Cardiff Comic Con: your guide to a great weekend

Cardiff Comic Convention is back this month, bringing with it cosplay, merchandise and special guests.
But there’s a lot going on over the weekend, and you wouldn’t want to miss out. Here’s your guide to everything comic con:
When: Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd March 2015, doors open 9am – 6pm both days.
How: Buy tickets online or buy on the door (be warned there’s usually a large queue).
Where: Motorpoint Arena, Mary Ann Street, CF10 2EQ

 
How do I get there: The arena is pretty close to Central train station so it is easy to walk to. There are also coaches which drop you off in the centre of the city, about a 15 minute walk. For those driving, there isn’t any free car parking available but there is a multi-story car park opposite the arena in the St David’s Centre, which has 24 hour parking. There are alternative car parks available but these can be pretty pricey, it might be an idea to park outside of the city centre and walk in.
Who is attending: Check out their website for a full list of guests but the highlights include Ray Park who played Darth Maul in the Star Wars prequel, Jack Donnelly who plays Jason in Atlantis, Daniel Portman who plays Pod in Game of Thrones and Camille Coduri who played Jackie Tyler in Doctor Who.

What you should check out: As well as grabbing photos and autographs with the guests there is also plenty of merchandise stalls to browse. For some competitive action check out the video game zone, which features classic games on consoles from the NES to the XBOX.
If you’re a fan of anime and manga then there are zones for each, with merchandise and artists to chat to.
There are also talks from some of the guests as well as from cosplayers and fellow fans with advice on costume making, discussions on issues within the fandom and more.
What the regulars say:

“My favourite thing about cons is the atmosphere, the cosplayers, the one off items you can’t get elsewhere. It’s all great! You develop a group of friends that are always happy to see you at the con and who you inevitably end up chatting to outside of that environment. We’re one big happy family” – Jed Evans, 23, from Essex

 
“I have been to Cardiff film and comic con every time it’s been on since they started it. I am the co-creator of Heroes of Geek Cosplay a group of four cosplayers that live in Wales. I have loved costuming for years and we used to go to events all the time dressed up. I am a guest at this year’s con and am doing a panel on “Am I too old to cosplay?” So I am looking forward to it all to be honest.” – Wayne Jones (AKA Vanic), 32, Cwmbran
Some top tips:
* It can get really warm inside, especially on the Saturday. Bring plenty of water to stay hydrated.
* Although there is a pay-to-use cash point on site and some stalls take card, it is always a good idea to bring cash to avoid long queues and fees.
* Cosplaying is awesome, but remember practicality is important in this con because it can get really busy. You may make an amazing Elsa but that train on your dress is going to be damaged or become annoying if people are stepping on it every 3 minutes.
*Chat to creators and artists, if they’re sitting at a stall doing their thing – go say hi! They’re always willing to chat if they have the time, and you may learn some new tricks or simply make a friend.
* Most importantly, enjoy. If it’s your first con then you may get frustrated at all of the queueing, but it’s perfectly normal. The organisers are used to shepherding fans around from one guest to the next so stay relaxed and listen to the volunteers and everything will be a-okay.