One of the smallest conventions that I like to attend regularly is the North Staffs Sci Fi Convention, held twice a year (so far) at Bradwell Hall, near Newcastle Under Lyme. It might be small, but it punches above its weight - "Judge me by my size, do you?"
It doesn't have the star-pulling power of the other conventions - in particular, Stoke Con Trent - but it does what it does and it does it well. I've been to three of the last conventions, and it's generally a meeting of traders, some static props and some cosplay. The North Staffs Stormtroopers are regular guests, as is the North Staffordshire Tardis. As far as I recall, they've not drawn any celebrities, but this doesn't stop the convention from being a great place to meet like-minded enthusiasts, talk about your particular hobby (everything from Blake's 7 to Battlestar Galactica through to Star Trek, Star Wars and Transformers) and pick up some merchandise for your favourite book, film or TV show.
The traders offer a wide range of new and used items - toys, magazines and comics, DVDs and books are most prevalent (do you count Funko Pop as toys?). They come from near and far - the most recent convention back in April 2019 also include Retro City from Longton (they've just moved to larger premises, but still in Longton) and I was able to grab a number of photos of their stall.
Entry is reasonably priced, and there are also fairly-priced refreshments served in a spacious seating area, and there are plenty of characters in costume milling around and entertaining the visitors. On our last visit, we arrived early, and were able to enjoy meeting the Star Wars characters and other costumed entertainers before it became crowded.
As I mentioned, it's small, but this is not a disadvantage (especially if you're a sci-fi enthusiast with younger children). Think of it as compact. It won't take you too long to get around all the stalls, and you can be sure that you've seen everything and taken in all that's on offer. In my case, it was a chance to see some 1980s G1 Transformers 'in the flesh' for the first time in 30 years, grab some photos and move on. Younger children will enjoy some of the rummage bags and boxes of smaller items and you'll be able to get round everything without over-stretching their attention span.
And one other thing: the focus here is very much on Sci-Fi. I mentioned in my previous article that Stoke Con Trent has grown by becoming a Film, TV and Comic Convention - which is fair enough, and it's great to see it fluorish - and the North Staffs Sci Fi convention is much more strongly focused on Science Fiction (and superheroes). It's very much a comic con, and the smaller size is partly a consequence of its narrower focus.
I highly recommend North Staffs Sci Fi Convention - it's great to be able to support local traders and local fans, and I will continue to visit.
Next date: Saturday 12 October (the day before the next Stoke Con Trent - either by coincidence or design, the two fall very close together on the calendar!).
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