Sierra Nevada Anime Fans Unite will be sharing their love for Japanese animation at this special upcoming convention at the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks Oct. 7-9. Originally founded by the Anime and Manga Society of UNR, the major anime club soon created Shadows, the first convention in this area for anime aficionados.
Now in its seventh year, anywhere from 1500-2500 people attend SNAFU Con which features 55 continuous hours of panels, workshops, contests, and entertainment. Although most of the attendees are from the region, people have come from as far away as England to check out this special event. SNAFU Media Relations Manager T. Costa says the rooms at the Nugget are considerably more affordable and easily accessible to the convention.
“I like seeing people make new friends or freak out when they meet someone who is into something that they didn’t think anyone else liked,” says Costa about her favorite part of the convention. “This is a place where you can bring out your inner nerd and feel safe,” she added. “I like seeing people smile.”
Throughout the convention SNAFU-goers can take a tour through the Artist Alley, featuring over 40 different artists selling handcrafted and unique pieces, visit the vendor row, or participate in the swap meet to trade out anime-related toys and collections. However, Costa says the real value is in the programming offered.
She says that workshops will be held on creative/fiction writing and figure drawing, all free to attendees. The 2016 SNAFU Con will host special guests such as Warky T. Chocobo, Darealwordsound, cosplay team Prop Shop, and voice actors including Aaron Roberts, Danielle McRae, and Alejandro Saab.
Although the convention is all ages, programming is formatted to a “PG-13” audience. It is recommended that attendees under 18 have a chaperone with them and for those 13 and under a chaperone is required. This 24-hour convention is packed with activities, but alcohol or any kind of inebriation is not allowed; SNAFU strives to maintain a safe place where all geeks can come out and play.
So what can attendees find at SNAFU Con late night? Costa says that although the programming shifts to more adult-oriented activities, there is 24-hour tabletop, computer, console, and arcade gaming available along with an all-ages rave, screenings of anime shows, contests, and cosplay contests.
Cosplay is a huge part of SNAFU Con as people of all ages get to dress up as their favorite characters and compete for prizes. At SNAFU Con 2015, Costa said that when she was judging the masquerade, a couple dressed up as Anna and Kristoff from the movie “Frozen”.
“They hand-embroidered every single bit of their costumes; it was so intricately detailed,” says Costa. She added that another contestant spent 80 hours on dragon-scaled body armor and one person entered as fantasy favorite Vincent Valentine, complete with a remote-control claw. She said that people of all ages love to take pictures with their favorite characters and kids especially get excited.
SNAFU Con will feature six cosplay meetups, one that is free to enter. This year’s theme is “Suits” in which congoers are encourage to dress in any kind of suit (except a birthday suit) including spacesuits, fur suits, mechanical, formal, etc. Any type of suit is welcome as long as it adheres to the dress code.
There is a $40 entry fee to attend SNAFU Con for the whole weekend or $20 for a day pass, badges can be purchased at the door. SNAFU Con will also be hosting a “Day Zero” pre-con on Thursday, Oct. 6 which is open to the public and free to attend. From 6pm to midnight people can enjoy open-mic karaoke, a cosplay meetup, and cruise the swap meet.
“The goal is for everyone to have fun,” says Costa. To learn more about the Oct. 7-9 SNAFU Con, visit www.snafucon.com.
Paul Brown says
Yes, but that website is clearly not “”legal.”” I’m not saying that you’re wrong for watching things there (that’s your decision), but the premise of the article is pointing out “”official”” sites, which this Anilinkz.com clearly is not.