Portland Costume Crawl (Planning)

[SandPuppeteer]

So I've been seeing chatter around of people wanting a general cosplay get-together. Others chattering about wanting something RP-like. And ultimately a lot of "Well....I would, but I don't have the time to plan it."

Granted, most stuff I plan fizzles and dies, but we'll see how this goes. Because I want to start something!

The idea is quite simple, and inspired by a lot of the costume bar crawls I've been a part of in our fair city. Also, who doesn't love an excuse to run around downtown in costume?

I'm thinking mid to late summer (Julyish). Far enough out for people to get costumes done, but not too close to Kumoricon to cause a problem. Probably starting later in the afternoon. Either around the Pioneer Square area or crawling around the Pearl District/NW 23rdish area.

I've set up a Google Groups page to begin the planning, but here works, too!

Right now I'm just gathering interest and see what others would want to do. I set up the group so there can be an email list for if/when ideas get more solid.

Edit: For convenient reference, this event here is what I am basing this idea on.

[xxToki]

Oh! I would defiantly love to attend this and drag two to four of my friends with me. C:

[SandPuppeteer]

That's wonderful! And just the amount of people I needed, added to the people I've attracted through other sources. I'm working on finding a better location, cause Pioneer Square in the middle of the summer is usually pretty packed.

[nekovamp13]

This sounds very interesting, and I'd like to be apart of it ^^
I'm sure my cosplay group would be interested as well!

[Saki-the-cat]

Wait, so is this like a pub crawl? ono;

[nekovamp13]

Yes, but I assume without the going into actual bars, since people will be underaged...

[Saki-the-cat]

That's what i ment xD So it's just going to be like, going into random places (stores, malls, fast food places, ect,) in costume (Maybe even in character?)?

[nekovamp13]

I totally agree with the "in character" part!!!
If anime characters were in the real world, interacting w/ each other XD
And it'd be awesome if we had people record parts, and make sort of a reality TV show...

[SandPuppeteer]

Pretty much. I'm actually eying the NW 23rd area. Tons of places to go. It's going to be in the style of a free-for-all bar crawl. Only...the bar part isn't required. But it will be there for those who want it. And the way these things are is that there are a handful of set places and times to converge and mingle. But then you break apart and run around for a while, then come back together. That way we don't overwhelm any one place.

What's even better is that in that area, there are several parks. Just a few blocks down from 23rd is Couch Park. Or if people want more in the Pearl area, there's a little public park just up from Jamison Square.

But it comes down to what people want.

And yes, the big part of this is the "in character" part. That's why I wanted to run one that wasn't just drunken idiots dressed as pirates. XD

I'm not so sure about the TV show thing, but people are more than welcome to record!

[Saki-the-cat]

I'm not quite sure if it would be a great idea for people to split up >.>; It's never really a great idea for people to split up at ANY cosplay meetup...Trust me...two hours of searching for people wasn't fun...

[SandPuppeteer]

That's why we have re-group points and a set area. The idea here isn't that it's just a small cosplay meetup. There's tons of those being held elsewhere. And we're not talking massive splitting up and every person goes a different direction. This is more wandering and being in character and having fun. Messing with the locals. That sort of thing. And my guess is that most people would stick pretty close together, or at least in clumps. Then invade a park or some such place.

Trust me on this. I've been running with the drunken idiots for a few years, now. Wow...come June, it will be three. If the group gets big enough (and by that, I mean more than a dozen people, which seems very likely), it's more fun when you're not all glued together. If that were the intent, I'd just reserve my apartment complex's party room and invite everyone there....

....Okay, making a note of that for my next birthday. Costume party.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is that it won't be wide-spread splitting up. And I'll have set points to come back together. I'm thinking one at the very start, in a park or other public square. Some point in the middle, not sure about where. And end at Jamison Square or something.

[Saki-the-cat]

Ah, i see ^^; Well hopefully no one will get lost. I guess if we made sure everyone knew where to meetup at (like, we can show them and everything) it shouldn't be a problem...Though, naturally i stick together with people like glue, so don't exspect me to go running off by myself xD

[SandPuppeteer]

Well, they won't be obscure locations and they'll be announced well in advance.

Once I settle on an area, there will be a map. SO MUCH MAP WILL THERE BE!

It will have not only meet-up locations clearly marked but also some good places to invade--both for the 21+ people and those not of drinking age.

And because I'm so jazzed about the in-character aspect, after I put out the official map, I'll do an in-character one as well, which will be horribly drawn and full of insults.

[Saki-the-cat]

Lol nice. Maybe you could have two maps, one for 18 and over, and one for under 18 or those people who just don't want to go into bars and what-not?

[SandPuppeteer]

I was going to have them marked differently, so you could tell them apart. But I could easily make an "everything" map and an "alcohol free" one.

And for convenient reference, this is what I'm basing the idea off of: http://drunkenrampage.com/1iseptember.html