TriCon review!
NOTE: This is a guest post from one of my friends who attended TriCon last year. The convention is happening again this year, so if you’re interested in attending, read this review!
For all the hype you hear about the biggest comic conventions in Canada (click here to see the list of the largest comic cons in Canada by the way), let’s not forget about the smaller, local conventions. There is always something magical about going to a convention with very little attendees and only having to walk around a few different rooms in a smaller building. I don’t know what it is; there’s a nice charm to it.
Fortunately, small conventions like this are still around. One of those is TriCon, a unique convention that combines different fandoms together.
In this post, we will cover our TriCon review and everything you need to know about this convention in Kitchener, Ontario. We’ll go over what you should expect, the activities that we got to do and more. Overall, TriCon is an excellent fan convention worth attending. It’s not a gigantic comic con, so you shouldn’t expect that. But it makes for a great day trip outside of Toronto and a fun way to spend a cold weekend indoors.
Alright, let’s get into it.
What is TriCon?
TriCon is your typical geeky fan event. If you’ve been to larger comic conventions like Fan Expo in Toronto, then you probably know what to expect. However, TriCon is smaller of course.
The event takes place in Kitchener, Ontario. For those who don’t live in Canada or even Ontario, Kitchener is a small city about 1-2 hours way from Toronto. Being located outside of the big city, you can expect small town vibes with this convention. However, it’s very easy to reach Kitchener by car or public transit.
For example, you can take GO Transit from Union Station in Toronto. You take the GO Bus to Bramalea GO Station inBrampton, then transfer to a GO Bus to Waterloo University. It’s about a 10-15 minute walk from the GO station in Kitchener to the convention venue!
Speaking of venues, TriCon takes place in a really cool venue called The Museum. It’s an art and interactive museum. If you take a look at the photos here, you can see that the building is really cool and awesome. The Museum is a wonderful spot for a fan convention to take place, and TriCon is an example of that.
Things to know
The basics: Like many comic cons, TriCon is not 24-hours like an Anime convention would be. The event takes place during the day between 10AM-5PM on both the Saturday and Sunday. As mentioned, the convention focuses on sci-fi, anime, cosplay, interactive experiences and all things nerdy!
Ticket Costs: $25/day or $40/ weekend.
Hotel: Although TriCon is a day event, perhaps you’re thinking of staying in Kitchener for the whole weekend. There are two nearby hotels. The Walper is right across the street and more costly. Meanwhile, the Crowne Plaza is about a 5-minute walk from the convention. The prices around $150-$225/night.
Parking: There is plenty of parking available but being in downtown Kitchener, it will be paid parking. Some parking is available behind the museum, but costs are not listed.
Coat check: There was a free unattended coat check which had racks with hangers. There were also small lockers for $1.
Weapons Check: I was with someone who had a prop. When they asked the front desk, they seemed slightly perplexed, as there wasn’t anything formally set-up/rules – but the employee just did a quick examination.
Food & Drink: There was a bar upstairs, with some alcohol and light snacks (chips/chocolate). Luckily you’re in Downtown Kitchener and have access to many food options within a few minutes walk. You can leave and re-enter the venue. There’s a Tim Hortons coffee shop if you want quick and cheap. I personally enjoy Darlise Cafe, but they’re only open from 8 am – 2pm. I also tried the Galito’s Flame Grilled Chicken and enjoyed. There are various other food options nearby such as Thai & Mexican.
Vendors: It was a small venue, but vendors were set-up on the first floor and third floor. There were probably a dozen at most, with most being on the first floor. Shout out to the Crochet vendor I found, who made a custom Cosmo & Wanda from Fairly Oddparents and significantly improved my cosplay @thievesbazaar. There was also a tattoo bus set-up out front.
Cosplay Photoshoot Opportunities: There are a number of cosplay photoshoot opportunities at TriCon. They have various optical illusion paintings. Many were sea themed and included things such as pirate ships, sharks and alligators.
Programming: There were some workshops in a lower level classroom, and events happening on the main 3rd floor stage, such as Cosplay contest and medieval fight demo (it was really cool, but safely didn’t take any photos). There was a Degrassi movie screening in the cinema after the doors closed.I got to see a cosplay contest with various groups, based on age. I also saw a medieval fighting demonstration.
Pros
- Affordable ticket prices
- Not as crowded as other conventions
- Drinks and snacks available inside the venue for a reasonable price
- Can re-enter and exit as needed
- Weapons check is quickly done upon entry
- The Museum is a unique venue for a convention
Cons
- Only runs from the day between 10 am – 5 pm
- May not be a ton to see/explore
- Venue is a bit small
Overall
TriCon felt a little bit smaller than I may have liked, but this is not bad for a local convention. It’s great if you either got some free time on a weekend, if you live nearby (I’d probably say local, 45 mins drive or less, between Kitchener/Waterloo, to Guelph/Hamilton area) or if you’re looking for something to do that’s cheap and in a smaller and more intimate setting. TriCon has a relaxed atmosphere where it would be great to catch up with friends there, while wandering the museum and appreciating other cosplays.
If you’re a local who wants to casually enjoy some cosplay without being overwhelmed by large crowds, this may be for you.
We hope you enjoyed this TriCon review! If you have any questions or feedback, leave them in the comments below!
