Destielcon 2015

I got the happy chance to attend the second annual Destielcon, and it was just as glorious as the last – if not more! This year, like last year, the convention was filled with the promise of exciting fan-run panels, games, art, kindness and a dance party. Destielcon had some brilliant special guests, including the fandom’s favorite fanwork artists and authors, Riptide Publishing, and The Cincinnati Ghost Hunters. Panel discussions ranged from AUs, multi-shipping, and how to’s, and had con-goers engaged. Destielcon 2015 was a blast full of love and fandom fun.  

Destielcon hosted a variety of fan-run panels from everything Supernatural to fandom, and how to survive college as a fanperson. Since this is Destielcon, of course there was a panel for ‘The Destiel of Season 10’ which discussed Season 10 of Supernatural‘s subtext and romance tropes. The panel ‘An Asexual Interpretation of Castiel’ was enlightening for many as asexuality is often ignored. Many left the Asexual Interpretation panel with new knowledge about the asexual spectrum and a different view of Castiel.  A panel called “Why Angels Weep’ opened up a conversation about The Doctor (Doctor Who) and Castiel. The panel ‘Creating a Safe and Friendly Fandom’ touched on the Supernatural fandom’s problem with bullying. The panelists and fans in the audience spoke about how there is a place for all kinds of fans in the fandom; that it’s okay to not like something that someone else does, just don’t be an ass*ole about it.  In short, the internet is a big place with room for everyone.

Riptide Publishing and The Cincinnati Ghost Hunters hosted a panel each. The writing workshop let aspiring authors bring in the first 500 words of a WIP (work in progress) to be read from the view of an acquiring editor. The Cincinnati Ghost Hunters brought along a ton of awesome ‘ghost hunting’ equipment. They told us stories of haunted places around the Cincinnati area with audio and video of actual ghosts (perhaps?)! The BDSM and Smut 101 panels were both 18-plus panels, where IDs were checked beforehand. At Destielcon, there was a panel for everyone!

Panels were not the only fun to be had at Destielcon. On Friday, fans joined together to sing their favorite songs at Karaoke night. Saturday night, the ‘Angels and Demons Masquerade’ let fans shake it off in style! At the Masquerade, one con-goer surprised their partner with a beautiful proposal of marriage! Congratulations, you two!  Destielcon hosted a fan video competition and a fanfiction writing competition; yes, tears may have fallen with all the fluff. On Sunday, the Destielcon staff left open a whole three hours for GishWhEs mayhem. Saturday during the welcome ceremonies, the staff voted on which item they would provide materials for and they chose the Save the Unicorns video. The staff only provided the gishers with the materials to make the t-shirt for this item. The rest, like finding a location to film the video and filming it, was up to the gishers. The vendors and the cosplayers at Destielcon were fabulous!

My favorite parts of Destielcon were the welcoming atmosphere, the kind staff, and the love from fellow fans. At one particular panel, the Fan Art Workshop, this could be felt through and through. There is nothing like sitting in a room of like-minded people and just ‘arting’ away for the fun of it and making silly jokes. In so many ways, fandom, which celebrates art together, also creates art together. I cannot think of anything more beautiful than that when I think of fandoms.

Destielcon 2015 was more than just a fan-run non-profit convention; it was a place to discover new family and celebrate Supernatural together in a safe, kind, and loving way. Destielcon also showed us that it’s a place to learn as many of the con-goers left with a new understanding of the asexual spectrum, myself included. Thank you to Destielcon for the amazing time this year, and here’s to next year!

Author: Mina Beans

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