Local Partnership Highlights New Tulsa Pop Culture Expo
COSPLAY GROUP: Tulsa Pop Kids cosplay group at the recent announcement of the Tulsa Pop Culture Expo 2018 at Woodland Hills Mall. Pictured from left are Courtney Allen, Krystal Orpi, Tuck Davion, Brittany Wardlow, Gabriella Frame, Charlie Rosenthal and Dexter Nelson. Tulsa Pop Culture Expo is a compilation of Tulsa Pop Kids, XPO gaming festival and OKPOP museum. See purchase.growtix.com/e/tulsa_pop_culture_expo_2018.
GTR Newspapers photo
Tulsa Pop Kids, Game Festival and OKPOP are partnering together to produce the new Tulsa Pop Culture Expo, Nov. 2-4, 2018 at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center in Tulsa.
The partnership between Tulsa Pop Kids, Game Festival, and OKPOP derived from the intention of producing a successful event that showcases the pop culture industry for northeast Oklahoma. Tulsa Pop Culture Expo is a community-based event bringing together multiple organizations for one unified mission: showcasing all facets of the pop culture industry.
Tulsa Pop Culture Expo will merge different components from the pop culture industry. Each organization is providing a different segment throughout the three-day event. Tulsa Pop Kids will entice attendees with nationally-known guest appearances, cosplayers, panel sessions related to the comic book industry, and a large kids area with activities geared towards their interests.
“One of the wonderful things about Tulsa Pop Culture Expo is that it is an event with more than one bottom line,” says Ronald Veit, president of Tulsa Pop Kids, Inc. “While the financial side is critical, other bottom lines are equally important, such as getting kids excited about reading, highlighting Tulsa as a gaming destination for developers and players, and educating our guests about Oklahoma’s important historical influence on pop culture.”
Game Festival is slated to engage attendees with an eSports tournament, indie game competition, retro games, streaming lounge, gaming workshops, and panel sessions related to streaming and game development.
“On behalf of VisitTulsa, we are excited to join Tulsa Pop Kids and OKPOP to bring cutting edge technology and gaming to Tulsa’s emerging pop culture scene,” says Ray Hoyt, president of Tulsa Regional Tourism. “This partnership highlights Tulsa’s brand as a cultural destination for innovative thinkers and members of the creative class, and we are looking forward to welcoming gamers and developers from all over the world to Tulsa for this incredible experience.”
OKPOP plans to educate attendees on the impact Oklahomans have had on pop culture. Multiple forms of pop culture, including movies, music, video games and comic books have had Oklahomans contribute to them in meaningful ways.
“OKPOP is dedicated to the creative spirit of Oklahoma’s people and the influence of Oklahoma artists on pop culture around the world,” says Jeff Moore, executive director of OKPOP.
Tulsa Pop Culture Expo will also feature a concert on the evening of Nov. 2 to help kick-off the event. Musical acts include Bit Brigade and video game hip-hop star Mega Ran. Bit Brigade will perform the music from The Legend of Zelda while one of the band members completes the game on the big screen. Bit Brigade has been playing sold out shows across the country, and this special concert is included with a Tulsa Pop Culture Expo pass at no additional charge.
Tulsa Pop Culture Expo boasts over 46,000 square feet of space, including a kid’s area, gaming, panel sessions, cosplayers, artists, celebrities, pop culture and gaming vendors, and a historical perspective on Oklahoma’s influence on pop culture.
“When great organizations come together that are focused on the community, great things can happen,” says Arthur Greeno, fundraising chair for Tulsa Pop Kids, Inc. “There is no reason this convention cannot be the biggest one in the region.”
Tickets are on sale now. For a limited time, those purchasing tickets can take part in the loyalty promotion at last year’s prices and receive a one-day pass for only $15. Visit www.tulsapopcultureexpo.com to purchase tickets.
Updated 05-22-2018
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