The following news feed are archives from the previous 5 SoyCons. Please note that some links may not work as well as information may be outdated. This is only for show purposes only.
Constructive Feedback
July 27, 2012
If there's any constructive feedback on how can we do better or if there's something we can do to make your experience better at our event, please let us know! You can email us your feedback, opinions, and ideas to soyconfeedback@gmail.com.
From all of us from SoyCon, a big thank you go towards the attendees, staff, and supporters for making this year's event a huge success! This year was probably the best year SoyCon has ever held.
We had memorable events, nice amount of cosplayers to take photos of, a massive water balloon fight, and random dancing at the end of the huge weekend.
We hope your time with us a memorable one. Hopefully you and your friends will be able return again for SoyCon 6 in 2013.
Below is our general information for tomorrow's beach day.
Date & Time: July 20, 2012 from 12:00pm to 5:00pm
Address: 1200 S. Lynn White Drive, Chicago, IL
Parking: Estimated $25.00/day (Price may change)
Beach Admission: Free
Transit: Take CTA Bus #146 to Alder Planetarium. After getting off, walk south about 0.2 miles to reach your destination
Cosplay: Optional, but please shy away from bringing any props.
Remember that this day is very open and laid back. We will not be accepting any general registration for this day. Other than that, we will see you all there tomorrow!
All attendees and volunteer staff are welcome to signup for any of our events when you arrive. Don't forget that it's first come first serve! Check out our "Events" section on SoyCon's website for more details.
For those interested in Karaoke Idol, please bring your own mp3 devices or CD players. Remember that your tracks doesn't not have to be a karaoke version of your track and you can sing any song in any language you like!
For Variety Show, please have your tracks and devices ready if you need music for your performance. We will only provide speakers with an aux cord and a microphone if needed.
Dear SoyCon 2012 attendees and volunteers, there's three big favors we need to ask you.
1.) All picnic type food and drinks will only be served during Day 2 (Sunday) only for this year. Saturday, everyone is on their own for food. Restaurants are around the area.
2.) For Sunday's picnic day, this is potluck. Bring food and drinks. WE ESPECIALLY NEED HOT DOGS, BURGERS, BUNS, DRINKS, AND COOLERS WITH ICE FOR THIS DAY!!! CONDIMENTS ARE NEEDED TOO!!!
3.) Lastly, we want a huge water balloon fight this year. I may ask everyone to bring at least one giant tub of filled water balloons on Sunday day 2. The more water balloons, the more fun we can have for this event. Even if you're not participating, BRING LOTS!!!
With months of voting and judging, we have the final results of our first ever cosplay calendar contest! There were so many good entries and our judges even had a difficult time choosing the final 14! Who got in? Visit our "Contests" section to find out!
Winners will be contacted sometime this weekend via on how to obtain their calendars. Photographers who had their photos chosen, please keep in touch with your entries. You will work with them on how to get your copy of the calendar as well.
To everyone else, we are sorry you didn't make it in, but it was a close race! We hope to see you enter next year!
Finally, we want to thank everyone who entered, judged, and voted for this year and congrats to the winners of this year's calendar.
Keep in touch because SoyCon is within weeks away!
We like to officially announce that the voting stages are over for the calendar contest. Stay tuned on our contest page to see the revealing of the contest winners. Announcement will be made on July 4th!
With months of open submissions, calendar contest entry submissions are officially closed. All of our entries can be viewed on SoyCon's fanpage. Click "Like" on the photos you would like to see featured in our calendar. Our judges will review all the entries and the top 14 will make it to our first ever calendar. Judging will last from today (June 17th) to June 27th. We will announce the winners in a matter of days after June 27th. Vote away everyone!
Finally getting around working on the kinks of the Cosplay Showcase event. It's finally done! You can check the details out in the "Events" section on the site.
But that's not all! We have a very special guest for the event. Not only this guest will be the MC, but also will be making a performance during the intermission! SoyCon proudly announce that FanServic e Renji will be making an appearance at SoyCon 5! You can catch him MCing and performaning on Saturday July 21st.
By numerous requests, we have extended our deadline of the calendar cosplay contest submissions from May 31st to June 15th. We received a number of messages regarding that others need more time for photoshoots and selecting their final photos. With that said, June 16th-June 22nd will be our judging stage and June 27th will be our announcement of the winners. View our "Contests" page for details on entering.
We been getting quite of few emails regarding on the process of the calendar contest. Let us clarify how this works.
When you choose your photos, you have an option to submit up to three cosplays (three entries). Each cosplay, you can submit up to 3 photos. So lets say you're submitting a C.C. (Code Geass), Alice (Pandora Hearts) and Kyubei (Madoka) cosplay entry. You can submit up to 3 C.C. photos., 3 Alice photos and 3 Kyubei photos.
Now lets say you some have vertical shots. In order to fit the photos well in a horizantal direction paper, you are required to submit at least 2 vertical shots for each character. On the final print, two vertical shots will be lined up with each other to fill the whole page. You are allowed to submit 1 vertical and 1 horizantal shot. We will play around with the spacing when the final print arrives.
On the facebook page, only one shot will be shown for each costume (pretty much the best shot out of the same costume). Your other shots that are not shown will be held for review for the final print.
When we select the final winners, keep in mind that only 1 costume out of the 3 you submit will be selected. We will not place different costumes of the same cosplayer for one month. In other words, one win, one costume, one month. No double features.
As for the photographers, if you have more than one photo that is credited and also gets selected to be featured. You will only still recieve one free calendar. (Sorry, this helps to keep the costs down.)
For submission deadlines, we did say that the deadline is May 31st. If entries come to the lack side, we may be able to extend it. Keep in touch here for any changes.
And one more addition to the size requirements, please have your photos at least 2500 pixels (vertical or horizantal). Avoid sending any photos saved on Facebook. Small pictures
We like to announce that our general registration forms are now online! Visit our Registraiton page to download your copy! As a reminder, SoyCon's registration is a bit different. We want everyone to download their copy, print and complete the areas within that form. There's 2 versions available, you can pick one or the other, .PDF and .JPG.
One copy per attendee please.
Once you completed your form, submit it at our registration section at SoyCon. If you lost your form or unable to print, we will have forms available for you to fill out on site.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
It was mentioned before that the requirement photos only need to be Landscape. Now we are accepting Portrait shots. The requirement submission for Portrait is at least 2 photos. As for Landscape, you can at least submit one photo.
If you want see an above view of our picnic grove, head over to the "Attendee" section and click "Event Layout". You will see all the spots on where our events and operations will be held at.
SoyCon is looking for more ways to expand the fun. We are reaching to you attendees to see if you're interested on running your own panel or event! Do you have an idea that could be entertaining? Was there something you wanted to do here that SoyCon needs that the fans would like to see? Head over to our "Registration" section if you would like to add the fun to SoyCon!
Interested on helping out SoyCon? Check our "Volunteer" section for information on how you can play a part making SoyCon it's best year yet! We are looking for people who have good experience in communication, organization, and willing to encourage attendees to have a good time. If you have questions, just check our "Contact Us" section at the bottom of the page.
In order to make sure everyone stays safe and have a good time at SoyCon, there's some guidelines we must inform you. A guidelines page has been updated for you to read the rules and guidelines from costuming, prop checks, and showing common courtesy. We advise every SoyCon attendee to read the page to have a better understanding on what's going on throughout the weekend. If you have any questions, visit our "Contact Us" page at the bottom of the site. We'll keep you informed when we have any adjustments on our guidelines.
