If nerd heaven was a place, it would be Kami-con. Win tickets on Bham Now’s Instagram and see for yourself.

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Wait—let me explain, Kami-con fans or curious onlookers. My home includes a Dungeons and Dragons DM and Magic and Pokemon players. We love dragon stories, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings. So in my world, the term “nerd” is affectionate. I like this definition from Steve Kamb of Nerd Fitness: “Nerds: people who follow hobbies and pursuits outside of the mainstream.”

Get thee to Kami-con 2019

So believe me when I tell you—if you’ve been on a quest to find nerd heaven, you’re gonna want to clear the weekend of February 22-24 to go to Kami-con 2019.

Imagine a fabulous costume party. Now add in a weekend music festival. Plus a touch of that Summer camp feel. Got it? Now you’re starting to get the idea . . . Put all that together with anime, manga, fantasy and sci-fi, and you get an even clearer picture.

It’s the kind of place where you get to dress up (if you want) like your favorite character, make new BFFs who love the same things you do, play a lot (video games, anyone? dodgeball?), dance (assuming that sounds fun), and generally have an unforgettable weekend.

Plus, past participants rave about the warm, friendly, and inclusive atmosphere that embraces them—whether they’re deeply into any or all of those things or not.

Yes, young teens can go. And yes, grownups are welcome, too. There’s truly something for everyone at Kami-con 2.

Here’s a sneak peek, thanks to Akioboy, from a past Kami-con:

Doesn’t it look like So. Much. Fun? If you’re in, go ahead and get your tickets. Look for the big red “Get Tickets” button right in the middle of the page.

Okay I’m sold—who are some of special guests at Kami-con 2019?

Kami-con features an impressive lineup of no less than thirty special guests throughout the weekend. They range from YouTube performers to rock stars to comedians to Alabama’s own James Spann and Alexander Shunnarah.

Here are three of the big names:

• Grammy Award Winning artist Estelle, whose voice a lot of people will recognize from “American Boy” with Kanye West. Kami-con-goers, though, will know her for her role as Garnet in the show Steven Universe.
• Jeremy Shada is the voice of Finn the Human—the main character in one of Cartoon Network’s most successful shows Adventure Time. He also played Lance, a main character on the Netflix original series Voltron: Legendary Defender.
• Legendary Disney animator Tad Stones, who started his career in 1974. He’s the creator of Darkwing Duck, Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers, Aladdin Return of Jafar, The Aladdin Television Series, and Disney’s Hercules: The Animated Series.

There is such a star-studded lineup of folks who are famous for fan favorite roles in television, movies, and of course animation.

Wanna go? Go ahead and get those tickets.

All that and Alexander Shunnarah’s going to be at Kami-con 2019?

I was curious about the connection, too. Is the ubiquitous Alexander Shunnarah secretly a gamer? Or who knows, maybe into cosplay so he can go out in public without being recognized sometimes?

Nope, turns out the story is more straightforward. Convention chairman Raymond Lenzner explained:

“Alexander Shunnarah is a meme for Alabama. Someone came up with a random idea at a meeting. ‘What if Alexander Shunnarah came to Kami-Con. It would be hilarious and everyone would love it.’”

So they reached out to see if he wanted to host a panel and sign autographs, and Shunnarrah loved the idea. Said Lenzner:

“When we announced him online, we were immediately hit with 60,000 views on his announcement alone. When he entered the building with his family, all the kids cheered. They go to his panel in large numbers, and go to his autograph signing booth in large numbers. This will be his 3rd year attending. He says he loves how nice all the attendees are, and he’s surprised by how much they all love him.”

What can I do if I’m feeling introverted at Kami-con?

We’re glad you asked. Kami-con 2019 has Japanese arcades and a massive vendors room selling products—particularly things from Japan—that you won’t find easily in local stores. They have artists selling all kinds of unique pieces, including prints, figures, clothes, plush, handcrafts, pixel art and more. You could spend ages just trawling for treasures . . .

And then when I’m ready to party at Kami-con 2019?

Finally, there are concerts and live shows that’ll blow the audience away. Whether you’re into music like Kazha from Japan, DJ shows, or comedy, you’re sure to find something that you love.

While Kami-con is fun, it’s fun to the nth power with others. So please, get your tickets, then share this article invite your friends and family to chome with you. Together, you’ll have a weekend to remember.

You can win tickets to Kami-con 2019 2on Bham Now’s Instagram.

From Friday, February 15 to Saturday, February 16 at midnight, we’re hosting an Instagram giveaway. We’ll pick the winner on Monday morning, February 18. Hop over to Instagram and find us @Bham Now. Like and tag a friend to enter.