Ai-Kon
| Ai-Kon
<tr><th>Status</th><td>Active</td></tr><tr><th>Venue</th><td>Winnipeg Convention Centre</td></tr><tr><th>Location</th><td>Winnipeg, Manitoba</td></tr><tr><th>Country</th><td> Canada</td></tr><tr><th>First held</th><td>2001</td></tr><tr><th>Attendance</th><td>1,551 in 2007</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center;">Official website</td></tr>
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Ai-Kon is an anime convention that has been held annually since 2003 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in Canada. The convention runs 24 hours a day for three days, and includes anime, cosplay, video games, and many other contests and activities.
[edit] History
Ai-Kon was first held in July 2001 at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba,[1] and was run by the University of Manitoba Anime Club (UMAnime). In 2002 the event went on hiatus for one year, and in July 2003 a second Ai-Kon was held at the university.[2] Since 2004 the convention has been organized by an independent volunteer committee and has been held annually in Winnipeg each summer.[3]
[edit] Event history
| Dates | Location | Atten. | Guests
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| July 20–22, 2001
| University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
<td style="text-align: center">500[1]</td>
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| July 25–27, 2003
| University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
<td style="text-align: center">700[2]</td>
|
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| July 30 – August 1, 2004
| Sheraton Hotel
Winnipeg, Manitoba
<td style="text-align: center">1,000[4]</td>
|
|
| August 12–14, 2005
| Winnipeg Convention Centre
Winnipeg, Manitoba[5]
<td style="text-align: center"></td>
|
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| July 21–July 23, 2006
| Winnipeg Convention Centre
Winnipeg, Manitoba
<td style="text-align: center">1,100[6]</td>
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| July 27–29, 2007
| Winnipeg Convention Centre
Winnipeg, Manitoba
<td style="text-align: center">1,551</td>
| Greg Ayres and Vic Mignogna[3]
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| July 25–27, 2008
| Winnipeg Convention Centre
Winnipeg, Manitoba
<td style="text-align: center"></td>
| Chris Ayres, Greg Ayres, Laura Bailey and Johnny Yong Bosch.[7]
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[edit] Origin of the name
Ai (pronounced "eye" not "ay") means "love" in Japanese, hence Ai-Kon's slogan "For the love of anime".
[edit] Events
- Masquerade - A costume competition, also referred to as the Cosplay Contest.
- Guests - Ai-Kon has broken out in to getting guests, for the first time they were able to present our con goers with Greg Ayres & Vic Mignogna.
- Dealers' Room - Anime, manga and video game-related items are available for purchase from Canadian and United States dealers.
- Artist's Faire & Auction- Artists can purchase a table from which to sell their art, as well as enter it in the live auction.
- Showing Rooms - Various anime and live-action titles are shown 24 hours during the three days of the convention.
- Panels - Various panels have been held at past Ai-Kons, including Chaji (Japanese Tea Ceremony) performed by the MJCCC (Manitoba Japanese Canadian Cultural Center), Go, cosplay, Para Para, Asian Ball-Joint Dolls, and sushi-making.
- Dance - Features a variety of anime and video game-related music, as well as other J-music.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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