We are proudly to announce our first online contest for SoyCon. The cosplay calendar contest lets SoyCon attendee cosplayers be featured in our 2013 calendar. We will begin taking submissions from Feb. 1st to May 31st. Head on over to our "Contests" section to read all the rules, guidelines, and requirements. If you have any questions, feel free to contact soyconcontest@live.com.
We look forward to see what kind of photos you will submit. Also, each entry chosen to be featured on a calendar will earn a free copy of the calendar as well as their photographer too!
Now that SoyCon is in one stable location, it may be wise to grab a hotel room so you don't need to communite twice towarrds the same location. In the "Locations" page, there's a small list of hotels and motels you can look into spending a night or two. We try to find ones with low cost, short driving distance, and a good area for resources.
Please note that there will be no hotel discount since we are just only a fan developed event. For more information on hotels or booking information, please visit their websites or give them a contact.
With SoyCon slowly growing every year, the event had to adjust and make some changes in order for us to run this event as smoothly as possible. There will be adds, drops, and changes.
Changes
Rolling Meadows will be our location for this year's SoyCon and it will be held at the picnic grove for both days. The event is growing far too large for Chicago.
SoyCon Idol will return back to Karaoke Idol. The change is to open the invitation to all attendees who like to sing and not be restricted to vocal talents only.
Prop check will be a mandatory. All attendees with costume props, weaponry, and also armory must be checked in before proceeding into SoyCon. We will have volunteers to check them for you.
SoyCon Facebook and Twitter updates will now be unlinked and won't have repeating posts. This is for those who do not have both social networking sites.
Adds
Waterballoon fight will be a SoyCon 5 exclusive only. This idea is still tentative so things might change. We'll keep you posted on information for this event.
Drops
Cosplay Mock Weddings will no longer be an event at SoyCon. Even if the idea is fresh, this event can only go so far. We apologize for anyone who wanted to do a mock wedding for this year.
These adjustments had to be done in order to improve our event and have it run as best as possible. We apologize for any inconvience. Please understand that we are working hard for all of you to have a great time and have a safe SoyCon.
For those who are wondering about the *Under Construction* sections, please be patient as we are working to get those information up as soon as possible. We want to make sure everything runs properly and the attendee has a good understanding on what will be happening at this year's event.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! We are happy to announce that the road of SoyCon 5 has officially started! Even though we are months away from the annual social cosplay gathering, there's lots to do to run another successful year! There are quite a number of changes for our 5th year so please read our site and forums for all the information.
We would also like to announce that we are now welcoming donations. This will help support SoyCon to keep running, as this gathering grows larger every year. We have a Paypal donation section on the right side of every page.
And we like to thank everyone for their strong support to help SoyCon grow into one of the largest and best gatherings held in the midwest.
SoyCon has now setup a feedback section on the SoyCon forums. Please visit the forums located under the "Connect" page. The thread can be found under the "General SoyCon Discussion" section of the forum.
The following is a statement regarding to the event at Millennium Park in Chicago, IL on Saturday July 9, 2011.
"The situation that occurred on 7/9/11 happened almost one hour after SoyCon, and the attendees, separated from the Cancer Survivor's Garden. The location of where the incident happened was never, nor scheduled, to be there. Everything that occurred over the course of the weekend was a huge misunderstanding and misinterpretation by the media, the public, and the anime/cosplay community. We'll take this as a learning experience and move forward to make SoyCon a better event than before."
~ Arthur "Soy Sauce" Garcia
Event Director of SoyCon
SoyCon 4 is finally offically over. Myself and the rest of the members of SoyCon would like to thank you for making this event a success! There were some bumps and grinds inbetween, but we managed to adapt and pull through. I hope you all rest easy and we'll see what changes we can make to make for a possible number 5.
A lost and found section can be found here if you have any found or lost items throughout the weekend. Also a feedback section will be created on the forums soon to let SoyCon know how we can move forward and develop further on how to a better this event.
Looking forward to everyone's photos, blogs, and videos.
We like to thank everyone who came to the photoshoot! And we deeply apologize for the space issues that occurred. We never faced any issues from the previous years. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We are also sorry we had to cancel early today. The Battlefield will be held during the picnic day from 1-3pm. And yes... I have a permit for the picnic so we're not going anywhere!!!
This message is for those who are going to the beach day. I extremely apologize how late this message is, but it's better than not getting it done. So lets run the details. Just informing everyone that the location is actually called 12th Street Beach, not Northernly Island Beach. I got confused when I looked it up online.
Meeting Time - 12:00pm
Meeting Place - 12th Street Beach (Infront of the changing rooms.)
We will be meeting infront of the changing rooms from 12-12:30pm. Once 12:30pm hits, we'll pick a spot on the beach and enjoy from there. We will be staying at the location until 5pm. After 5pm, we will be taking off to prepare for the photoshoto the next day.
I'll be bringing a small cooler with water. Hopefully some of you will do the same.
The beach day is mainly a day to kick back and enjoy the day. Meet fellow SoyCon goers, take pictures, and relax under the sun. (Minus the over tanning.)
Me and my group is expected to arrive at the location at 11:30am.
For those who wish to drive, there's a parking area at the beach. Payment is $16 the whole day and they take credit card or cash.
Happy 4th of July! We hope you are well prepared for SoyCon this weekend! We are working hard to put on a great cosplay gathering event for all of you. Please make sure that you are well planned for this event. Such as transportation, rides, financial, time, location, and knowing what to do during the weekend. It will be a busy week for many of us
For those coming to the beach day on Friday, I'll be doing some research. I did get some notices on a few who are having trouble finding Northernly Island Beach. I just found out that it's also known as "12th Street Beach". I'll be heading out there this Thursday to find a meeting location and how long we are staying at that meeting location til we head out towards the beach. Please get in contact with someone you know if you are coming late. Probably from 12-12:30pm, we'll wait for everyone to arrive at the beach as best as they can. Drivers will probably need to pay for parking (in cash). I'll find out how much it costs after I get back that day.
5 more days everyone! Lets get this ball rollin!!!
So most of you may be wondering about the situation of the photoshoot location for this year's SoyCon. After numerous visits downtown and analyzing the area over at the Buckingham and Chicago areas, I would like to announce that the location will remain in downtown Chicago as scheduled. With that said, everyone should be aware of these guidelines.
- If breaking off from the SoyCon areas, please have a small group of people guiding you. We recommend not traveling alone no matter if it's on the transit or on the big intersections.
- Keep your important possessions with you at all times. SoyCon will not be responsible for any lost items.
- We wary of what areas you're traveling to. We recommend to stay as close to the public areas as possible.
- Avoid hunger or thirst during the day. Even if you don't feel hungry or thirsty, at least put something into your system. You may forget since you're having too much fun out there. Water fountains and a small cafe shop is available within the Buckingham Fountain area.
- If you don't have enough for the food locations there, pack a lunch. It's a big park so having a picnic nearby wouldn't be a bad idea.
- If sun is not your thing, bring an umbrella. There may be times we'll be out in the open under the sunshine. Trees are also around the area if you want some shade.
- Have fun, be safe, and plan ahead. We want everyone's SoyCon to be as smooth as possible.
