A full-scale comic-con-style event is returning to the Patchogue-Medford Library this spring, bringing cosplay, gaming, live panels, and fandom culture together for a free, one-day celebration.
Pop Con is scheduled for May 30 from 11 am to 4 pm at the library’s Main Branch in Patchogue, with a rain date set for June 6. Admission is free, and the event is geared toward adults.
Think of it as a small-town Comic Con with a surprisingly packed lineup.
From the moment attendees walk in, the event leans fully into fandom culture. More than 20 vendors will fill the Artist Alley with collectibles, original artwork, comics, and crafts, while food trucks and local vendors keep things fueled throughout the day.
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There’s also a strong interactive element. Visitors can trade cards at a community Trading Card Wall featuring titles like Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon, join tabletop and arcade gaming sessions, or participate in a library-wide Pokémon stamp rally with prize drawings.
And yes, cosplay is front and center.
The cosplay contest runs from 3 to 4 pm, with registration required onsite earlier in the day. Contestants will be judged on both craftsmanship and presentation, with categories open to everything from handmade builds to casual “closet cosplay.”
Pop Con also brings in professional talent for panels and meet-and-greets.
Voice actors Bill Lobley and Dick Terhune will headline a “Behind the Mic” panel, sharing insights into voice acting across animation, gaming, and television. Lobley’s credits include roles in Arcane and BioShock Infinite, while Terhune has voiced characters in Transformers Cyberverse and World of Warcraft.
Cosplay professionals TAFKAR Designs and Rizuki will also host an “Upgrade Your Cosplay” panel, offering practical tips on crafting costumes, using materials, and even taking advantage of library resources like 3D printing and engraving.
Beyond panels and vendors, the event spreads across the entire library with activities running throughout the day.
Highlights include:
- LEGO displays and speed-build challenges from ILUGNY
- A Super Smash Bros. tournament and guided Dungeons & Dragons character creation sessions
- Live video game music performed outdoors by VGM Jams Long Island
- A superhero caricature artist and interactive craft stations
- Photo ops including a green screen setup and a life-sized TARDIS
There will also be live painters creating a large-scale art piece outside the main entrance, adding another layer of real-time creativity to the event.
And this one? It’s completely free.
For fans of comics, gaming, cosplay, and pop culture, Pop Con offers a packed, accessible day of programming right in downtown Patchogue. It’s local, it’s free, and it’s built to feel like a convention without the chaos.
