April 09, 2024
Cherry Street Pier/Facebook
The Philly Otaku Fest will feature gaming competitions and more than 70 vendors in an Artists Alley. Pictured above is last year's event at the Cherry Street Pier.
The Delaware River Waterfront will get a small taste of fandom conventions this weekend.
Philly Otaku Fest is returning to Cherry Street Pier for another round of cosplay contests, gaming sessions and an entire Artists Alley for visitors. The event will run from Friday, April 12, to Sunday, April 14, with no cost for entry.
The event, which Cherry Street Pier hosted last year as "Philly Otaku Con," stems from the Philly Otaku community. (Otaku is a Japanese term that refers to people with special interests in anime, video games and other related avenues in popular culture.)
Event planner Becky de Maul and artist Keni Thomas co-founded Philly Otaku, which also organizes cosplay and fandom meetups at other conventions. The group also organized Poke Pier, a Pokemon-themed event on Cherry Street Pier in 2021 and 2023.
"This community is unique and beautiful. It's diverse in every way and welcoming," said de Maul. "We created Philly Otaku Fest to celebrate that community and the fandoms we all share; to have fun, enjoy each other, and have a great shared experience."
Posted by Philly Otaku on Sunday, April 7, 2024
This year's schedule will have several of the same attractions as last year's events. The Artists Alley will feature more than 70 vendors, and panels will hit on topics like convention etiquette and how to draw your own Pokemon.
The bar will serve "weebie" drinks — the term "weeb" being a sometimes derogatory term for someone obsessed with Japanese culture. Food offerings come from Electronic Eats, Philly Tacos and French Toast Bites.
Other fun items include video game tournaments run by Origin of Play, a meetup for "Dragon Ball Z" fans, a 360-degree photo booth called "That Laser Jawn" and a Beyblade tournament called "Beyblade Jawn." Yes, those spinning top toys with their own anime show are still in style.
Anyone brave enough to fully flaunt their fandom in Philly can participate in the cosplay parade. Either way, pop culture enthusiasts can embrace their nerdiness and show off their passion and pride for the properties they love.
