Phillip’s Guide to Phoenix Comicon

I decided to try something new last summer: attend the annual Phoenix Comicon (PHXCC). I would like to invite you to experience it briefly with me today.

You may think, “I don’t like comic books or super heroes or science fiction, what’s in it for me?”

If there’s a theme to the Phoenix Comicon, it is that “everyone’s a geek, celebrate it!”

What is PHXCC?

Phoenix Comicon started in 2002 with several hundred attendees as a way for comic book fans to gather in the Phoenix area to meet artists, buy and sell comic books, and have an excuse to dress up as their favorite comic book characters. Makes sense – “comicon” is short for comic convention!

But comic conventions have evolved beyond a focus on comic books to all things pop culture: science fiction, fantasy, horror, video games, board games, card games, anime, toys, filmmaking, etc. Even NASA has been coming for years to showcase their work and allow the public to interact with their newest projects.

From its humble beginning of 400 attendees at a Best Western in Ahwatukee, it has exploded into one of the largest conventions in the country – last year’s attendance topped 77,000!

The event is held during Memorial Day weekend in May at the Phoenix Convention Center.

They have 4 days’ worth of programming that includes panels and events. Don’t think of this as a serious trade convention but rather a celebration!

What to do?

Panels

Panels vary widely in topics and format. Here’s a sampling of some of the panels from last year:

Spirituality in Comics – comic artists discuss spirituality and religious imagery in comics.
Meet a Scientist – scientists from a variety of fields answer audience questions.
Justice League Arizona – hear how a team of adults from all walks of life construct their own costumes of Batman, Superman, the Flash, etc. and dress up as their characters at charitable events. Did you know that if you have Batman or Wonder Woman ask a group to donate to your charity, people get way more excited to give?!

There are special panels (spotlights) with celebrity guests in the larger convention rooms that include a Q&A. Last year, some of the actors you could see were Cary Elwes (Wesley from the Princess Bride), Richard Dean Anderson (MacGyver!), and Nathan Fillion (from Castle and Firefly).

My favorite panel was the Phoenix Ultimate Geek Smackdown (PUGS). In the format of a game show, volunteer contestants get to debate such important topics as “Who was the most helpful Redheaded Doctor: Dr. Beverly Crusher from Star Trek or Dr. Zoidberg from Futurama?”

It is the audience who gets to judge the winner of each debate until the ultimate geek is crowned!

Exhibition Hall

When you’re between panels, most people spend time in the exhibition hall which takes up the exhibition floor of the Phoenix Convention Center. This space is the size of several football fields and it’s a place where you can go to buy pop culture inspired artwork, meet artists, buy unique gifts and see displays, like an entire city built out of LEGO, including replicas of buildings in the Phoenix area brought in by local LEGO building club Cactus Brick.

You could also spend time in a Star Wars village to meet R2-D2, Chewbacca, or share a drink with aliens at the Mos Eisley cantina.

You could easily spend hours perusing the tables here, but try to get out – there are more things to see!

Parties/misc.

There are also many other activities:

If zombies are your thing, you can dress up like a zombie and do the zombie walk through downtown Phoenix.
Don’t forget the parties: there’s the Geek Prom, the Peter Pan Pirate Pool Party, and all kinds of other after-hours activities.
There are also film festivals, roller derby competitions, and car displays outside (including the A-team van, Back to the Future DeLorean, Ghostbusters’ car).

What to expect

While there are many programmed activities, there’s much to expect that is not on the program.

1. First and foremost, expect to get overwhelmed! There are lots of events and activities going on at any one time!

My word of advice here is to go online and view the events of the weekend or pick up the PHXCC programming guide as soon as you can. Thumbing through this can help you make sense of everything.

2. Next, there will be lots of people in costume! People spend many hours putting together costumes for this event. Some you’ll recognize: Star Wars characters, the Terminator, comic book characters, etc. Some you won’t: I later learned one of my coworkers went to PHXCC dressed as a character from an anime show I had never heard of.

It is in the costumes where passion is most obvious.

You’ll see some pretty awesome costumes, and people love being recognized for their work. Just remember, if you’re going to take a picture of someone in costume, make sure and ask for permission.

3. Lastly you can expect to encounter people with passions for a wide variety of things – including some you didn’t even know existed!

A Place for All People of Passion

For me, going to PHXCC taught me about celebrating life and embracing who you are as a geek, a person with passions. I think I learned this best from a couple of kids.

We ran into a spunky 7-year-old girl equipped with a pink Disney princess backpack, a red lightsaber, and a big smile. Her wheelchair was outfitted to looked like an Imperial TIE fighter from the Star Wars movies! Her friend had a wheelchair made to look like the Millennium Falcon.

Everybody loved it, and the kids loved being the center of so much positive attention. For the three days of Phoenix Comicon, these kids weren’t simply scooting through life in a wheelchair, but flying through the stars.

