For the uninitiated, when you hear about a pop culture convention like Comic-Con or Anime Expo, you might think of hundreds—or maybe thousands— of people dressed up and having a fun time with their friends at a large convention center. On a smaller scale and with the local community. Columbia Heights Convention (CoHi Con) is exactly that: a more relaxed and neighbor-driven convention offering many local vendors selling homemade crafts and volunteers hosting exciting events to explore, from gaming to unique cosplay competitions and more.
As previously mentioned, CoHi Con is a local convention hosted by community members in Columbia Heights, known as HeightsNEXT on socials, with many local vendors attending and promoting work. This event has been hosted for four years now and has been deeply loved by the community, being known as a fun and hyped up get-together for everyone to hang out at. The convention takes place in early March and is hosted at John P. Murzyn Hall, next to Huset Park. This year’s event on March 14 started at 10 a.m. and went until midnight with lively karaoke and competitive gaming that took place after the vendors packed up and headed out.
“I liked how there were so many vendors and how everyone was so kind and welcoming to everyone that came in,” Carly Schulz (12) said. “I would definitely recommend going every year.”
This convention is filled with lots of niche role-playing games (RPGs), science fiction board games, retro and modern video games and a wide range of cosplays contributing to a friendly and cozy atmosphere. Like any pop culture convention, dressing up in cosplay is highly recommended, and many people did show up in cosplays both esoteric and popular. CoHi Con even hosted a contest for the best cosplay with judges finding the most accurate and/or creative one that took place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Many engaging arts and crafts were also available during the day, hosted by HeightsNEXT, a local non-profit organization that calls themselves a “sustainable community movement in Columbia Heights.” Additionally, an open area of the building featured a video games section that was available to everyone from the start of the event until close. Hosted by 2D Con, known as Minnesota’s largest gaming event typically occurring in August at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Bloomington, they boasted a wide variety of games, ranging from the newest consoles to some of the oldest versions of Mario games run on an emulator.
“CoHi Con is a very cozy convention with a bunch of vendors that do impressive craft work,” Rose Kembitskey (12) said. “I’d say if you’re willing to bring a bit of money, it’s absolutely worth going [to].”
Many of the vendors there were selling their home-made crafts and foods, with a multitude of the stands selling cute little keychains, homemade stickers or buttons alongside more pre-established sellers who came in with crates full of action figures, comic books and more. Some of the stands at the convention also sold 3D-printed items like RPG figurines and various fidget toys as well.
Serving a variety of people’s hobbies and niche interests, the convention is an all-inclusive event that offers so much to both the hardcore nerds as well as anyone in the community who might have the mildest interest in pop culture, or just wants to spend quality time with friends and neighbors.
In the end, when people of all ages can get together and hang out without worrying about the stresses of the outside world for one of the few days in a year, everyone wins. If you weren’t able to attend the convention this year, make sure to keep up with HeightsNEXT on social media so you know when it rolls around next year!
