Comic-Cons have grown in popularity in recent years to become beloved community events — moving beyond their comic-book convention roots into all-encompassing grand celebrations of superheroes, games, films, and nerdy fun for all.

A Klamath Falls Tradition Building

While not the first Comic-Con held in Klamath Falls — the Klamath County Library had previously hosted an annual convention, and Oregon Tech hosts an annual event primarily for college students — last year's KCC Comic-Con drew travelers from as far away as Sacramento and Salem, totaling over 2,000 in attendance.

That attendance — for a debut event — exceeded organizer expectations and demonstrated the demand for an all-welcoming, free, community-wide pop-culture celebration in the basin.

2023 — Bigger, Better, Saturday

Based on overwhelmingly positive feedback, it was quickly determined in the best interest of KCC and the community to host an all-welcoming free event annually.

To accommodate anticipated larger crowds, KCC Comic-Con has been moved from a Friday in May to a summertime Saturday — better timing for families and visitors.

Months of Planning

Extensive planning has been underway for months to improve on last year's success.

Visitors this year can anticipate:

  • A film festival
  • Featured speakers
  • Live music
  • Games
  • Virtual reality experiences
  • Hands-on interactive KCC program demonstrations
  • A cosplay costume contest
  • A light and puppet show presented by Laika Studios animators
  • More than 50 vendors
  • The cherry on top — a food court

KCC Program Demonstrations

An added emphasis this year will be the demonstration of KCC programs — where kids and adults can learn everything from:

  • CPR
  • Woodworking
  • Learning to drive a semi-truck or fly an airplane via full-motion simulators

One campus building will be dedicated to the history of videogames — with consoles stretching back as far as 1972 available to play.

That videogame history hall is a brilliant addition. Comic Cons everywhere have struggled to differentiate themselves — KCC is doing it by integrating their educational programs and community history alongside the standard convention fare.

Board Games and D&D

Other areas will feature:

  • Board games
  • Dungeons & Dragons adventures
  • Tabletop gaming demonstrations
  • Card-game tournaments

For the analog-gaming community — increasingly large in the post-pandemic era — these tabletop offerings provide a different, social, screen-free way to engage with the convention.

Why KCC's Comic-Con Approach Works

What KCC has done that some Comic-Cons don't:

1. Free admission

Lowering the barrier to entry brings families who might never attend a paid convention.

2. All-ages programming

From toddler-friendly puppet shows to adult-oriented vendor halls, every family member finds something.

3. Educational integration

CPR. Woodworking. Truck-driving simulators. Pilot training. That's not what most Comic-Cons offer — but it's exactly what KCC's community-service mission requires.

4. Community vendor focus

50+ vendors — many local — turn Comic-Con into a small-business showcase alongside the fan-culture programming.

5. Cross-genre appeal

Films, music, gaming, comics, cosplay, tabletop, virtual reality, animation. Whatever your specific pop-culture interest, KCC Comic-Con probably has it.

What to Expect on the Day

For families and individuals planning to attend:

  • Arrive early — parking and crowd management work better in the morning
  • Bring cash and card — vendors and food trucks vary in payment options
  • Wear comfortable shoes — large campus, lots of walking
  • Hydrate — July in Klamath Falls is dry and warm
  • Cosplay welcome — if you want to compete, register for the contest
  • Bring kids — the family fun zone, puppet show, and game demos work for younger attendees
  • Stay for the whole day — the film festival, live music, and evening programs round out the experience

Why This Matters for Klamath Falls

Annual community events at this scale do important things for a town:

  • Bring visitors — and the dollars they spend at restaurants, gas stations, hotels
  • Build community pride — locals see their town producing something genuinely fun
  • Showcase KCC — prospective students and their families experience the campus
  • Connect generations — kids and grandparents play 1980s video games together
  • Celebrate creativity — cosplay, art, music, and storytelling get an audience

Mark Your Calendar

KCC Comic-Con 2023 Saturday, July 15 · Noon to 9 p.m. Klamath Community College Campus 7390 S. Sixth Street, Klamath Falls klamathcc.edu/news

Sponsored by Klamath Community College.

Get Involved

If you want to be part of KCC Comic-Con beyond attending:

Volunteer

Day-of volunteers help with crowd management, vendor support, kid-zone activities, and the dozens of small tasks that keep a 2,000+ attendee event running.

Vendor

If you're an artist, small business, or fan-community group with relevant offerings, the vendor hall is one of the basin's best one-day pop-culture exposure opportunities.

Sponsor

Local businesses sponsoring KCC Comic-Con get visibility to the entire convention crowd — and demonstrate community investment.

See You at the Con

For Klamath Basin readers — this is your weekend pop-culture event.

For visitors from Sacramento, Salem, and beyond — welcome to Klamath Falls. Stop at Mia & Pia's after the con. Have breakfast at one of our downtown restaurants. Hike around Crater Lake on Sunday before heading home.

Game on. See you at KCC Comic-Con.