Hi all,
This week’s update contains some very exciting news: our schedule is out! But before you start planning, we have a special guest to introduce you to. We have an emcee for the Cosplay Catwalk/Competition, and you’ll never guess who.
Our Cosplay Catwalk Emcee is…
Xiran Jay Zhao!
I’m a 20-something first-gen immigrant from small-town China who was raised by the Internet. I graduated from Vancouver’s Simon Fraser University with a biochemical disease research degree, but because I got dumped out at the height of the first COVID wave and couldn’t go hunting for jobs actually related to my studies, I wrote books and spewed my opinions about various media on the Internet instead, and now I’m a YouTuber and ?? #1 New York Times bestselling author ?? What even
The whole team is obsessed with their novels and has learned a lot from their videos on Chinese history. We are so thankful that they agreed to work with us—and that so many weird and wonderful people live in the GTA! Huge win for Canada.
DashCon 2 Panel Schedule!!
This isn’t the full Pocket Guide (that will be coming on June 20th). Both the map and schedule are subject to change up until the convention. It is very likely that some panels will shift to different rooms or different times. However, this tentative schedule is to give you a general idea of what panels are happening so you can plan ahead with friends 🙂
Panel Schedule:
Areas in yellow are not rented by DashCon 2 but are available to the public. Therefore it is likely that ordinary Japanese Canadians may come to use the library or observe the gallery. We ask that cosplay photography not be held in these areas and that all attendees are respectful of the space they are using.
Cosplay Competition Judges
We have a couple of our judges to introduce you to, both cosplay veterans.
Firstly, we have Dat Ashe Cosplay!
Photo by @radicalkev_photography
A Finnish-American cosplayer of almost 15 years, and a Tumblr user for around 13 years, Dat Ashe Cosplay (he/him) has both seen and partaken in… many things… holding knowledge blessed, cursed, blursed, and the like. Although, he is happy to be applying such knowledge to more than just his degree’s minor in Fandom, Cult Media and Subculture. A multi-award-winning cosplay crafter and performer, Ashe has been a cosplay and performance guest across multiple states in the US, even invited to perform internationally in Finland this year. He is especially excited to be bringing his expertise, and maybe a few Tumblr Sexymen in the process, to Canada for DashCon 2!
You may recognize him, as he will also be teaching some of you how to waltz later in the evening 🙂 You can check him out on Instagramand TikTok!
Secondly, we welcome CosPayton!
CosPayton is an award-winning cosplay patternmaker focusing on inclusivity, accessibility, and keeping the “play” in cosplay. Through their resources and tutorials, they’ve helped over 10,000 cosplayers create their dream costumes. Past guest spots include Fan Expo Canada, Anime Toronto, and BroadwayCon.
We’re thankful for the Ottawa representation. You can check them out on their website, Instagram, and TikTok!
DashCon 2’s team is partly united by a love of cosplay, and we all come to it with varying skill levels. One such member is our Intern, who will be easy to spot wandering around the convention hall cosplaying DashCon Jesus.
Cosplay Photoshoots Update
We’re so thankful for the enthusiam accorded to cosplay photoshoots! We have a short list of approved photoshoots for you to keep an eye out for. They will be included in the Pocket Guide when that comes out 🙂
Photoshoots will, as of now, be held in Heritage Garden. Be aware that the location and these times are subject to change:
DashCon 2 Or Bust! (DashCon 2 fan server) – 11:00 AM SuperWhoLock – 12:30 PM Homestuck – 4:00 PM Furby Photoshoot (BYOLF; Bring Your Own Long Furby) – 5:00 PM
We hope this provides you a little direction in planning your cosplays!
Once again, if you want to host one, all you need to do is email activities@dashcontwo.com with your name, fandom, and general time! We’ll help you coordinate a photoshoot spot.