So whether you’re young or old, wheelchair bound or not, a Star Wars fan or a Star Trek fan, at PHXCC, you can celebrate that we’re all people of passion!

We are what we love; we’re all geeks!

– More info –

Registration is open for the next Phoenix Comicon May 28-31, 2015.
Phoenix Comicon for newbies
Cosplay tips
Our take on Phoenix Comicon’s new event: Fan Fest
All our Phoenix Comicon posts

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Thank you to Phoenix Comicon for providing media passes!

January 19, 2015September 24, 2019

Sleeping and eating near University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ

While I’m working on wrapping up my post about Phoenix Comicon Fan Fest, here’s a prequel of sorts with our experience eating, staying, and hanging out in Glendale, Arizona near University of Phoenix Stadium – where a certain high profile football game will be played in a couple weeks.

(More of my top picks on my December in Glendale post.)

Staying

The IHG folks were nice enough to put us up at Staybridge Suites Phoenix-Glendale, so we could check it out and be super close to the event. I arrived before Phillip and texted to tell him we should just move in there. Our one-bedroom suite felt like a little apartment with a living room, well-equipped kitchen, bedroom (with a door separating it from the living space), and bathroom.

Living Space

Side note: Why does it seem like most couples consist of a morning person and a night person? Phillip and I both started out as stay-up-late people, but he’s evolved into this setting-the-alarm-even-on-the-weekend guy who says things like “I’ll just get up and finish this before work.” It’s so baffling it must be a law of nature. Anyway.

The point is that if you’re traveling with someone who wants to stay up making popcorn and watching movies or whatever, and you’re ready to call it a night, you can just shut bedroom the door and hit the lights. Or, if you’re me, you can make yourself some dinner, plop down on the couch, get totally immersed in a National Geographic Channel show about the Bermuda Triangle, and then get sleepy and finish watching it on the second (!) flatscreen tv in the bedroom. The wild life of a geek.

Also like an apartment, it’s largely self-service. Housekeeping does not come every day – unless you request it. Unlike most self-service stays, however, you can help yourself to a breakfast buffet in the mornings. So it’s kinda the best of both worlds.

Kitchen

Speaking of eating, having a kitchen in the room gives you so many more food and beverage options. This isn’t some minifridge-and-coffeemaker-tucked-into-a-closet “kitchenette” either, it’s a full kitchen. Yes, there’s a coffeemaker. There’s also a grownup-size refrigerator (with an ice maker), sink, 2-burner stove, microwave, dishwasher, and cabinets stocked with dishes, cookware, and utensils. You’re all set for chopping, mixing, sautéing, warming things up, and keeping things cool.

Location and Cabela’s

It took me 25 or 30 minutes to walk from Staybridge Suites to the stadium. It’s even closer to shopping at Tanger Outlets and Westgate Entertainment District. And directly across the street is the outdoor/hunting/fishing gear store Cabela’s.

That’s not really my scene, but we stopped in to check it out anyway. Somewhere in between whispering at Whisper Scarves and wondering at an animatronic talking deer head (why?!), we found the indoor archery range and a sales associate with a crazy fish cap and green-painted face and hands (in puzzling homage to the Grinch).

Quick backstory: Long before we met, Phillip and I had both tried archery (him at 4H, me at Girl Scout camp), both enjoyed it, and both hadn’t picked it back up since we were teenagers.

Fast forward back to Fish Hat Grinch Man: he got us set up with the waivers we needed to sign and patiently demonstrated how to use the recursive bow. I took a few shots, each farther from the target than the last, and then took a (totally undeserved) Katniss Everdeen bow at the end.

Eating

University of Phoenix Stadium has some basic hamburger/hot dog/soft pretzel type concessions, and a couple food trucks were parked outside during Fan Fest. There are tons of restaurant options at Westgate and Tanger Outlets, as well as in downtown Glendale (about 10 minutes’ drive). We did a mix of our eating out and in, starting the day with Staybridge’s hot breakfast buffet.

Fired Pie at Tanger Outlets

Fired Pie is one of the few locally-based options in the area surrounding the stadium. We expected a sit-down restaurant, but it’s actually more fast casual. Think Chipotle for pizza, and you’re on the right track.

They have a great selection of quality ingredients for toppings like kalamata olives, fresh mozzarella, and grilled chicken. You can order from the menu or customize your individual pizza or salad as much as you’d like. You can choose your pizza’s sauce, cheese, veggies, and/or meat. They wood fire it and have it ready for you in just a few minutes. We enjoyed it so much we’ve already been back – to the Chandler location.

Food trucks

Of course, the Burgers Amore truck isn’t always parked outside the stadium. However, they’re worth tracking down. They have delicious steak burgers and sweet potato fries.

