Culture
Ratha Con 2022 welcomes back pop culture enthusiasts of all varieties April 9
By: Emily Votaw
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Athens’ own pop culture convention, Ratha Con, returns after a two-year hiatus Saturday, April 9. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Athens Community Center.
Ratha Con 2022 features many of the same activities and events attendees to the convention have enjoyed in the past. These include cosplay opportunities for pop culture enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels, vendors and artists selling everything from rare comic books to Pokémon jewelry; table top gaming; special guests DC and Marvel artist Sandy Plunkett, award-winning cosplayers Mpoppins and Kim is Possible; and more.
Ratha Con Event Coordinator and President Alyse Carter Schultz said the lack of events like Ratha Con over the past several years due to the COVID-19 pandemic proved difficult for convention-goers.
“The nature of conventions is to go to socialize and meet new people, so I think that getting back to that is just very wonderful in itself because we’ve missed that kind of thing,” said Carter Schultz.
While many conventions focus solely on one interest subculture, such as gaming or anime, Carter Schultz said Ratha Con strives to include a diverse array of fandoms.
“We definitely call ourselves a pop culture convention on purpose. We wanna be a little bit of everything because we really want anyone to be able to come and hang out. We have a lot of people that are really into cosplay that come to Ratha Con. We have people that are buying and selling comic books. We have collectible toy vendors, it’s just like a little bit of everything there,” she said.
Carter Schultz emphasized that the event is not just for hardcore comic book collectors or those who have dedicated their lives to the art of cosplay. She said fostering a spirit of inclusivity when it comes to fandoms associated with “nerd” culture is important.
“So I think the thing with introverts and maybe nerds in general — and of course I always say ‘nerds’ in a loving way — is that we have a lot of trouble either socializing or maybe feeling comfortable geeking out about stuff with people because we are afraid of being called weird or a loser or something like that. But that’s just not the case — you’re allowed to be excited about, well, whatever geeky thing you wanna be excited about,” Carter Schultz said. “You’re never gonna be made fun of no matter what when you come to Ratha Con because we’re all about inclusivity and making people feel comfortable. And so if you have any fears about someone judging you for something that you’re into — one of these geeky pop culture things — you don’t have to worry about that. In fact, you’ll probably find somebody else at Ratha Con who’s also into that thing.”
Ratha Con 2022 will take place Saturday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Athens Community Center. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for Kids 11-17, $8 for college students with valid student ID, and free for kids under 11 with paid adult. Limited VIP tickets including gifts from the convention will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Find more information on Ratha Con at therathacon.com.