Welcome to Dorkaholics.com’s Dork-On-Dork, where we talk with fellow dorks about their interests and get to know more from their perspective. This week, we have gaming marketing specialist Kitty Mach speaking about her experiences at Anime Expo and San Diego Comic-Con this year, as well as conventions in general.
How long have you been going to conventions like Anime Expo and San Diego Comic Con?
I’ve been attending San Diego Comic Con for about 9 years or so now. Anime Expo for about 5-6 years. It’s hard to keep track of them all! I used to attend when I was in high school for fun, but started working at the events when I was in college.
What’s been a memorable moment from each this year?
Honestly I been going to so many cons back to back that they all seem to blend together. I would say the best thing about going to cons is seeing friends and interacting with the community.
Do you usually go as an attendee or exhibitor/industry professional/etc.?
I usually either attend now as an exhibitor or industry professional.
If you had to choose to go to only one more convention, which one would it be and why?
I would probably have to say PAX Prime, which happens to be the next one I will be going to! I love the PAX community, they are absolutely fantastic. PAX events are great because they have a little of everything and is a consumer tradeshow. It really is a great place for fans of all things gaming, geeky and cosplay. There are tons of places for you to sit down and play tabletop games or meet other gamers. It’s a very welcoming place for cosplayers and there are tons of things to see.
Any advice for first-time attendees?
Wear comfortable shoes if possible haha. I honestly feel like it’s hard to ever see everything at cons. The best thing about cons is meeting people who share the same passion for a fandom as you. It’s great to have a schedule of everything you want to see and plan ahead, but part of the fun at cons is discovering something you may not have seen before. You may discover a new game/show that you end up falling in love with, so to keep an open mind and not to get upset if you don’t see everything you marked down on your calendar.