Lenny’s

On the way home, we made an impromptu stop in downtown Glendale at Lenny’s Burger Shop to see if they had anything for a sweet tooth. Turns out they had chocolate peanut butter shakes. Um, yes, please. Great way to wrap up the weekend!

[UPDATE: That building is now Moe’s Burgers. I haven’t been there or to the other Lenny’s Burgers around the Valley.]

PS Did you spot Mr. Cheeseface?

Thank you to IHG / Staybridge Suites for providing our accommodations. Also, thanks to Fired Pie for our media discount.

December 11, 2014January 5, 2023

December in Glendale for Fan Fest Goers

This weekend (12/12-14) is the first-ever Phoenix Comicon Fan Fest. Besides being held during a much cooler time of year than the main all-pop-culture-encompassing Phoenix Comicon event, Fan Fest is smaller and focused on just 4 categories: comics, actors, costuming, and activities for kids.

Instead of taking place in central Phoenix, it’ll be at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, where the Arizona Cardinals play.

So what is there to do in Glendale?

My top picks: downtown Glendale

Here are a few Glendale things I’ve checked out that you might also enjoy – whether you’re going to Fan Fest or not. They’re in the historic downtown about 10 minutes by car from the stadium (near 58th and Glendale avenues – PDF walking tour map).

Glendale Glitters – Tons of holiday lights (“the largest free holiday light display in Arizona”), fair-type food booths (fried things, things on sticks, beer beer beer, etc.) live performances by local choirs and dance studios, and interesting people-/possible-wolf-watching.
Unique Local Shops – Drawn to Comics has comics and comic paraphernalia. Pink House boutique focuses on stylish, hard-to-find clothing and is open until 10pm this Friday and Saturday. There are also several antique and vintage shops and other quirky local stores, right across the street from the Glendale Glitters action.
Kimberly Ann’s Tea Room – For those into the high tea experience*, it’s lovely without being stuffy. When I went I last year with my mom and aunt, there was a long list of teas available, and we had all the tea sandwiches and sweets we could handle.

Cerreta Candy Company

Located near downtown, Cerreta Candy Company gives free tours Monday through Friday at 10am and 1pm. During the holidays, you can go in and decorate chocolate wreaths or trees for $10.

Walking distance from University of Phoenix Stadium

I was wondering what there would be to do right around the stadium, and here’s what I found.

Sports stuff

If you’re around there right now or will still be around next week, there are University of Phoenix Stadium tours today (12/11), as well as 12/18-20. Tickets are $9.
Fan Fest attendees headed to the 12/13 Arizona Coyotes game can get a discount. I’m not sure what the discount is. You might wanna check out regular tickets too.

Shopping

In case you somehow don’t get your fill of shopping at the Exhibitor Hall, there is a lot more around the Stadium.

Westgate Entertainment District – stores, a movie theater, and holiday events, including free Carriage rides.
Tanger Outlets – apparently, Tanger rhymes with “hanger.” (Who knew?!)
Cabela’s – outdoor store focused on hunting and fishing (but also carrying equipment for camping and other outdoor activities). It includes a restaurant, aquariums, and an indoor archery range – if wanted to channel your inner Green Arrow or Katniss Everdeen. Just remember you can’t bring any actual weapons back to the Con with you.

Food

I had trouble finding locally-based options in the area. Here’s what I hunted down:

At the Stadium

There are supposed to be food trucks at Fan Fest, but staff doesn’t have confirmation on which ones yet.
Regular stadium concessions by Rojo Hospitality Group will be open.

Westgate – 2 out of 3 of these are for frozen desserts. Because what’s more Phoenix than eating ice cream in December?!

Mama Gina’s Pizzeria
RazzleberrieZ Frozen Yogurt
Cold Stone Creamery – Now they’re everywhere, but the chain was actually founded in and is based in Arizona.

Tanger outlets

Fired Pie – I’m intrigued by this place and hoping to make it over there this weekend! You can either order from their menu or customize your own pizza or salad for one price. (It’s not extra for each topping.) They are sustainability conscious and use local, organic ingredients.

*At the main Phoenix Comicon event over the summer, I wandered into the wrong room at one point and a panel was discussing tea and tea-drinking rituals. A friend later said “Oh, they must be fans of [name of something I’d never heard of and immediately forgot].” Fan Fest has a tea battle on the schedule. What does that mean? I don’t know. All I know is that there is some kind of fancy-tea-drinking contingent within the Comicon community. So I put a tea house on the list.

September 10, 2014May 23, 2023

Ballet Under the Stars and the beauty of free culture

When people talk about free events, they tend to miss what really makes them great. The fact that no money is required for entry is nice. But what’s even better is the laidback feel, ability to be spontaneous, and sense of community that is more likely when there’s no price of admission.

Sure, I like dressing up and watching a performance in a reserved symphony hall seat once in awhile. But I also like taking in a ballet while sitting cross-legged with a cooler full of my favorite snacks and beverages at my side.