Unless something that's extremely drastic happens from now til the photoshoot, SoyCon's Photoshoot Day is confirmed to happen in downtown Chicago.
Questions or Concerns? Feel free to contact via PM or Email at SoyCon@soycon.com
Here's a few things to keep in mind before coming to SoyCon.
For Photoshoot:
- Try to wear costumes that are summer friendly. It's going to be pretty hot out there, normally around the high 80s.
- We would recommend bringing bottles of cold water. We recommend staying quenched. We had issues of people not staying hydrated enough due to the heat.
- Umbrellas are nice to bring to shade yourself from the hot sun. There are trees around the area, but other spots there won't be any shade.
- Either bring money to go to any nearby restaurants or bring your own lunch. We don't want anyone to be hungry throughout the event.
- Even if SoyCon has reduced the walking distance between areas, you still be walking around. Wear comfortable footwear and clothing.
- Everyone is responsible for their own possessions throughout the event. We may pickup any lost items left behind, but we can't take all of them.
For Picnic
- We recommend everyone to contribute something towards the picnic day. Provide eating utensils, food, tents, coolers, chairs, grills, etc.
- If you brought your own bowls, serving utensils, or anything else, please make sure you take them with you when the picnic is over. We will toss out anything you left behind.
- For those bringing a grill, bring your cooking utensils and items.
- If you have food that needs to be kept cool, we would recommend you or someone else to bring a cooler. (They do have dollar foam coolers that you can buy.)
- If you can make something, like pasta, muffins, salad, kabobs, etc., please bring them! We don't want to have a gazillion chips, cookies, and candy.
- Cups, eating utensils, water, burger patties, hotdog links, buns, and/or ice are good items to bring to the picnic.
Location and Direction pages are updated. Time limit for interpretive dance central event is changed.
If you need some help trying to get to SoyCon, refer to those pages. Or you can use map and transit sites for additional information. We are about a month away from the 4th annual cosplay gathering event. We are working hard to put together this large event and hopefully you will be ready by then.
Want to learn how to participate in The Battlefield? Check out the events section for more details. There's also a file download of the rules and guidelines so you can take the event outside and try it on your own!
- Location page updated. Added overview map areas for each day.
- Cosplay Showcase page now available. Interested in participating? See the events section for more details!
- Schedule has been changed. Check event pages and information to view time changes.
- Cosplay RP weddings are now online. Spaces are limited. Pre-registration now available.
- Panel/Event Submissions have now been extended to July 1st! Interested running something at SoyCon? Check the "Register" section for details.
Cosplay RP wedding event is now added online and pre-registration is now available! Hurry and sign up quick, there will be only 3 slots for this event! You may find more details on this event under the "Events" section.
For those who are interested volunteering for SoyCon, please contact me via e-mail at either DgtlDrmStation@comcast.net or soycon@soycon.com. Positions such as Registration, Event Judging, Photoshoot & Picnic Operations, and Medical Team are available. I will send you information on each of these departments. Let me know if you have any questions.
You may check the "Volunteer" section (located at the bottom of the page) for more information.
ACen 2011 is finally over and now it's time to focus on the 4th annual SoyCon cosplay gathering event.
I'm still working on details on some of the events that will be hosted there as well as coming up with ideas to run the gathering more smoothly than the previous years. I'll be posting here a bit more often on updates so keep an eye here.
I am open for anyone who wants to run their own event/panel during the weekend. If you are interested, please submit a panel/event registration form which is located right here. (Under Panel/Event Registration)
If there's anyone out there who wants to help out with the event, please stay tuned as I will release information on how you can help out this wonderful event.
We got until the beginning of July to nail all of this so hopefully everyone will be prepared by then!
General registration for SoyCon and panel/event registration forms are now available online. (.ODT/OpenOffice and .PDF/Acrobat versions currently active.) Please check the "Register" section on the site for more details.
Improv Masquerade page have been added to the events list and ready for viewing. Plus, registration forms are now available for this event as well. You can choose to either download .DOC, .ODT, or .PDF.
Also .PDF and .DOC registration form formats are now availbable to download for events SoyCon Idol, Interpretive Dance Central, and Variety Show.
Registration page is now online. You can now download registration forms for events that you would like to participate this year. Interpretiave Dance Central, SoyCon Idol, and Variety Show are the only 3 you can download from. They are in .ODT format (OpenOffice). More formats such as .PDF and .DOC are coming soon.
Cosplay Rules and Event Rules pages are now active. You are welcome to check the "Info." section to find more details.
Descriptions for the following events have been updated: Group Photoshoot, SoyCon Idol, Interpretive Dance Central, Talent Show, and The Battlefield. Registration for these events has not yet to be opened. You are welcome to check the "Events" section to read up information on these events.
Descriptions for the following information have been updated: About, Location, Directions, Schedules, and FAQ. You are welcome to check the "Info." section to find more details about this event.
Archives, History, Contact/Connect and F.A.Q. pages (located at the bottom of this page) are now active.
There are more pages still to be worked on. We'll keep you posted.
Do you want to run something at SoyCon? In a matter of days, SoyCon will open up panel and event sign-ups for this year. Information will be posted on the SoyCon forums in the near future.
You can also find updates, rules, guidelines, and more on the SoyCon forums. Check under teh "Connect" section for contact links.
A preview of new SoyCon 4 website design. There's nothing really much to look around, but at least you get an idea that the 4th annual gathering will be happening this year. Pages are still under development and information still to be rewritten. We'll let you know when we do that big update. Feel free to browse around.
Hello everyone! I hope you all rested up from SoyCon this past weekend. I would like to announce that SoyCon has released a feedback document available to download for everyone who attended. This is for improvement purposes for future SoyCons. Please fill out the information in the document as best as you can. We will not be releasing any names or contact information. We want to work hard on giving the best SoyCon experience for you and everyone else. Complete the feedback form and send it via e-mail to SoyCon@soycon.com. Please e-mail if you have any problems downloading your document.
I would like to announce the following winners of the SoyCon 3 events:
SoyCon Idol: Kuri Cortez - "Seikan Hikou"
Improv Masquerade: K.L. & Steve Moellering - "Together"
SoyCon's Got Talent: Kuri Cortez (Solo Dance) & Cady Magel (ACapella Solo)
Character Award: Kieran Tobin as The Doctor (Tom Baker) - Dr. Who
"You Win" Award: Kale Miles as Old Spice Spokesman (Shirtless & Towel) - Old Spice Commercial
Judge's Choice: Cady Magel as Naruto (5 Tails) - Naruto
Best Novice: Miranda Meyer as Maleficent (Young) - Sleeping Beauty
Best Journeyman/Master: Dani Roelandt as Sailor Moon (Manga) - Sailor Moon
Best of Show: Lisa Varley as Ho-Oh (Gijinka) - Pokemon
Send an e-mail if you're one of these winners so we can exchange contact information on how you can obtain your award.
If you lost something during SoyCon, please check a brand new page added on the bottom of the navigation, Lost and Found. Check the page for any item that you may lost over SoyCon weekend. Or if you found a lost item, you may contact me and I'll add it to the lost list. I'll also take requests if someone is looking for a lost item.
Thank you for coming to the 3rd annual SoyCon cosplay gathering event. I hope everyone had fun and took lots of pictures from this awesome event. I'll be making some updates on the site for lost and found items in case anyone has lost anything. Also, in the next few days, I'll be going over the judge's scores for the events that happened during picnic day. Winners will be announced once those are completed. Please message me if you have won something from one of those events.
