ConnectiCon 2023 Cosplay Gallery Part 1

I haven’t been back to ConnectiCon since 2019. In 2020, there was that whole pandemic debacle (still ongoing, despite what people in power want you to believe). So it’s been quite I few years since I was in the Connecticut Convention Center, on the banks of the mighty Connecticut River. In those intervening four years, not much has changed, aside from the effects of the pandemic that all conventions feel.

Since conventions began operations after one or two years of suspension during the pandemic, attendance rates — based solely on my observations, not actual numbers — have been about 75 percent of pre-pandemic numbers. Volunteer numbers have been even worse, running at about 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels for some cons, based on actual convention numbers. In 2023, ConnectiCon seemed to be in about the same boat for volunteers. Many of the activities that would normally happen for press were simply cancelled for lack of volunteers to staff the events. However — again based on my completely unofficial observations — the attendance numbers seemed to be closer to that same 50 percent of usual than the 75 percent I’ve seen at other conventions in the past two years. If I see the actual numbers, or if someone with knowledge of the real numbers comments, I’ll update this post.

To be clear, I never encountered any problems due to lack of staff or volunteers, and actually it was more smoothly run with fewer problems than I’ve experienced in prior years. Kudos to the staffers and volunteers the con did have for pulling it off relatively smoothly.

Another surprising change, at least for me, was how ConnectiCon handled its community tables. In previous years the tables used by groups and non-vendors were lined up on the top floor against the glass railing opposite the ballroom, and they were available on a first-come, first-served basis. This year (and maybe starting at a previous year) ConnectiCon adopted the same model that Anime Boston uses, asking groups to apply for a table space. Because we didn’t apply, we weren’t up on the top floor in our usual spot, so many cosplayers looking for us never found us. We set up in the seating area on the mezzanine level, so I could use the blank white wall as a background.

Speaking of cosplayers, in this first of three galleries from Saturday (the only day we attended) are cosplayers strictlycosplay, _dannylion_, Mink the Satyr Cosplay, vergoftowels, teh_chibs, koki_cos, xiixiethepixie, unabeecos, piranha.cos, blaze_cosplayz, pyr0gue, vertragen.cosplay, yunababe15, The Crafting Cheese, cheshiregame.cos, and many more.

We now use Smugmug to present cosplay photo galleries and will post all photos there, with a link to each gallery in its own gallery article. This will allow us to give you higher resolution images to download — still for free.

To view the entire gallery, just click on the image below. If you are pictured in any of our galleries, feel free to download the images and use them non-commercially on social media, with appropriate credit.

If you like our work and want to show your appreciation, feel free to tip us at Ko-fi or become a patron on Patreon.

Also, High-res images for sale is back!

If you are pictured in any of our galleries and want the high-resolution (3200 pixels at its widest by 300dpi) download for yourself, we can make it available via a private Smugmug link, for $10 per image. Just send an email to editor AT nerdcaliber.com. Currently limited to only photos taken by FirstPerson Shooter (aka Rodney Brown).

This was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, many of the characters being cosplayed here wouldn’t exist. Please consider donating to the Entertainment Community Fund here.