Free usually means not having to bother with tickets. You can decide to go or not go at the last minute if you need/want to. Free can bring typically inside events (Shakespeare) outside (…in the park). You can enjoy good weather AND enjoy the arts, instead of it being an either/or scenario.

Ballet Under the Stars

I love Ballet Arizona’s annual event, Ballet Under the Stars. I try to make it to the performance at Tempe Center for the Arts every September. By then, the evenings have usually cooled off, and it’s lovely to be out next to the lake, under the sky, instead of stuck inside hugging the air conditioning vents (which is basically what you do all summer in Phoenix.) You can spread a blanket out on the grass or bring folding chairs.

You see lots of people with kids, little girls wearing tutus and dancing along. But it’s not just for people with kids. You also see seniors and ASU students, and everyone in between. There’s always a huge turnout, and it seems to grow every year.

The program is usually a mix of the traditional ballet that most of us associate with the art form and more contemporary pieces, showcasing excerpts from upcoming performances. There is also a performance from kids in the community who have participated in the company’s Class Act program.

Picnic

Last year, I took the neighborhood shuttle over with a picnic and a blanket. I got there about 6:30, got a decent spot (6:00 would probably get you a super spot!), and watched the dancers warm up. Phillip took the light rail after work and found me just before the performance began.

For the main course of our picnic, Wildflower Bread Company’s Roasted Sweet Potato sandwich gave me idea for a veggie grilled cheese with sliced leftover sweet potatoes, onions, bell peppers and gouda cheese between two slices of bread toasted on the outside. I wrapped each sandwich in foil to keep them (mostly) warm until Phillip got there. They were just a little messy and some of the melted cheese wanted to stick to the foil, but it worked pretty well overall.

We munched, took in the performance, laid back, and looked at the stars. And that’s a wonderful way to experience the ballet.

What to know about Ballet Under the Stars:

There are performances all over the Phoenix area, September 18-27 at 7pm.
Admission is free, but you can make a donation to support Ballet Arizona online or at an event.
No photography is permitted during the event. (Post photos were taken before it.)
Bring something to sit on (blanket, lawn chair, etc.).
You don’t have to be silent, just don’t be annoying. Expect there to be general kid noise and people-coming-and-going noise. Whisper a comment to your friend if you want – just don’t talk over the whole performance.

Transportation/Parking for the Tempe Center for the Arts Performance

DO NOT plan to park at Tempe Center for the Arts unless your car has a disability plate or decal! Because Ballet Under the Stars is such a huge event, that night the entire lot is used for ADA parking. There’s always a long line of cars waiting to get in the lot and most of them are turned away. It causes a big traffic snarl.
~~Park at the U.S. Airways Garage at 111 W. Rio Salado Parkway (enter off of Ash Avenue). It’s free after 6 p.m., and it’s about a 1/2 mile walk.~~ [UPDATED parking info is on the TCA site.]
Or don’t park at all. TAC is about 3/4 mile from the Mill Avenue/Third Street light rail stop.

July 8, 2014July 5, 2022

Papago Park and Making Time to Celebrate

hole in the rock at Papago Park in Phoenix

The celebratory Nutella brownie bites I made last month for Craft Hack were actually part two of the Travelcraft-Journal-turns-one festivities.

On the actual day of the site’s anniversary, Phillip and I took a little break to commemorate it on our own. It had been a tough day, and he was swamped with finishing up school stuff. So we couldn’t do anything big, but he said “let’s do something.”

So we picked up donuts at our local Tempe favorite, Arizona Donut Co., and headed to Papago Park. (I’m back to eating gluten – at least temporarily, so I’m taking advantage of it. Carpe donut.)

There are some nice picnic areas just beyond the Phoenix Zoo parking lot with ramadas and grills, but we hardly ever see anyone there. It’s a short drive for us, and it’s a very peaceful spot.

It was windy enough that it took several tries to light the birthday candle we stuck in a chocolate coconut donut. The wind blew it out again a second later. Maybe it made a wish.

We enjoyed our donuts and then went down to the little lake to feed crackers to the ducks. There was one that had this super noisy way of paddling that made us laugh.

Our little break only lasted about an hour, but we were both so much happier and more relaxed when we came back.

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PS More info about Papago Park below. Also, Phillip took the donut shop sign pic. Gotta love the dizzying angle! :)

Things to know about Papago Park:

Papago Park is home to the Phoenix Zoo, Desert Botanical Gardens, rock formations (such as Hole-in-the-Rock, which you can see in the background of a photo above), picnic areas, and hiking trails. (There are also several other attractions in the area.)
The park encompasses an area that used to be a fish hatchery, which is why it includes several (manmade) lakes.
The city of Phoenix has a PDF map that shows some of the picnic tables, but there are more out there than the map shows.