This is going to be the last update before SoyCon. Everything seems to look good with weather conditions.
I hope everyone has planned their day accordingly for SoyCon Photoshoot day.
Registration will open at 10:00am. If you forget your registration form, there will be forms available to sign when you arrive. If you do have your form brought, we'll direct you to where you have to be to grab your badge.
Unfortunately we were not able to do the cosplay scavenger hunt due to timing issues. We hope to form something next year. We apologize if you're really looking forward to it.
The photoshoot will be from 10:00am to 7:00pm. Please refer to schedule on the website.
Bring water, stay hydrated. It may be hot tomorrow.
Wedding registration is now closed. We will be not taking anymore slots.
I will not be updating any cosplay lists as of this point.
I'm not sure what else I need to go over since I got some things left to do before the big day. If you have any questions, you have until 5:00am to ask me. After that, I will be gone for SoyCon.
Other than that, I"ll see you tomorrow! Use the site if you need some questions to be answer.
It's Beach Day and the skies look pretty clean. Weather predictions are forecasting no rain with temperatures in the mid-80s all day. We are green for today. Let's have some fun!
I took a little time to look up how to get to North Avenue Beach via CTA. I hope these directions may help you getting there. If you need more help, please visit the Chicago Transit Authority website for more directions from your stating point.
Getting To North Avenue Beach via CTA
By CTA From Union Station
1.) Take 151 Bus on Canal & Jackson (Direction: Devon/Clark) - 25 Minute Ride
2.) Off on Lake Shore & North Avenue
3.) Walk North to North Avenue & Beach House - 6 Minute Walk
4.) Meet at location by giant boat.
By CTA From Roosevelt
1.) Take Red Line To North/Clybourn (Direction: Howard) - 14 Minute Ride
2.) Take 72 Bus on North Avenue and Clybourn - 8 Minute Ride
3.) Off on North Avenue and Beach House
4.) Meet at location by giant boat.
There are no Metra trains that go near the beach. You must take CTA to get there.
For drivers, please look up maps for directions. Be ready for any parking that require payment. I do not know if North Avenue Beach parking is pay or not.
For the exact location of where we're meeting, use link below to view image.
We will be meeting at 11:00am and we will wait about a half hour for any late comers to arrive. 11:30am we will start looking for the beach space and 12:00pm will start our fun at the beach. We should be there until about 6:00pm but not 100% sure if we'll stay until exactly til that hour so don't try planning to come at the last minute. I advise everyone to get there earlier rather than on time. Chicago can do some crazy stuff when it comes to transportation so be ready for any delays. Plan ahead and stay safe.
All event pre-registration is now closed. If you missed the deadline, you can still register at-event. Forms will be available throughout their respective days. Badge registration forms are still available for download. Print, sign, and bring those forms to SoyCon for faster badge processing.
We are only one week away from SoyCon. I hope your preparations are going well.
In terms of pre-registration for all cosplay events, forms are due on July 5th at midnight. Forms can be found under "Forms" on the website. E-mail me if you have any problems downloading your forms.
For standings on events, there are some open spaces and some are about full.
Cosplay mock weddings have reached their max limit of 6 couples with 1 on the waiting list. There's only 1 space left for the waiting list.
SoyCon Idol has 5 participants so far. Only 5 spaces left until the participant limit is full.
Talent Show & Cosplay Contest are still looking for participants to enter.
If you missed pre-registration, there's at-event registration forms available throughout the day. Find me so you can register. Remember, forms are only available on the day of the event is held.
At-event registration are due one hour before the event starts, but also it's first come-first serve.
Please start finalizing your RSVPs as soon as you can so I get a better estimate on how many are coming.
More updates to come. I hope all of you enjoy your 4th of July weekend.
We are less than 2 weeks away from the biggest cosplay gathering of the summer.
I'm sending a message to everyone on a couple of reminders and some things you should all know before coming to SoyCon.
First, I would like to ask everyone to update their RVSPs (on facebook) so I can get a better idea on how many people are coming or not. I got a lot of maybes and then there's some how are still under "attending" and they're not at all. Please update them as soon as you can.
I would also like to suggest to get there before SoyCon registration begins. Maybe getting there around 9:30am at the museum campus would be a good time. It's better to get there early rather than getting there late.
For badge card registration, I would highly suggest printing out the registration form (located on the forms section on the website), fill out the information, and submit it when you arrive. Most likely you'll be directed towards the badge card line or pick off/drop off line. There will be registration forms at the photoshoot so don't worry if you forgot to print one out.
Speaking of registration, we still have pre-registration open for cosplay weddings, soycon idol, soycon's got talent, improv masquerade, and cosplay contest. You can read the rules and guidelines under "Events" and you can download your pre-registration forms under "Forms". All pre-registration are due July 5th at midnight. There will be at-event registration during the day, but you have until before the event begins to register. Also, slots are limited so I highly suggest to pre-register.
For the photoshoot, I highly suggest bringing water bottles and snacks. We don't want anyone passing out due to dehydration or hunger.
In terms of places to eat, I'm creating maps for everyone so you'll have an idea of where to walk to if you need food. Which btw, everyone will be on their own getting food. The photoshoot will be still going, but you and/or your group are welcome to step out and have a meal. Just make sure you let one of your friends who's still staying know where the gathering is currently at.
For the picnic, it's potluck. Please bring something whenever if it's food, drinks, napkins, plates, etc. Also, I noticed I'm lacking in grills and grillers for this year's SoyCon. If anyone is willing to cook during the picnic, please do. It will be a bummer if there's no burgers or hotdogs during the picnic. Another thing I want to add is if you have a tent, please bring those too. We may not have enough benches to seat everyone so at least you got some place to relax in. Also, portable chairs, coolers, footballs, soccer balls, or anything picnic related, you are welcome to bring.
Does anyone have a megaphone, a big one? I'm not looking for those mini ones. If you have one, let me know!
Please keep up with the weather channels and SoyCon sites for any news on weather situations. Especially after July 4th.
I think that's all I can cover for now. If you have any questions, please PM me. Don't be afraid. I won't bite your head off.
I would like to announce that the SoyCon Cosplay Mock Wedding page is now online. That means that pre-registration is now online for the event as well. Check the "Events" page for details and "Forms" to download the pre-registration form.
Also, we are still looking for attendees to pre-register some of our other events such as Idol, Improv, Cosplay Contest, and Talent Show. Check out the "Events" section for more information!
I would like to bring your attention about weather conditions for SoyCon. Since Chicago is pretty odd of when to rain or shine, so it's best to keep yourselves prepared for any weather conditions. Below is a list of actions in case of rain weather conditions.
SoyCon Day
Rain Before
Rain During
Rain only applies when it gets very heavy and
it lasts for a good amount of hours. Light rain should
not cancel/end the gathering.
Beach Day
Cancelled
End Day
Photoshoot Day
Cancelled
End Day
Picnic Day
Pending
Pending
I will inform everyone 3 hours prior to the gathering. Please keep up with facebook, ACen forums, and SoyCon related sites for any updates. Also, check the weather radar the week of SoyCon to get a heads up on temperature and weather conditions.
Couple of updates for some events and an announcement regarding the Transformers 3 shoot conflict.
