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Penti-Con an important part of Penticton culture

Does your lifestyle fall a wee bit outside social norms? Are you fascinated with technology? Are your pastimes and hobbies a bit more intellectual than most? Chances are you're a nerd.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

And that's most definitely not a bad thing. Down at Penti-Con this weekend, even the nerds called themselves nerds. Today, it's a term of endearment, reclaimed by nerds for nerds and shared like a badge of honour.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

One thing is certain. During our time at Penti-Con Sunday afternoon, amongst all the cosplay and sci-fi and raw smarts that permeate the event, the sense of inclusivity that event co-founder Lily Wilson speaks of so often was flourishing.

In short, you'd have to look long and hard to find a group of people so willing to share their passions and engage you in conversation.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

We sat in at a 3D pen exhibition (we didn't even know 3D pens existed), a model-making tutorial, an impromptu birthday party for one of the vendors, and the closing ceremonies, and each time were made to feel right at home. It was a great crowd.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

Shyla Waid of Penticton, dressed as "Angel Dust" from the adult animated web series Hazbin Hotel, quite voluntarily posed for us in front of the convention's giant Stargate (courtesy of Kelowna's Empire Movie Props), and told us what Penti-Con meant to her.

"It means friends and fun. It's nerdy and I get a chance to show off what I can do as a person," she said earnestly. "It's a place of talent and workmanship, and it's just really interesting to be here and see a bunch of friends."

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who> Shyla Waid poses in front of a Stargate replica

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

Waid also got a chance to meet people she'd only known from the Internet. "I've seen so many people today from online. I've known some of these people for years, and it's just a really cool thing to see. Like, oh my god, there's a robot, and oh my god, there's that cat, or a spider, or whatever."

Waid got into costuming and cosplay some time ago, and says the "fun hobby" she discovered soon "snowballed into masks and painting and hot glue and everything."

She was thrilled and she was in her element, and she's precisely who Wilson had in mind when she helped devise Penti-Con four years ago.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

"Our vendors had a really good weekend," said Wilson as the event closed down early Sunday evening. "The atmosphere here was insane. It was really positive. And we have so many more people in costume this year. There were so many people jumping through the Stargate."

"And our guests who were here from Vancouver (such as cosplay cover group Boyish7) were shown an amazing time in Penticton. The restaurants they went to, the pubs, they had a blast. Penticton really shone this weekend."

Wilson summed up the weekend succinctly. "There are so many people in the community who don't always feel included. So this is home for them."

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>



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