Sci-Fi on the Rock is a growing local convention

With nerd-culture going more mainstream, cosplay is becoming more accessible.

Mahalia J. Ardis
Kicker News

Care Pike’s jean jacket, decorated with pins of all colours and designs, is draped across a table at the Memorial University food court.

There are pins for Scooby-Doo, Kirby, Link from The Legend of Zelda and so many more. To Pike, being a nerd is a big part of her life.

Pike is a dedicated veteran of fantasy conventions such as Sci-Fi on the Rock. This upcoming weekend will be her tenth anniversary of cosplaying at the annual St. John’s convention.

Cosplay is an activity and performing art where the participants dress up to represent a specific character – typically one well-known within nerd or pop-culture.

Pike has a few different costumes that she rotates in and out of her repertoire, but she says that Harley-Quinn from DC Comics is one of her favourites.

“I have been cosplaying Harley Quinn . . . and Ramona Flowers (from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) the most often lately because where I am most often at the table with 709 Roller Derby, I like to wear costumes that makes sense on (roller) skates.”

Pike says that conventions such as Sci-Fi on the Rock are important to nerds because it gives them a great sense of community.

“Having watched Sci-Fi on the Rock, specifically, grow to what it is now is really cool.”

Starting in 2007, Sci-fi on the Rock has grown out of its original location at the Holiday Inn on Portugal Cove Road. Its current location is at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown St. John’s, on Cavendish Square, and Pike believes that the convention is currently almost at the maximum limit for that hotel as well.

With the first convention being held in 2007, the Sci-fi on the Rock board credits its growth to the support of their fans and community.

Galina Sherren is a first time cosplayer at this year’s convention. As a big fan of The Last of Us and The Walking Dead, Sherren’s costume this year is another iconic undead character – Beetlejuice.

Sherren also believes the convention is a great community event.

“It brings a lot of out-of-province vendors and artists,” Sherren said, “so I think it gives the province some good exposure.

“I think it’s really important to strengthen community ties and rely on each other.”

Cosplay becoming more accessible

As a practiced cosplayer, Pike says that she really likes how in the more recent years, cosplay has become more accessible.

“It used to be, you had to make every piece of your costume.”

“(Now) you can go to Party City and get a pretty decent costume of just about anything.”

Pike thinks that nerd-culture is slowly going more mainstream, and that is the reason behind the better accessibility of cosplay costumes.

“It’s really cool to see a 12-year-old who’s clearly hobbled together a costume, so excited going through the con, with a very confused parent following behind going, ‘What’s happening?’ It’s really cool to give that space to people.”

“Cosplay isn’t about getting recognized, but when someone goes, ‘Oh man! I love your costume,’ and they mean, ‘Hey, I see you, I know what you’re doing; I know the reference,’ it means a lot more than, ‘Hey, you look cool.”