Based on friends and online resources, the T3 movie shoot should not conflict SoyCon. I was told that they are going to be shooting on LaSalle Ave. during July 10th and the rest is shot a few days after SoyCon. So far, things are looking pretty positive.
Also, the cosplay contest rules and guidelines are now online. You can now pre-register for the event. Please visit the "Events" page for more details.
Another update is the pre-registration forms for Improv Masquerade and SoyCon's Got Talent has been changed. Don't worry if you are already pre-registered. We will handle your registration accordingly during the Picnic.
One more reminder, all event pre-registration are due July 5th @ 12:00am. Any registration afterwards would need to register during the picnic.
I'll keep everyone updated on the last two events (Cosplay Mock Weddings and Scavenger Hunt). They will be announced sometime after this weekend.
If anyone has any questions, please visit the "Connect" page for contact information.
If you aren't aware, there is a day 0 beach gathering @ North Avenue Beach in downtown Chicago on July 9th beginning at 11:00am. The closest intersection to the beach is E North Blvd. and N Lake Shore Dr.
The beach gathering is mainly for everyone who is interested on getting a head start for SoyCon weekend. Cosplay isn't manditory, but it is alright to wear to the beach, I recommend beach clothing if you have any. You are not required to swim or hang around the beach all the time so feel free to walk around the area. Please bring your own drinks, snacks, and other beach supplies, we won't be providing any.
If you're swimming or relaxing on the beach sands, please remember to bring your towels, sun screen, and extra clothes. There are bathrooms at the location for you to change in.
We will probably stay there for a few hours, maybe 4-5 hours at most?
Since it's summertime, there will be alot of people there so just be cautious if you're wearing a cosplay. Plus relaxing space may be limited since it's busy weekend hour. We'll try our best to find a spot big enough for all of us to chill at. I'll probably make a red SoyCon banner flag so it's easier to spot where we're at.
There will be no shade so it maybe a good idea to bring some kind of beach umbrella. You may also bring volleyballs, footballs, or any beach entertainment. Please remember that the beach don't have nets. (Also, I'm not sure if they have poles. I thought they did have them.)
For those who are driving there, and also recommended, I'm not sure where and how much parking is. I'll probably check it out sometime this June. For those who are taking transportation, I highly suggest leave early in the morning because it's quite a ride and quite a walk to get there. Please be sure to have enough money to come and go.
If you have any questions, please contact me through PM.
Began working on the guidelines for the events that are happening during SoyCon. Currently The Battlefield, Cosplay Improv, and SoyCon's Got Talent are now online. Check out the events section in the navigation for more information.
A few friends had explained to me about the news of the upcoming movie, Transformers 3. I was told that they had selected Chicago to be one of the shooting locations. We are not too sure what will be happening as of this point, but sources say they will be shooting starting on July 4th. This may or may not affect us, but it's better to be aware of it than to not expect it at all. Based on some websites, they will be filming at sites along Michigan Ave. and throughout the loop. Even though we are gonna be in the park sides of the city, but as of right now, it's not 100% guaranteed.
So here's a few scenarios that can happen:
1.) Proceed with photoshoot if sources say they will not be using the areas we are walking through.
2.) Cancel the photoshoot and move it to the different date, maybe August. (Picnic day will remain the same since I can't get refunds on permits.)
3.) Cancel photoshoot period for this year.
4.) Find a new location for the photoshoot, good chances it may not be in downtown.
5.) Randomly be extras for the T3 movie. (99.99% chance not gonna happen but putting it here for laughs.)
I'm going to wait til after Anime Central to see if there's any updates on this movie. We'll keep you posted until further notice. Contact me if you have any questions.
Re-added the cosplayer list in the navigation. Please check to see if your information is accurate. If you would like to place your cosplay status on the site, send me a message containing the following information: Your name/nickname, character you're cosplaying as, costume variant (what version of the costume), the series it came from, percentage confirmation, and what day are you wearing it on. You have until July 5th to finalize your submissions.
I pretty much got almost everything down. I disabled the general information and events links because I'm going back and revising. I should be done sometime this weekend. I apologize for the update delay.
SoyCon's site will be going through some maintainence. Just trying to clean up some things. As you can see, I slightly changed the layout. Some pages will not be working, but I'll let you know once it's finished. Thanks.
Another quick update. I've added "The Photoshoot" in the events page. Pretty much this list is for the group shoot portion of SoyCon that will be happening after registration. Check the "Events" page for more details.
Giving some updates here.New category for cosplay masquerade, Character Portrayal. You can check the cosplay masquerade under the "Events" section for more details. Although, we had to drop the Commission category since there's some judging issues within that area.We are having some issues with electrical equipment during the picnic. Our equipment providers will not be able to make it this year so they won't be able to bring the equipment like last year. If anyone is willing to provide a generator for us throughout the picnic day, give us a message.Just a reminder about badge registration. There is no pre-registration this year. Everyone will be registering and receiving their badge cards upon arrival. For faster processing, please fill out the registration forms prior to coming to SoyCon. We'll direct you straight to the pickup line. Please avoid folding your forms. If anyone has trouble downloading the forms, please send an e-mail.
Hello everyone and happy belated new year. I hope you enjoyed your holidays. Now that we those out of the way, we can start focusing on the future events ahead of us and definately look foward to the 3rd annual SoyCon cosplay gathering.
A few updates. I've changed the scheduling for the photoshoot after a couple feedbacks from other people. Please review the schedule page. Also, we officially have a picnic location. This year, the picnic will still remain in Schaumburg, but we have a different grove. The picnic grove's location is at Ned's Brown Meadow - picnic grove #29. (Download Map Here) It's pretty close by I-290 Highway and Golf Rd. so finding it shouldn't be much of a problem.
More updates soon. If anyone wants to help out, just send me a message!
A new photoshoot event has been added onto the "Events" page. The photoshoot scavenger hunt is an type of event where participants must take video or photo for a certain objective that is provided and earn a chance to win gift card prizes. Check out the event for more details.
Also, check out the SoyCon media sections at the bottom of the page. You can view old pictures and video from the previous SoyCons.
I adjusted a few pages and added some new content.
"SoyCon Dates" sections has been changed to "SoyCon Schedules". SoyCon Schedules page will explain what time each event will start and finish.
Under "General Information", I've added 2 new pages: "Photoshoot Information" and "Picnic Information". Check each of those pages to get the details on where, when, and what will be going on during those days.
If you have an ACen forums account, you can click "ACen thread" and you can follow the discussions about SoyCon. Who knows, there may be a question you may need that could of been answered on that forum.
Registration forms for badges are now online. Forms can be downloaded either from the registration or document forms section. These registration forms are not for pre-registration since there is none this year. You can download your forms here and then bring them at the time of your arrival at SoyCon. We will give you a badge once we recieve your forms. Please do not e-mail these forms. You must print them out and submit them when you arrive at SoyCon.
Descriptions for the events are now added. Please check the Events section to view all the details for each event on the list. Submission for event pre-registration are now online. You may e-mail me these forms. If you have any problems or questions, don't hesitate to contact. Check the Contact Us section to send an e-mail.
The dates of SoyCon are still tentative, but there's a high probability that these dates will remain on that weekend. If there's an event happening in downtown Chicago during that weekend, please contact me ASAP. So far the dates of SoyCon is July 10-11, 2010. We are still looking for an indoor location. If anyone would like to offer an indoor location for one full day, please get in contact with Soy.
