Indy PopCon returns this weekend with drag queens, celebs and a (non-violent) Squid Game

Indy PopCon, Indianapolis' weekend-long pop culture celebration, will return to the Convention Center this weekend with brand-new features, including a Pride night to kick things off and its own non-lethal Squid Game.

"We really strive hard to make sure you can't walk 5 feet without finding something to do," said founder and owner Carl Doninger, a Broad Ripple resident. "We fight hard against that flea market, walking through a con with lifeless vendors feeling."

The convention, now in its ninth year, will open its vendor floor from 1-7 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Entertainment and other events will continue into the night.

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Tickets are still available, with three-day admission going for $60 for adults and $5 for children. A family of four can get in to the entire weekend for $120. Single-day passes are also available for $30-$40.

Doninger, an avid tabletop gamer, first approached Indianapolis' Gen Con about a pop culture event in 2012. He would eventually partner with comicspriceguide.com to host the first PopCon in 2014, which drew about 8,000 people.

At its height, PopCon has attracted more than 30,000 for its annual celebration. Last year, it drew about 26,000.

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Doninger is hoping to set a new record this year, and he stressed that setting such a record would be good for the state.

"We're the only locals putting on this type of event," Doninger said. "(Similar conventions) are bringing in the stuff, then taking the money away. We're keeping everything in Central Indiana."

Squid Game

The Squid Game, based on the white-hot Netflix series of the same name, took the most planning, Doninger said.

It will consist of six schoolyard games played over Saturday and Sunday, with the winner receiving a lifetime three-day pass to PopCon.

"We're not telling anyone what the games are," Doninger explained. "Very few people working here even know."

The penalty for elimination is simply a return to the convention life. Not death, as in the show.

Entry is limited and only available for three-day pass holders over 18 years old. Prospective players must fill out an online form. If there's overflow, contestants will be chosen at random.

Pride Night

The convention will also host a series of LGBTQ-friendly kickoff events in partnership with Indy Pride and coinciding with Pride Month.

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Doninger explained PopCon ran on the same weekend as the Indy Pride Festival in 2018 and 2019.

"The convention center usually gives us two or three dates: One tolerable, and two horrible," he said.

"I am a member of (the LGBTQ) community, and I've been in talks with several Indy Pride board iterations to set something up," Doninger said. "Now we're part of their Pride lineup, and neither of us is stepping on each other's toes."

Bloomington drag queen Oriana Perón will host a two-hour "Drag Race" style show beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, with audience participation encouraged. Perón will then perform with friends at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Panel discussions, stand-up comedy and educational events will also be sprinkled throughout.

Other attractions

Like similar events, PopCon will host a number of celebrity guests, a cosplay competition for beginners and experts and several ongoing attractions.

Guests include actor Tom Arnold ("Roseanne") and "Yellowstone" stars Ian Bohen, Jefferson White and Denim Richards.

Laser tag, virtual reality and tabletop games, dozens of vendors and an escape room will also be available.

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Finally, PopCon will host a film festival featuring almost 70 films from more than 20 countries.

"These are films that aren't necessarily going to make it to a mainstream theater," Doninger said. "New directors, fan-made stuff. But this is a passion project. Film is a huge part of pop culture."

PopCon's overall goal is quite simply "to make the weekend fun," he added.

To purchase tickets, find more information and see a complete schedule, visit popcon.us.

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Rory Appleton is the pop culture reporter at IndyStar. Contact him at 317-552-9044 and rappleton@indystar.com, or follow him on Twitter at @RoryDoesPhonics.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: PopCon Indy: Ticketing, event info for Indianapolis convention