Roller Con: A Night of Cosplay and Skating Fun
Characters ranging from Princess Leia and the Mandalorian from the Star Wars universe, to fairies with delicate wings and classic examples of Japanese anime weaved, spun, danced, and skated around the Iron Trail Motors Event Center in Virginia, Friday night for Roller Con. Roller Con is an event sponsored by Range Fan Con, Revive Virginia, ITMAC, and Rolling Skate Rentals, LLC.
According to Stephanie Wichlacz and Liz Bloch with Range Fan Con, Friday evening’s event was one of several smaller, local events the group is hosting this year. The group is taking a year off from their annual three-day Fan Con convention, which has been held for the past three summers.
Range Fan Con is keeping the fun alive with several monthly “nerd” and cosplay events, including Nerd Networking night, where people come together to play games, share cosplay ideas, and meet people who share similar interests, as well as Nerd Jeopardy, which they recently held at the Minnesota Discovery Center.
Roller Con was an idea to give cosplay fans of any level a chance to show off their work and enjoy a night of roller skating. Cosplayers of any level were welcome, from people just wanting to try out store-bought Halloween costumes to serious players, some of whom devote hundreds of hours to developing their cosplay persona. While costumes were encouraged, the event was also open to people who just enjoy the sport of roller skating.
Range Fan Con, according to Ceaser Ortego, is an open and welcoming community where people are encouraged to bring in new ideas and to develop their own interests in the cosplay world.
Rolling Skate Rentals LLC is a Hibbing-based company formed to introduce roller skating to a new generation. They strive to offer community enrichment on wheels by working with community organizations, recreation programs, nonprofits, schools, and community education groups throughout the Northeastern Minnesota region. They have helped host events in school gyms, recreation centers, fitness centers, and sports arenas like the Iron Trail Motors Event Center and the Hibbing Memorial Building. Rolling Skate Rentals LLC spends the winter months holding events at the Cotton Community Center.
Friday night’s event concluded with costume prize judging, games, and the promise of more fun to come. To learn about upcoming events, organizers recommend that those interested check out their Range Fan Con and Range Fan Con Community Facebook pages.
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