At the bottom of each page, you will find previous media from the past 2 SoyCons. Media such as videos, photos, past websites & news archives.
Also, check the rules and guidelines section to review anything that you may not be aware of during SoyCon. We want to make sure everyone has a safe and fun fullfilled weekend. We advise everyone to read that portion of the website.
This event is also open to photographers, journalists, and videographers. You do not need to get in contact with me since there is no press relations for this event. If you want to upload your media onto your own site, please contact me for permission before doing so.
I would like to say thank you to all for participating in one of the biggest cosplay events of the summer! I'd never imagine we're going to have so many people this year. The numbers did indeed tripled from last year. In 2008, our total came to 78, but this year the total came out to be an estimate of 272 attendees. SoyCon was so overwhelmed this year that we didn't have enough, at-event registration forms and badges. We're sorry if you did not get one this year. We promise that next year we will have more and enough for everyone.
The photoshoot went pretty smoothly, despite a few complications with the humidity. I'm also apologizing that a parade was going on at the same time. I'll be sure to check Chicago Events next year to see if there's nothing going on during the weekend of July. (SoyCon 3 will be in July next year. Dates are TBA.)
I realized how the picnic was pretty well... not how it supposed to turn out as I expected to be. I know that some events like Karaoke Idol and The Battlefield ran pretty smoothly. The others didn't due the fact that everyone showed up late due to some weather warnings and the times got all screwed up. I'll be sure to accomidate the new time schedule for next year to a later time since this one was too early for everyone to adjust. I would like to thank Chain Ze+ Stigma for putting on a wonderful performance and for letting us use their sound system to run some SoyCon events. I also want to thank Mary and Jaxx for singing in the opening ceremonies. And finally my staff for working so hard with me throughout the weekend even during the rough parts of SoyCon.
For the winners that was awarded during the SoyCon picnic. I would like to send my congrats to the following:
Karaoke Idol Winner: Katia Osadchuck
Improv Masquerade Winners: Jaxx, Amy, Ken, Kale, Alex, & George
Cosplay Masquerade - Judge's Choice: Samantha, Lacy, & Whitney as Sora, Kairi, & Riku - KH2
Cosplay Masquerade - Novice: Jack Rollins as Roxas - Kingdom Hearts 2
Cosplay Masquerade - Journeyman: Katia Osadchuck as Flonne - Disgaea
Cosplay Masquerade - Master: Lizzy Tharp as Haruhi (Wonderland) - Ouran Host Club
Lizzy Tharp - If you're reading this, send me an e-mail to SoyCon@SoyCon.com. We would like to deliever your trophy to you.
That's it about SoyCon 2. SoyCon 3 will be in action next year. Until then, enjoy the rest of 2009. Seeya in 2010!!!
Alright. Now I can officially make the final call.
Due to the increasing forecasts of rain and scattered thunderstorms throughout the day. (Going past the 50% mark) The beach party meetup is officially canceled. Take note that this does not effect the photoshoot and picnic of SoyCon. The photoshoot and picnic is forcasting great weather this weekend. We apologize the beach meetup is canceled. Since everyone that was going now has a day off, please use this time to prepare for this weekend.
I won't be showing up to the beach today. If there are some who still want to go to the beach, please watch the weather and be safe.
***I'm making the official annoucement if the beach meetup is a go or not around 7:00am. Please pay attention to the forums or the website to be updated.***
If it's a good day tomorrow, I'll see you all there. Have fun and have a safe trip there and back home
To All Cosplay Masquerade participants that are going to sign-up at SoyCon
Your sign-up deadline is at 1:30pm. Any entrees signing up after 1:30pm will be nullified. Anytime before 1:30pm will be fine. We highly recommend signing up with your costume on ASAP. The later you wait, the longer it takes. Plus, we have no participants in Journeyman and Master. If you're interested, I highly recommend signing up because it gives you a better chance of winning a SoyCon Cosplay Masquerade trophy. Once you signed up, you'll be judged by the craftsmanship judges. After all the judging is done, you'll be able to do a walk-on during the cosplay masquerade (which starts at 2:00pm). Please read here (http://soycon.com/Picnic/Events/cosplaymasquerade.html) to understand the requirements, rules and guidelines of the cosplay masquerade. Sign-ups begin @ 11:00am
To All Improv Masquerade participants that are going to sign-up at SoyCon
Your sign-up deadline is at 2:00pm. Any entrees signing up after 2:00pm will be nullified. Anytime before 2:00pm will be fine. To obtain your spot without risking of not being part of the show, we strongly recommend signing up as early as possible. Sign-ups begin @ 11:00am. Once signed up, please report back to the picnic shelter at 1:45pm. You and your group will be given a subject and you have until 3:00pm to prepare for it. Once 3:00pm hits, your preparation is over. Skit groups will be selected at random. During your sign-ups, you'll be given an entry number and a subject. When your number is called, you and your group will perform the skit. Please make sure you have your whole group ready before 1:45pm. Performing without your full group will be an automatic DQ. There are many slots open and they are limited to 15 entrees. For more information, please read this page here: http://soycon.com/Picnic/Events/improvmasquerade.html
Here's the news on the rain situation if it occurs.
If rain pours during the photoshoot, it might be postponed to another date. I apologize for everyone anticipating for the event, but I can't control the weather. No backup plan has been made because there's no point of putting it indoors when it's a photoshoot. Plus, getting an indoor location at this point is merely impossible. Indoor locations take months in advance to rent out. Why I didn't proceed on this? We'll what would happen if I rented an indoor and there's no rain at the photoshoot. Then I'll be wasting money on the rental and they give a certain percentage back as a refund. Like booking a hotel.
If rain pours during the picnic, I'll also might post pone or cancel the picnic all together. Since this is a picnic location, chances are the picnic groves for the other dates might be reserved already. It might get pushed back to August.
Don't blame me for the rain. I cannot control the weather. I can control SoyCon's plans around it.
All of this will not be confirmed until 3 hours before the event occurs.
I would like to announce the top 7 finalists for this year's Karaoke Idol. Here are your contestants: (Click their names to view their contestant profile.)
Congrats and good luck to all of them. Karaoke Idol is on June 21st (The Picnic Day) at 12:00pm. The picnic is located at Busse Woods in Schaumburg, IL.
I also eliminated the Attack/Defense Mechanics from the Battlefield due to complications, but the level system is still there.
Alright, I would like to announce that pre-registration for Karaoke Idol, Cosplay Masquerade, and Improv Masquerade are now officially closed. Any pre-registration received now will not be taken. For anyone that wants to participate in any of these events will need sign-up during SoyCon. Please see Sarah or myself for more details. Anyone who pre-registered are officially entered in the competition. Karaoke Idol participants that pre-registered are locked in for the competition. There will be slots open for "on hold" registration. Please see me for more details. Other than that, the event is drawing closer and I hope everyone is prepared for this grand event.
Don't forget to bring a photo I.D. to obtain your badge. (This goes for both at-con and pre-registration.) Also, if you're in between the ages 13-16, please have your parent/guardian consent forms signed ready for submission otherwise attend with a parrent/guardian. For ages 12 and under, please have a parent/guardian with you at all times.
