Q-Con: Belfast gaming, anime and cosplay convention returns

Stormtroopers assemble for the annual Q-Con at Queen's University Belfast

"This is our big, go-all-out, once-a-year kind of thing."

From furries to Furbies, Queen's University Belfast is awash with colour as thousands gather for its annual Q-Con.

The gaming, cosplay and anime convention, now in its 29th year, is one of the largest in Ireland.

Organisers are expecting 10,000 participants during the course of this weekend.

Thousands of people are attending the convention this weekend

"The event is what it says on the tin - it's games, it's anime, it's all sorts of nerd culture and fun," says Ben Harrison, one of the organisers from the university's Dragon Slayers anime and gaming society.

"We're aiming to be the biggest and the best in the UK."

He explains the convention can take up to 12 months to prepare and is a charitable, volunteer-run, non-profit event.

Competitive card games and cosplay attract crowds from across Northern Ireland

First held in 1994, Q-Con has grown to include dedicated areas for retail, trading, cosplay, retro and modern video gaming, collectible card gaming, board games and an artists' showcase.

"The university has always got this great support for student activities throughout its whole campus," says Ben.

"We're really, really privileged to have all these great venues to use - it lets us spread things out quite a bit. We've got 10, 15 different buildings we can use."

Artists and retailers are selling unique work and retro finds

Danielle Gray, from Belcoo in County Fermanagh, has been coming to Q-Con for the past decade but has only recently started cosplaying - dressing up as a character from a film, a book or a game.

"I'd seen people on Instagram and YouTube and things like that, making it, and then just during Covid it was something to do to keep me out of trouble, something to do after work," she says.

"I'd bought a few 3D printers over lockdown and it spiralled from there."

Danielle Gray made her costume using a 3D printer

Danielle is wearing the first costume she's ever made, and with the last-minute addition of an internal fan she's hoping to keep her cool over the course of the weekend.

"I enjoy it, it's nice to look at something you've made with your own hands at the end of it."

She says the convention "always has a great buzz about it" and is "amazing for meeting like-minded people".

"I'm meeting people who have been doing it a lot longer than I have and you get chatting to them - how they made this, how they made that - you learn so much... we don't get too many opportunities to do this."

Retro and modern video game areas are set up in the Students' Union building

Cameron Crawford, aged 22 from Kilcoo in County Down, had been planning his Thor outfit ever since attending his first Q-Con last year.

"I didn't really know what to expect but when we came down last year it was fantastic," he says.

"I loved being down here and being around everybody who's all dressed up as well, it makes you feel a bit welcome.

Cameron Crawford says he loves the "warm and inviting" atmosphere at Q-Con

"This is our big, go-all-out, once-a-year kind of thing - it just feels so warm and inviting.

"There's no shame on anyone, everyone just comes here dressed as whatever they want, everyone comes over and asks for photos."

"They say like: 'That looks really cool, that's very impressive' - you're made to feel welcome, which is fantastic."

Cameron explains that an additional draw of Q-Con is its central location with plenty of hotels and parking and a reasonable entry fee in comparison with other events across the UK and Ireland.

A "Furry" is someone who dresses up like an animal

Some attendees spend months planning and constructing their outlandish costumes

Nineteen-year-old Nik Lee, from Keady in County Armagh, has been cosplaying for seven years and has been coming to Q-Con since she was 14.

Her costume - Ahri, League of Legends champion - has also been planned long in advance.

She says there is a strong sense of community among attendees, more so than at similar events, and "everyone's more together here".

"Everybody kind of finds each other through Instagram or TikTok, friend groups come together through that and then everybody links up and knows each other through that," she says.

Nik Lee (right) says there's a strong online community with events like Q-Con allowing for face-to-face encounters

Q-Con continues at Queen's University Belfast on Sunday 18 June.