Spa-Con V has risen, to be held THIS weekend

Spa Con V Poster

The long-awaited 5th Annual Spa-Con: Pop Culture/Sci-fi Convention, which was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be returning this weekend. And despite losing celebrity guest Lori Petty in this year's line-up, the show must go on, and is still setting itself up for tons of fun with featured guest Rodger Bumpass — or you may know him better as Squidward Tentacles — a featured concert by NUR-D and a first-ever for Spa-Con Super Smash Bros. Ultimate video game tournament.

There are weekend passes available for $45, and only a few of the 100 VIP passes left for $125. For ticket purchases, click here.

According to Visit Hot Springs, host of the event, what makes Spa-Con so special is that it's not just comics and sci-fi. It's escape rooms, cosplay, celebrities, horror, animation, anime, art, manga, toys, action figures, collectibles, card games, RPGs, board games, virtual reality, webcomics, video games, fantasy novels, cosplay club, concerts, panels, hands-on workshops, midnight madness puzzle hunt and "SO MUCH MORE!"

And all the fun starts at 5 p.m. Friday when registration begins at the Hot Springs Convention Center, and doors open at 7 p.m. NUR-D will host the opening concert at 7:15 p.m. in the center's Horner Hall. The afterparty begins at 8:30 p.m., and will be across the street at the ongoing Bridge Street LIVE! Concert featuring Memphis Soul Revue.

The remainder of the event's schedule is as follows:

Saturday:

• Registration opens at 9 a.m.

• 501st Parade Opening Procession (Hall D Entrance) at 10 a.m.

• Expo Hall opens (Hall D) at 10 a.m.

• Tony Buck FX - Sculpting Masks Workshop (Room 202) at 11 a.m.

• Spa-Con Showdown Smash Bros Video Game Tournament - Badge Pick Up (Bank OZK Arena) at 10 a.m.

• ARTEMIS Starship Bridge Simulator opens (Room 203) at 10 a.m.

• Harry Potter House Sorting Hat - Spa-Con Theatre (Room 208) at 11 a.m.

• Rodger Bumpass, a life of Squidward and Other Voices - Spa-Con Theatre (Room 208) at noon.

• Rodger Bumpass Photo Op - (Room 201) at 1 p.m.

• MCubed - Costuming on a Budget (Room 205) at 1 p.m.

• Smash Bros Tournament begins (Bank OZK Arena) at 1 p.m.

• Rodger Bumpass Meet and Greet – VIP Lounge (vip badge holders only) at 2 p.m.

• 501st Blast A Trooper - Spa-Con Theatre (Room 208) at 2 p.m.

• How to Make a Cyber Arm w/ Thomas DePetrillo of Extreme Costumes - (Room 202) at 2 p.m.

• Dating Game with The Nerd Informants - Spa-Con Theatre (Room 208) at 3 p.m.

• Dynamic Figure Drawing Class with Rags Morales (Room 202) at 4 p.m.

• Cosplay Contest pre-judging - Spa-Con Theatre (Room 208) at 5 p.m.

• Break at 6 p.m.

• Cosplay Club and Contest (Horner Hall) at 7 p.m.

• VIP Party (VIP Badge Holders Only) Secret location at 9:30 p.m.

Sunday:

• Registration opens at 9:30 a.m. • Expo Hall opens at 10 a.m. • ARTEMIS Starship Bridge Simulator opens (Room 203) at 10 a.m. • Comics Storytelling Tips, Tricks and Techniques with Michael Golden (Room 205) at 11 a.m. • Fun with Nitrogen! with Casey Wiley, Mid America Science Museum (Room 208) at noon. • Knightmage, Cosplay – Makeup 101 – (Room 202) at 1 p.m.

• How to Become a Mmeber of the 501st Legion (Room 205) at 1 p.m. • Kids Cosplay Showcase - Spa-Con Theatre (Room 208) at 2 p.m. • VIP Meet and Greet – VIP Lounge (vip badge holders only) at 2 p.m. • Bringing Intellectual Properties to Life in Comics w/ Georges Jeanty (Room 205) at 3 p.m. • SpAcademy Awards – Spa-Con Theatre (Room 208) at 4 p.m.