This is only optional, I will be hosting a beach meetup the day before SoyCon (June 19th) at North Ave. Beach in Chicago, IL. We will be meeting there at 10:00am and it will last until sunset. Bring your beach towels and swimsuits cause it's gonna be a fun time. And please refrain from the watermelon smashing.
One final thing, I hope everyone is going to be signing up for the cosplay and improv masquerades during SoyCon. The numbers are extremely low and I'm afraid if we'll have a competition at all. I strongly encourage everyone to join these events. Don't be afraid to join these events. These events are made for you to have fun and show off your skills and talents.
Contestant profiles for Karaoke Idol are now online. Remember, these contestents are not officially in the competition yet. If contestent pre-registration numbers exceed the limit, there will be a random selection to see who will advance to the competition. If there's open slots left, whoever is pre-registered is guaranteed a slot in the competition. As for the remainder slots, there will be an at-con registration for anyone who wants to take part in the competition. A reminder that pre-registration for Karaoke Idol, Cosplay Masquerade, and Improv Masquerade are still going until June 8th at midnight. Go into "Events" within the "Picnic" section for further information about each competition. You may view the contestant profiles for Karaoke Idol below.
Pre-Registration for badges has finally ended. If your e-mail was marked 12:01am on my e-mail account, then your pre-registration will be nullified and will not be processed.
Also, due to the lack of pre-registration for Karaoke Idol, Cosplay Masquerade, and Improv. Masquerade, I'm extending the pre-registration due date to June 8th @ 12:00am. I'm currently disappointed with the pre-registration results for these and I know many of you out there would love to enter in one or two of these events.
Please, I highly encourage everyone to participate in these events. We would not want an all audience, and no participants show.
***PRE-REGISTRATION IS STILL GOING!!! IF YOU WANT TO SAVE TIME AT SOYCON, PLEASE PRE-REGISTER FOR EVENTS SUCH AS BADGE PRE-REGISTRATION, KARAOKE IDOL, COSPLAY MASQUERADE, and IMPROV MASQUERADE!!! DO IT!!! SIGN UP!!!***
Pre-registration for all events will close on June 1st @ midnight. DON'T HESISTATE!!!
SoyCon document form page created. This would be faster to find all of the forms for SoyCon rather than clicking like 3-4 links to reach them. You can find the link on the sub-navigation bar by the main navigation bar. Click one of the links to download your respective forms to fill out. Send the forms to SoyCon@SoyCon.com.
Picnic location map and direct location is now online. The picnic (on June 21st) will be held at Busse Woods at Grove #4. To view the picnic groves, click here to download the map. (You'll be downloading a PDF file.)
Photoshoot Image Locations Now Online. The following pictures will be several locations we'll be walking through during the photoshoot day of SoyCon 2. SoyCon 2 Photoshoot Preview Pictures
New information uploaded. For the safety of SoyCon, there are age restrictions and requirements that young attendees must endure before attending SoyCon. Ages 12 and under must now come with a parent/guardian. Ages 13-16 must sign a parent/guardian consent form and submit it to the SoyCon staff. If form not signed by the time of the event, they must come with a parent/guardian or attendee cannot attend at all. Ages 17 and up does not need to go through this proceedure.
Since many people are having problems knowing the main details for this event, I created an overview page to answer those repeating questions. On the homepage, in the subnavigation section, click the "Overview" link to find out all the main details of SoyCon.
The roastee, or roastees I should say, are now announced. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to announce that this year's roastees will be Kale and Alex from the YouTube mini series, the Adventures of Kale and Alex. If you don't know who they are, you can check out their YouTube series located right here: The Adventures of Kale and Alex.
For more information on the Roast, please go here to read all the detailed information: The Roast of Kale and Alex.
Also, pre-registration are still up for badges, karaoke idol, cosplay masquerade, and improv masquerade. Pre-registration deadline for all events are due @ 12:00am on June 1st.
If you don't have Microsoft word, you can download OpenOffice at openoffice.org and save/edit your .doc files there. Send your registration/questions/comments/or anything in general about SoyCon to SoyCon@soycon.com.
SoyCon would like to introduce our first musical guest. Chain Ze +Stigma is a local band that formed together not too long ago that love to perform Japanese cover songs and using their music talents to create their own. Hopefully one day the group will perform many shows that features their own music and J-Rock cover music. Chain Ze +Stigma is interested on being SoyCon's first musical guests as they perform their acoustic pieces for the audience to listen to.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to announce that 3 events are now accepting pre-registration: Karaoke Idol, Cosplay Masquerade, and The Improv Masquerade. Remember, you cannot participate in both cosplay and improv masquerade. You can only select one of the two. Although, you can participate in Karaoke Idol and one of the two masquerades. Please make sure you follow the rules and guidelines that are posted in the Events section within the Picnic section. You can go to the corresponding pages to pre-register or click one of the links below to download your form. Once you're finished, you can send them to SoyCon@SoyCon.com.
The TBA people open positions for any attendee who wants to take part of the wedding. Please contact one of the wedded coupls listed in the page. You can find them mostly on the ACen forums.
I did some more updating. I've now created detailed information for 6 events for the SoyCon picnic. You can view them under the "Events" section of the "Picnic" or you can view the following links below:
I apologe for the lack of updates here on SoyCon. I've been working hard committing my time for this huge event as well as several other things such as Anime Central and Anime Expo. I've been developing each event that is happening during this weekend. Once I finish them, they will be uploaded on this site. In the meantime, rules and guidelines are up for the SoyCon Cosplay Masquerade and Karaoke Idol. You may view them on the SoyCon forums under "The Picnic". Registration for those two events will be up when the rest of the events are uploaded online. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me by e-mail. I am also looking for 3 judges that want to judge the Improv Masquerade. E-mail me at SoyCon@SoyCon.com for more information.
Pre-Registration for badges are still going! Check the "Registration" section for more information on how you can pre-register. Pre-Registration ends on June 1st.
Photographers and videographers are welcomed. We love someone who are willing to take shots of all the action that goes down at SoyCon!!!
SoyCon 2 official website is now online! Browse through the site for more information on how you can be part of SoyCon! It's been awhile since thte last update and there's alot to catch up on. The new site still has some rough edges, but they will be cleaned up slowly everyday. If you noticed an error or a problem with the page, you can contact Soy at SoyCon@SoyCon.com. Don't forget to pre-register for SoyCon. Check out the "Registration" section for more details. If you want to staff/volunteer for SoyCon, head towards the "General Information" and go to "Staff and Volunteers". You should be able to download a form to fill out and send it back to SoyCon.
Hey everyone. I know it has been a long time since I made an update here on SoyCon. I've been going through alot of stuff that had been keepin me from working on anything here for this con. But now I got some stuff settled and out of the way. I can start working on the details of the up and coming SoyCon 2. So since the holiday season is coming up, I will be working on version 2 on the site. In the meantime, I completed the Soycon Staff/Volunteer application. So for anyone who will or want to be on staff for SoyCon 2, please click here to download the .doc file and fill out the following. When you're done, email your copy to me at SoyCon@soycon.com. I will review each application and get back to you as soon as I can. Thank You.
I want to thank you so much for attending this event. I'm very pleased to see so many of you having such a huge blast. I apologize for some of the mistakes I've made throughout the weekend, but this was my first time running this with a slight taste of a convention system. I'll be going back to the drawing board to see what went good and what went bad. I'll try my best to fix these mistakes so it doesn't happen again next year. And yes, I said "next year". The turnout for this event was so epic, we are definately going to do it again.
