Diamond Dust Cosplay: PortCon Maine 2008 Report

Costumes Worn:

Tifa Lockheart, Advent Children
Midnight Rose, Original Design
Rinoa Heartilly, Kingdom Hearts
Princess Tutu, Princess Tutu

Performances:

Masquerade: "Disney Heck" Skit

Awards:

2nd Place, Journeyman Craftsmanship
OMGWTFBBQ Performance Award
Masquerade

Convention Photos:

PortCon Maine is New England's oldest anime and gaming convention, held annually in southern Maine. The fan-based convention's organizers are committed to maintaining a relaxed, small-convention atmosphere which focuses on promoting socialization among attendees, guests, artists, and performers.

Convention Overview:
For its seventh year, the convention moved from its long-time home at the Sheraton Hotel and Convention Center in South Portland to the larger Eastland Park Hotel in downtown Portland. The more spacious Eastland Hotel was a welcome change from the crowded panel rooms and claustrophobic halls of the Sheraton, and the beautiful two-story main event ballroom was a fantastic upgrade in venue for PortCon's masquerade. The contest itself benefited from improved organization and ran more smoothly than last year's event, much to the delight of cosplayers. Layout-wise, however, the Eastland's antique architecture forced PortCon to spread its events out amongst a labyrinth of floors, rooms, and odd corners, which made it difficult for attendees to browse the convention's activities. The narrow staircases also made it challenging for cosplayers with large or complex costumes to access all areas of the convention. However, despite these drawbacks, the new downtown location allowed attendees access to the shops, restaurants, and events going on in the heart of Portland - including watching the city's beautiful Fourth of July fireworks display from the hotel's roof! In addition, the unique and varied architecture of downtown Portland provided cosplayers with a lot of options for taking interesting photos. Overall, I think the change is a good one, and I hope the convention remains at this location in 2009.

Thursday & Friday Saturday Sunday