Programming – July 2025 – Wilkes Comic Con

Panel programming is subject to change or cancellation without notice

Cantina Game Room Schedule presented by Dragon’s Den
Magic the Gathering Commander Play, hosted by Ricky Cecil (all day – drop in, drop out) Classic Battletech Grinder event, hosted by Catalyst Demo Team member Andy Gouge (12pm to 5pm, drop in, drop out) Battletech Alpha Strike Demo tables, hosted by Catalyst Demo Team member Andy Gouge and Kevin Tutterow (12pm to 5pm, drop in, drop out) Free to Play Board Games and TCG games (Pokemon, Magic the Gathering, Lorcana and Star Wars Unlimited demo decks will be available) D&D Fifth Edition One Shot: Open to all ages. Pre-generated Characters will be provided. (Signups start at 10 am)(Game from 1pm-5pm)

Cosplay Classroom and Contest Room
10:00am-11:00am	FREE TIME!	If you need to sit for a while, cool off, or adjust/work on your costumes feel free to come to the room and hang out.
11:00am-12:00pm	Cosplay Contest 101	Thinking of joining your first cosplay contest? Contest veteran and Wilkes Comic Con Cosplay director Duae Cat will go over the ins and outs of competing.
12:00pm-3:00p	Cosplay Judging	Cosplay Judging with our special guest judges Ari and Bee of @ariandbeecosplay. Sign ups will be in front of the stage in The Marketplace.
3:00p-3:30p	FREE TIME!	There will be no events going on during this time so you sit for a while, cool off, etc. before the line up for “The Cosplay Contest” starts.
3:30p	Cosplay Lineup	We will line up in an orderly fashion in The “Cosplay Classroom and Contest” room, and promptly at 4pm we will move down the hallway to the stage area.

Panel Room Schedule
10:30am-11:30am	Battletech! A History Lesson and Primer on The Best Tabletop Merch Game there is!	Come join Catalyst Demo Team member Andy Gouge as he hosts a history of Battletech as a game, this will lead to a demonstration at 12:00 pm in the Cantina Game Room so you can come and learn about the game before seeing it played.
11:30am-12:00pm	Setup for Parody for Charity	Stand by… the panel room is closed
12:00pm-1:00p	Parody for Charity	Come out and support this hilarious mini-performance written and performed by The Back Stairwell Players and featuring Actors Matt Atchley and Eddie Deezen. 100% of the Proceeds donated will go to support the Catawba County Historical Society. The Back Stairwell Players are a small group of writers, actors, directors, and producers who strive to leave their mark on the world of theatrical performance through their original scripts and productions.
1:00p-2:00p	Vladimir Koloff: Professional Wrestler Q&A	Wilkes Comic Con is proud to present Vladimir Koloff, youngest member of the World Famous and Seven Decade Long Ivan Koloff Professional Wrestling Dynasty!
2:00p-3:00p	Great State Paranormal presents “Myth to Meme: Paranormal Representation in Pop Culture”	A look at how media has been influenced and influenced the perception of the Paranormal. Great State Paranormal is a group of seasoned paranormal investigators that seek to serve North Carolina through folklore preservation, private home investigations, public events, and festivals. This panel will also have a Q and A portion where you can ask members of GSP about their experiences and about various phenomenon.