was well enough to work and thought I was mostly over it by the start of the convention, I decided to stick to my commitment and show up for the six presentations I was scheduled to deliver at this convention. (Quick update here—I only made it to four of them because of other issues I’ll explain here.)

Second, I want to add that I am biased towards this convention. As a convention, it holds a special place in my heart since it was one of the first conventions to accept so many of my panels and the first convention I attended in South Carolina after my mom moved there. Since my first attendance in 2023 until now in 2025, it’s grown significantly, which I love to see.

That said, while I have a lot of positive feelings for this convention and plan to attend again, I have to be honest about its downsides, both as an attendee and a presenter. This con isn’t necessarily for everyone and to explain, let’s break it down into parts.

Size and Scale + Food Options

The food situation left much to be desired. Personally, I stuck to french fries and iced tea (my appetite was minimal thanks to being under the weather), but my coworkers, who came to support me, shared some horror stories about their experiences purchasing from the same location.

The egg rolls were a greasy nightmare, dripping oil down their arms, and the sushi bowl (technically a poké bowl) was reportedly smothered in mayo—an unappetizing choice for many. Overall, the food seemed to be a consistent miss for most people who ate at the convention with the exception of the Dippin’ Dots and drinks.

On the bright side, the café and snack bar were open during the entirety of the con, including late into the night. While the food was greasy, I didn’t hear of anyone getting food poisoning, so that’s a plus, I guess? Still, it was said that leaving the convention and driving to local fast-food places was better for the overall taste than eating convention food this time around. Though, personally, I thought the fries were great and had no issues.

Health and Safety Policy

Unfortunately, I contributed to the infamous “con crud” this year, and I feel bad about it. I mean, again, I was largely over my illness at the time (though I’m sure I didn’t look like it) but I think it would have been nice to have some masks available and warnings around even now. There didn’t seem to be any standout health policies in place, which is something the con might want to revisit moving forward, like having masks available. However, there were safety policies with people checking at the entrances for people’s lanyards and bracelet passes as well as spacious walkways which allowed my roommate, who was in a wheelchair this weekend, to comfortably travel the space.

Vendor Hall / Artist Alley / Panel Rooms

The Vendor Hall shared the same space as the panel area due to the lack of dedicated rooms. This was far from ideal and meant that panelists like myself were fighting against sound from panels being held to either side and behind them. At one time, my panel “room”‘s microphone was turned off and despite calling for tech support there was no one to help. So, for the first 10-ish minutes of my presentations, I was yelling at the top of my cough-damaged voice trying to compete with maid cafe music, the panel next to me separated by a curtain, and the main stage starting up an event behind me. It was brutal. Thankfully, my coworker appeared and figured out how to get the microphone back on, which saved me a little, but not enough to make the panel run smoothly.

The panels should have been, in my opinion, placed closer to the entrance with the main stage and maid café remaining where they were at or vice versa. This would have allowed less sound competition and given attendees the chance to hear the panels.

As a good note, I did notice that the layout had increased in size compared to 2023. Artist Alley was mixed in with the Vendor Hall, which was fine overall and made sense given the small size of the convention. I found a few nice items (some keychains and art pieces), but I was surprised by the lack of familiar faces among the artists and vendors considering how many conventions I’ve been to recently around the south and since I’ve started to recognize people at some of these shows. Not sure what that means, but since we received notice so late about getting panels in, I assume that this was true for sellers too, which may have prevented some people from coming. That is just a theory though; I’m really not sure.

Cosplay Area / Entertainment Hall

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a dedicated cosplay area or entertainment hall. There were a few cosplay wall art backdrops for photos, but that was about it from what I could see.

Entertainment – Presenter Experience

This was horrible. There were no dedicated panel rooms as I mentioned, no projectors, and we were notified less than two weeks before the convention which panels had been accepted.

I managed to bring a TV monitor from home along with an HDMI cable, which helped a little, but it wasn’t enough to save the experience. On the bright side, the convention center did offer free Wi-Fi, which was a small win. Still, overall horrible. Because of the overwhelming sounds, I have been having trouble hearing in the week following the event, not to mention losing my voice entirely for about two days. I literally had to withdraw my last two panels because I could not talk after Saturday’s experience without a working microphone.

Final Judgments

Venue: 5/5 – The venue was excellent—close enough to drive to, spacious enough to accommodate the event, with plenty of parking and reasonable pricing for the area.

Staff: 4.5/5 – The staff were friendly and helpful, which added a lot to the experience. However, I have to dock a small amount due to planning and logistical issues that made it difficult to prepare properly for the convention.

Organization, Layout & Management: 2/5 – While the venue itself was large enough, the layout left much to be desired. Sound and logistical issues were a huge problem I’ve mentioned several times already, which hampered the overall experience. That said, I appreciated the convention’s hours, the food availability, and the thoughtful placement of tables to allow for wheelchair access. Unfortunately, those positives couldn’t outweigh the organizational challenges.

Attendance: 3/5 – There was a decent turnout, but attendance seemed inconsistent. Many people stayed for only a few hours before leaving from what I saw, which made the event feel less lively over time.

Affordability: 3.5/5 – The convention was reasonably affordable overall, which is a definite plus. However, the food prices felt steep—drinks were $7, and food often cost double that. Given the size and scale of the event, these prices seemed excessive, though they might be justified by the café’s extended hours.

Overall: 3.6/5 – While this convention has a special place in my heart and I plan to return, it’s not a convention I’d recommend for everyone. If you’re okay with a smaller-scale event that still has room for improvement, you might enjoy it. However, if you’re looking for polished logistics and panel offerings, you may want to look elsewhere.

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Copyedited by: Krow Smith | @coffeewithkrow and Katherine Cañeba | @kcserinlee