C2E2

C2E2 is Chicago's annual comic and entertainment event. The event advertises itself as a place for "nerds to call home" and caters to fans of a majority of different things from comics, books, movies, etc. The event is sponsored by ReedPop a company which also hosts comic-con, book expos and other pop culture related events.

C2E2 is a three day event, featuring special events such as the Crown Championships of Cosplay, where event goers can dress up and enter into the contest where their costumes are evaluated and they can be chosen to compete regionally, and nationally for a chance to win money and the title of Global Champion of Cosplay.

They also have times and locations for fans of specific things (i.e. Game of Thrones) to meet up and interact with each other. The event also has guests from all different backgrounds like entertainment, literary, comic, and gaming. The cast of Clueless reunited at the event for a panel. This caught my attention because in class the other day we had briefly mentioned that the 90's are becoming part of popular culture again and Clueless which came out in 1995 has been a fairly popular movie from that time. They also held a panel featuring the actors from Mortal Kombat which a popular game and movie from the 90's and had members of the original Power Rangers cast as well.

Based on the multiple social media accounts, hashtags, and media coverage it appears that this event is very successful with fans everywhere. The event has something for fans of everything from comics, video games, disney characters, books, and more.

One major theme from the event that I noticed and admire is the amount of inclusion that this event promotes. There are events for all ages from children to adults, and it promotes a welcoming environment for everyone. Looking through the about section of their web page I was surprised by how accommodating the event is. They offer special support for disabled guests and also those with special medical accommodations. They also list various locations for guests who may need a few moments away from the crowds. They have a quiet room for quests to rest and recharge themselves, a family room for guests with small children. There are also all gendered restrooms, and they even offer a special room for mothers who breastfeed (most places don't even offer changing tables for infants!). As a mother of a child with Autism an event like this would be intimidating to event attempt, but with this amount of consideration and inclusion is amazing and I think most likely contributes to the success of the event and their idea of providing a place where everyone is welcome.

I did notice on their media page that the event also paired up with Heartland Blood Center to encourage event goers to donate blood and even gave away free shirts. This is a good way to  help those in need and also allows fans to possibly save lives like the superheroes that they admire.
https://www.c2e2.com/en/Media/Press-Releases/Be-a-hero-and-donate-at-Heartland-Blood-Centers-C2E2-Blood-Drive/