Comic Con Holland, which took place May 3-4 in de Brabanthallen of ‘s Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, was hands down one of the best conventions, maybe even the best, I have yet attended.
While the organization did a splendid job, the awesomeness of this event also had a lot to do with the venue. Many conventions, even the best ones, are limited by the place they are held in. This one was not. The Brabanthallen are enormous, meaning there wasn’t just enough, but an extraordinary amount of space, including for people to sit and relax. It also boasts an auditorium, allowing visitors to attend Q&As without needing to stand.
The DJ sets were a nice addition, and the auditorium actually created a great atmosphere for it. Not many people were vibing to the set I saw, but I thought it was brilliant.
As expected from Comic Cons, there was opportunity to meet a variety of guests from different fandoms, get your photo taken with them or get something autographed. My only gripe is that seeing this event took place on May the 4th, there should have been more Star Wars guests.
If you’re not into celebrities, there were a variety of dealers. Ranging from indy artists to professional sellers with fandom merch, garments, stationery, accessories, comics, to even things like beef jerky, hot sauces and dried fruit. There even was a tattoo studio for those willing and wanting to get permanent ink at the event.
As if this wasn’t enough to fill the day, you could interact with droids or Wall-E, pose with cars from movies like RoboCop and Jurassic Park, taking a picture in the photo ops, watch a wrestling game, play arcade games or Just Dance, watch or participate in a cosplay catwalk or competition, and above all: enjoy a really friendly and fun atmosphere.
Food and drinks were a little lacking, but you were absolutely allowed to bring your own, which many people had done. People with specific dietary requirements or wishes may want to keep that option in mind.
Comic Con Holland really had a super fun vibe going for it. Even though it was busy, it never felt cramped or crowed, thanks to the large venue. People were friendly, and it definitely felt like a safe space regardless of your age or gender. Additionally, the organization had put in a lot of effort to make sure passageways in between stands were wide enough for people with mobility aids to move through, which is noteworthy, since that’s not always the case at events like these.
It’s definitely an event I can recommend, and if you’re looking to dress diesel- or steampunk, you’ll find that this is an excellent place to do so. You’ll even be able to find some merch that caters to you in the ocean of other things for sale.
