DreamHack, where gaming meets lifestyle. What does that even mean? While gaming is a huge part of nerd/blerd culture, it is so much more than just turning on a console or PC and playing your favorite video games. It’s a stepping stone into a world full of adventure and stories, sometimes it can be an inspiration for people to create their own or bring their favorites to life. One of the more popular ways is through cosplay, where people can craft clothes, hair, jewelry, props, etc. in order to be their favorite character for a day or two.
DreamHack 2024 was no stranger to the phenomenon of cosplay. There were men, women, enbys, and children alike all dressed up as characters from their favorite fandoms. I was lucky enough to go and take in all of the sights and sounds myself. The cosplay contests were amazing, and I was so happy to see black and brown faces among the crowd. One cosplayer in particular, Celsius (they/she), is definitely one to keep an eye on.
Dallas creative, Celsius, was among the cosplayers in attendance. I got the opportunity to meet them and marvel in their talents. I was in the arcade area playing Dance, Dance, Revolution (IYKYK) and I saw someone dressed as Roxas from Kingdom Hearts. I was immediately overcome with excitement and ran to tell them how cool I thought they looked. We had a great little chat and I have since followed them on their Instagram, @celsiusshi, where they post their cosplay updates.
There was no shortage of amazing Black cosplayers at the convention. Both on stage and off. Take a look at these creators who braved DreamHackโs cosplay contest!
The next DreamHack event will be DreamHack Dallas, May 23-25, so if you haven’t already gotten your passes, please do! If you’re unsure whether or not you’ll be able to attend the entire weekend, they do offer single day passes as well. That way you can attend at least one day and get a chance to receive some free goodies. By far one of the most fun ways is with Booth Bingo. You’ll receive a bingo card with the names of different booths in each space and you go to each booth and collect a stamp. At the end, you’ll receive a gift of some kind from that vender. It could be a sticker, a shirt, or a coupon for a future purchase. That’s one of the fun ways to get free goodies, but there are so many others to be uncovered.
If you haven’t visited their host site head on over or click here. You’ll enter a wonderland of so many cool things and who knows? You just might make some new friends!