The first official Outlander Creation Ent con will take place this weekend. For those going to an Outlander convention for the very first time, here are five top tips to make the most of it.
Las Vegas will see Outlander fans gathering this weekend for the first official Creation Ent event. Hundreds of fans will descend and that means there will be hundreds in the hall. If this is your first Outlander convention, you’ll need to make sure you’re ready to make the most of it.
While I haven’t been to a solely Outlander con, I have been to a few multi-fandom conventions. The tips are pretty much the same, due to the long hours on the shop floor, the waiting in line (especially for the photo ops and autographs), and the intense schedule. Here are my top five tips to get through your first Outlander convention.
5. Go in flat (or at least comfortable) shoes
My biggest tip has to be to make sure you have comfortable shoes. Even if you’re going dressed up as a character, you’ll need to make sure the shoes are the comfiest ever. Don’t choose this weekend as your time to try out the new five-inch heels!
You’ll do a hell of a lot of walking around at a convention. The last thing you want is to deal with blisters on your first day or get to the end of the week and realize your feet just won’t let you do anymore. Put your focus on the event and not on how your feet feel.
4. Make sure you have layers
Like your shoes, your clothing choices need to be thought ahead of time. You may want to go in costume and that’s awesome. There will be plenty of others there in various costumes, whether they’re going with a significant other as Claire and Jamie, dressing up as the evil Geillis Duncan, or even donning the fake hand to be the lovable Fergus.
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Whatever you decide to wear (and there’s nothing wrong with not going in costume, either), make sure you wear layers. You want to be able to add a long-sleeved top for the rooms that are air conditioned and cool. The shop floor is going to get extremely hot, so you need to be able to reduce to comfortable clothing levels.
3. Fill your water bottles up
While there will be places to buy food and drink while there, think about taking your own water bottle. There should be water fountains to allow you to fill up at various points. As mentioned, the shop floor is going to get hot. Plus, you’re walking around for hours on end, so you will need more water than you normally would.
The biggest mistake at your first Outlander convention is not to drink enough water. You’ll end up with a horrible headache and not be able to enjoy everything as much as you should. Some will even decide to skip some of the events they’ve been waiting the most for because of dehydration.
2. Plan your schedule ahead of time
Whenever I go to a convention, I will always check the schedule of events. This is often released a week or two before the event, but it may also only be available a few days before. The schedule for the Las Vegas Outlander convention is likely already available. This is the chance to look it over and plan out the events you want to go to.
Don’t feel pressured to go to every single panel. If something doesn’t quite take your fancy, you can skip it and shop around on the floor instead; check out the vendors and enjoy a bite to eat. Planning out your schedule is a good way to make sure you get to everything you want, including panels, photo ops, and autographs.
1. Go in with a budget
One of the hardest things for many attending their first convention is spending money. You need to set a budget and take steps to stick to it. Whether you have a budget for the whole weekend or you just set a daily budget is up to you, but make sure it’s there. Overspending is extremely easy at any convention, especially your first one.
Include your photo ops, autographs, purchases, and extra events within your budget. It will come to a point where you have to pick and choose between items. This is where it gets hard, but remember this is just your first Outlander convention. There are many more to come in the future! You don’t need everything right now.
Next: All Outlander conventions you need to know about in 2018
Are you ready for your first Outlander convention? Are you going to the Las Vegas con this weekend? Share in the comments below.
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