Category Archives: Events

01.21.16
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LANtasy Wants the Fun in Fandom to Return in Victoria, BC!

Lantasy_Logo_white_h100pxMarch 12-13, 2016
Pearkes Arena, Victoria BC

Tickets: $30 weekend pass
or $15 per day.

LANtasy‘s motto is “Play Games, Have Fun” at their upcoming event taking place March 12th and 13th. For the fandom living in Victoria, BC, hopefully everyone can put the incidents of 2015 behind them. The final quarter of that year was less than positive: GottaCon (GC) announced they were closing their doors and Island Fantasy Convention did not happen. The reaction by the community was not kind with how the latter event was handled. However, with a new year Tsukino-Con remains strong and the technical crew behind GC decided to continue the legacy the broad-spectrum gaming event represented.

Jeff Pedlow is one of the department heads. He says this show will exist to bring people together and his group really loves the gaming community that exists here. Despite the name, they are not playing favourites over what kind of activities are being offered at this show. Yes, there will be a heavy Local Area Network (LAN) gaming presence, but there is more to the show than just that — board gaming, miniature gaming and RPGs are offered. People will be encouraged to come in costume (cosplay). Essentially, this event will be just like GottaCon in their early days. In what’s for certain, Pedlow says that his group does not take any money from the event and their goal is to throw community-centric gaming events for everyone living on the island. As their Facebook page shows, there are qualifying events taking place in and out of the Capitol Region that will lead up to the finals at LANtasy.

“If we grow in size, that’s always great, but our primary concern is throwing fun events for the community to come out and enjoy,” said Pedlow.

Even though this event is two months away, perhaps fandom should start planning. In addition to their FAQ about this event, Otakunoculture talked to Jeff about other lingering queries:

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10.28.15
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IFCon to Arrange Refunds over Cancellation

ifcon-preview-unicorn-logoIt’s been roughly 24 hours after the official cancellation of Victoria’s Island Fantasy Convention (IFCon) and already the con’s spokesperson Ken Twyman is moving forward with plans to refund ticket sales. After IFCon’s founder Bill Code was admitted to hospital a week earlier, he is still in intensive care. Unable to carry on, the con’s committee cancelled the event days before the convention was to take place. Today Ken Twyman posted on IFCon Victoria’s Facebook page the following statement:

“This specific post is about the following issues:

Lyle’s Place
They will issue a refund to those that have purchased a ticket (s) from them. I would assume your receipt of purchase would be required to make this a stress free refund. They are happy to accommodate you.

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10.28.15
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IFCon Victoria Cancelled, Founder Hospitalised

Originally published on Otaku no Culture

IFCon Preview - Unicorn logoIFCon Victoria which was to be held at the G. R. Pearkes Recreation Centre over the Halloween weekend has been cancelled. An announcement was made today on IFCon’s Facebook page by Bob Lynn, a long-time friend of executive convention producer Bill Code:

“My name is Bob Lynn – I have been a friend of Bill Code for 27 years and I have been asked to post this notice and the following information.

For the past 16 months, Bill has dedicated all his time, effort, energy and every cent he has earned into this project to the tune of over $ 84,000.00.

Last Sunday, Bill collapsed on the floor and had to be rushed to the hospital and admitted to Emergency. Today, he has been transferred to intensive care and will be taken into surgery later today. He is fighting for his life.

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10.24.15
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In Saanich for Evil Acres — Take 2015

1607035_386482928176879_630313543971803379_nfrom 7 to 11pm daily
continues to Oct 31st
10375 Wilson Rd.
North Saanich, B.C.

In the month of October, some residents of Victoria, BC make a ritual out of going to Evil Acres, a haunted attraction located near Victoria Airport. Part of the joy is in entering the Slaughter House. This spooky abode has changed from what I remember last year. There’s a room that is truly dark, and you have to feel around to find the way out. There’s no joy in going through this home alone (although you’ll get the best experience out of the ‘solitude’ of the situation; some of the best horror stories involve divide and conquer) and I had to wait until two buddies of mine had time so we can go to this spookfest together.

I’m rarely disappointed, even though my stoicness is tough to break. When my writing partner James Shaw is tough to entertain in a concert, I’m harder to freak out when it comes to these walk-through tours. Yes, I can be startled but to get that creeped out feeling, it better be 100% real. That’s just one of the many reasons why I became a paranormal investigator. Although I know most ghosts can not harm you, the feelings you get when something happens and your logical mind can’t figure out, the spine-chilling feeling will just not go away!

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10.23.15
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Building Heart in Kaleidoscope Theatre’s 2015 Fundraiser: A Little Shop of Horrors

Tickets can be bought at the McPherson Theatre Playhouse (3 Centennial Square, Victoria, BC) at the box office or online.

Showtimes:
OCT 30, 8PM
OCT 31, 8PM
NOV 1, 2PM

Kaleidoscope Theatre‘s Halloween spectacular is not just taking place in the support of bringing youth to the arts. It’s also a major fundraiser for the theatre company to keep their programs running year-round. Artistic Director Roderick Glanville leads this year’s production of Little Shop of Horrors and he recounts his youth as one of simply finding the right place to belong when the academic side of the education system didn’t quite hold his interest very well. Fortune would find him discovering theatre at the suggestion of his teacher and he loved it.

“From that point on, throughout my whole schooling. I was involved in every theatre program, did every single show (all the way through middle school and high school), excelled in all communications and theatre and formed my own,” said Roderick.

Frequent attendees of this autumn-centric show will find familiar names in this production. This director knows that he should not stress them out since they are volunteering their time to put on a Halloween treat for the theatre-loving community of Victoria, BC. He likes to see performers come back and not feel burnt out because of how stressful last year’s event went. The point is to have fun, and it’s shown in The Addams Family Musical and Rocky Horror, which played in the past two years.

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10.22.15
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How to Plan for the Next Nightmare at the Royal BC Museum

nightshift-sep2015-event-banner

Although the Royal BC Museum‘s evening party for this upcoming All Hallow’s Eve is sold out, people interested in this festival will no doubt have to plan far in advance for next year’s Nightmare at the Museum. Interest for this event has been very heavy, and Kim Gough, one of the staff’s event coordinators, reveals that the goal of expanding interest in this archive’s collections in a fun evening event is achieved.

“The best connection that was there for this time of the year seemed to be about the Victorian period’s fixation on dying [in reference to our first event],” said Gough, “Fixation may not be the right word but it was certainly an important part of that culture.”

In previous events, the gallery held a faux Victorian style séance. That was led by actors and they were probably more in line with the Victorian séances that were conducted at the time. There were probably more people out to make some money. While Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, wanted to believe, Harry Houdini was out to disprove the impossible. This escape artist believed any competent magician can muster the illusion. These two frequently clashed over what is truly paranormal.

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