Grande Prairie pop culture fair “GPop” is returning for a second time. It will be held at D-Coy Armouries on November 24th from 4 to 9 p.m. and the 25th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The self-proclaimed “best darn B-tier event” in Grande Prairie features everything from fashion to meet-and-greets. Event founder Blaine Burke says the show puts an emphasis on local artists and writers, to give them an opportunity to showcase their art in an affordable and fun setting.
“You would never realize that Grande Prairie has some really creative people, like sci-fi book authors, independent comic book creators, and board game designers. I think it’s so important because I didn’t see an event that showcased local talent the way I wanted to showcase local talent, and I really wanted to create more of a pop-culture, grassroots community here in Grande Prairie.”
Burke says when he started the event in 2022, he wanted to make sure that cost was not a prohibitive factor for vendors or customers. This year, entry to the venue is $5 and table rental for vendors is $65 for the full two days.
“We wanted to make it affordable, we wanted to make it about pop culture and not about making a pile of money. It’s very attainable for a vendor who may just be starting out, like the many artists we have, or for a seasoned veteran who is just looking for the opportunity to really showcase the stuff they have without having to sacrifice a lot of product up front.”
Additionally, Burke says when he came up with the idea, interaction was front of mind, and this year’s event features a variety of opportunities for attendees including photo ops, gaming, and meet-and-greets with local artists and this year’s special guest One Bad Sun lead singer and comic writer Shane Connery Volk.
Volk’s popular “Nottingham” series has been published five times, and Burke says Volk will be in attendance to sign and give away multiple first-edition copies to fans. The event is cash and e-transfer only, and a cash machine will not be on site.