The photoshoot was such a scare at the beginning because the forecast and before the photoshoot was going to hell. Thunderstorming and heavy rain hit Chicago. I was freaking out because it pushed me back into a wall of either cancelling it or risking the photoshoot and make the attendees uncomfortable. So, I called Strawberry and via 3-way with HEDGESMFG to aid me on what to do. With some help from them getting my mind straight and also referencing a couple anime quotes, I went full force to complete the decision. I'm sorry for those who couldn't make it to the photoshoot at all, we wished you all came, it was such a blast.
The picnic was probably the best picnics I've ever attended to. I do not remember the last time I had fun like that. Everyone had fun goofing off, being random, and being very social. I hope everyone at the picnic met new friends. The panels went pretty smoothly despite the timing of the schedule was very off. The SoyCon Cosplay was pretty darn good for it's first time running it. I want to thank mens pocky, R1kku, and Ononoke for running it and keeping it organized. Next time I'll make more copies than just 20. I didn't expect the contest will have almost 40 people. All the participants did a great job doing their walk-ons and entertaining the crowd. Now that I got the word from one of the judges, I'm here to announce the winners of the 1st Ever SoyCon Cosplay:
Judge's: Stephanie as Eureka from Eureka Seven
Novice: Ami as Lady from Devil May Cry 3
Journeyman: AI as Grimmjaw from BLEACH
Master: Foad as Makoto Shishio from Rorouni Kenshin
Congrats to all of the winners. And finally the roast. O god the roast was probably one of the most epic things anyone has done in a gathering. I got smoked so hard, I actually got a cold from it. XD But thank you to all for making the roast the exclamation point of SoyCon, it was very well done.
I want to thank everyone for coming out to SoyCon and I hope you all had a blast. Hopefully this gathering will be a memorable one, next year will be in the works. I know some of you guys wanted to staff for SoyCon, so I will be putting applications online for anyone who is interested doing staff. I'm not sure when I'll post it, but I'll let you all know.
Finally, I LOVE YOU ALL!!! I WOULDN'T NEVER THOUGHT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WILL HAPPEN BUT IT DID!!! *tears of joy* This really means alot to me, more than the acen skit award this year. This had been something amazing and it was one hell of a ride.
After checking hour after hour until 3:30am. I came to a decision that everyone will be checking in with me in times between 8am-9am at the parking lot on 9th St. and Wabash Ave. (where we will be meeting at). Once it strikes 9am, I will be no longer aiding people who arrive late at the parking lot. Chances that we will be going to Navy Pier for a few hours since most of the outdoor locations rained on us. I'm very sad this came about and all of you had high hopes of having fun under the sun. I cannot control mother nature, but we can control on what we can do to have fun. I'll be seeing all of you at the parking lot. Please bring umbrellas to cover yourselves, some extra clothes, and money for taking the CTA trains. You may stay at the parking lot until the shift or you can meet us at Navy Pier around 10:30-11:00am. I need everyone to meet by the McD's. Please look for me or the other staff members so we can round up everyone to start the backup plan for the photoshoot. Again, I'm sorry that the rain chose a bad day. I've worked so hard for this event, then to be shatterned with bad weather. Let's try to follow this backup plan and we'll go from there. Thank you.
I apologize for the lack of updating because I was going though preparations going to Anime Expo with Disneyland and Six Flags Magic Mountain afterwards. Now that I'm back, I can start focusing on SoyCon. Pretty much alot of things are done, but not everything is complete yet. I'll be going through every single post in between times of July 1st till today and I'll be replying as many messages as possible. It's important that everyone knows what they are doing so they don't be confused at the time of arrival. If I haven't got back to you yet either via email or PM on any site that I'm on, please resend the email again immediately. I want to make sure everyone is on the right direction. For those who have pre-registered for the SoyCon cosplay, I'll be sending out confirmations so you know that you are registered for the contest.
As for the weather, I had been given reports of a high percent chance of rain during the Chicago photoshoot portion on Saturday. If it does rain, I'll be holding a manditory SoyCon meeting for everyone at the 9th St. and Wabash parking lot. Please bring your umbrellas if it does rain. I'll be making an announcement that if it does rain Saturday, we are all taking the CTA train and spending the whole day at Navy Pier. So please bring a little extra money for the train.
To all SoyCon staff and honorary staff members, we will hold a final meeting before the event arrives. We are going to make sure everyone has gotten everything down and run through any questions or considerations.
If anyone has any questions, please PM me or email me at SoyCon@SoyCon.com
The SoyCon cosplay competition pre-registration and details are now online. You can go into the Events section and click the "SoyCon Cosplay" to learn more details on how you can join. Please make sure you read all of the rules and guidelines before pre-registering. If you have any questions or concerns, you can email me at soycon@soycon.com. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. The pre-registration deadline is July 10, 2008. If you miss the deadline, you can still register during the SoyCon picnic. With also that in mind, awards will be given out for those who showcase the best costumes in each level. Comissioned costumes or found item costumes are not allowed to participate, unless it's highly modified. We wish you all good luck during the SoyCon cosplay competition.
There has been an important change to the SoyCon picnic location. This will be the last and final change for the picnic location. The new location is located at Deer Grove East located in Palatine, IL. Make sure you notify anyone is going to change their arrangements upon this new location. I apologize for those who cannot make it due to the location change. I was having a permit issue, but I worked hard and got this solved as soon as possible. I hope everyone can make it to this event and me and my staff will do whatever we can to provide the best fun for everyone. Schedule and direction pages are readjusted to the correct information. To finalize, the dates of July 12 & 13 will remain set as stone.
I finally found a new picnic location that is more convenient than Gray Farm Park. The new park location is at Busse Woods, closeby Arlington Heights Rd. & Higgins Rd. in between the cities of Schaumburg & Arlington Heights. I still need to get a permit from the place, but I do not have enough funds to purchase it. At least not yet. I am placing a donation link to put up here linking SoyCon to my PayPal account. Me and my staff will be contributing for the event as well. If you would like to contribute/donate to SoyCon. Click the "Donate" link at the top of the SoyCon Forums. Thank you in advance. ^_^
Anime Central is now over and now we look forward to SoyCon coming in about 2 months!!! I''ve got the original goers who are once again going and I've dragged along some new people so expect to meet some new folks. In other news, the dates for July 12 & 13 might be changing since the estimation for the picnic attendence might be more than I estimated. I'm searching for different picnic locations around the Chicagoland or suburbs that are big enough to host this events. It will be still be in July, so stay tuned for a later update. Also, if anyone has any suggestions on a picnic location, please look it up and send me the details. Send information via email at SoyCon@soycon.com
I hope everyone has their costumes done for Anime Central. I know I didn't. *teardrop* I'm sure everyone I know I didn't. *teardrop* I'm sure everyone takes lots of good pictures and have a great time. Come checkout meand my other friends @ the masquerade cosplay show and DON'T FORGET TO GET A TICKET FOR THE SHOW!!! Other than that, I'll seeya all there! You may post videos, blogs, and pictures on the SoyCon forums. I will be putting up an ACen section before I leave for ACen. After ACen is passed, it will be SoyCon's turn to shine!
SoyCon website debuts. Feel free to browse around the site for more information on the gathering. Also, check out the forums to communicate with the others on what are they planning to do at SoyCon.
