The Stillwater Community Center, the Stillwater Public Library, Prairie Arts Center, and Visit Stillwater are excited to announce that vendor, panelist, and presenter applications are now being accepted for LexiCon 2024, Stillwater’s mini pop culture convention, scheduled to return on Saturday, October 26.
“We’re seeking presenters and vendors that appeal to a wide variety of fandoms,” says Stephanie Kinder, Community Programs Manager for the City of Stillwater. “Lexicon is focused on creating an event in which anyone in the community can participate and celebrate the pop culture works they love, as long as it fits with the family-friendly environment of Lexicon.”
Lexicon is a celebration of books, comics, movies, creativity, and excitement across all sorts of fandoms. It began as a small event at the Stillwater Public Library in 2015, but success brought quick growth. Lexicon soon expanded to include not only the library, but also the entire Downtown Stillwater Cultural District, which also includes the Community Center, Prairie Arts and other organizations. Its planning committee now includes representatives from the Library, Community Center, Prairie Arts, OSU Museum of Art, Stillwater History Museum at the Sheerar, Stillwater Public Schools, Modella Art Gallery, and the Society for Creative Anachronism.
“As it’s grown and then with frequent requests to bring it back during its absence following the pandemic, we’ve realized LexiCon has the potential to really become an event that’s not only fun for those in our community but that also draws a crowd from surrounding communities and the metro areas,” says Kinder. “With a group of nonprofits running it, it’s a really unique event. We want to focus on keeping it free for everyone to attend so that money isn’t a barrier to participation.”
“We’re working to have a fun, engaging, and educational event for our community and one that brings people into our local economy,” she says. That community nonprofit involvement allows LexiCon to have vendor fees that cover the cost of the convention but that are low enough to allow smaller and less established vendors to participate.
Exhibitor spaces are available starting at $50 for a single booth space and range up to $175. Kinder says, “If you’re a new artist, author, or craftsperson that’s looking to get started in the comic convention scene, Lexicon would be a great place to try it out.”
Saturday activities at the community center, library, and art center will consist of a comic convention environment, including vendors, artists, authors, medieval skills demonstrations, workshops, crafts, guest speakers/panels, and a cosplay (costume) contest. Following the event, Stonecloud Stillwater will host a dog cosplay contest that the planning committee has named “Pawsplay.”
Planning for the event is still taking shape, but the committee anticipates adding activities, including a possible community concert and Friday evening activities, which may include a video game tournament and tabletop or card gaming sessions. The event recently received a $2,500 grant from Visit Stillwater that the planning committee says will allow a few event enhancements. Details on additions, attractions, panels, and guests will be added to Lexicon’s website and social media in the coming months.
