Karaoke Frequently Asked Questions
As your Awesome Karaoke DJ, I’d like to address some common questions people ask me. Question: Can more than one person sing at a time? Answer: Yes! We have two…
Bullying at CoreCon
As they used to say in the old west " We don't take to kindly to that behavior." We're not talking about Cross Play, where people dress up as the…
The Potato Head Project - Spreading Hope to Families of Micro-Preemie Babies,
One Potato at a Time.
2023 Charity, The Potato Head Project
CoreCon is a non-profit that assists non-profits in our area. Every year CoreCon holds a Silent Auction to raise money for that years Charity. For 2023 we are excited to…
Shellback Tech a Charity worth gaming for.
CoreCon is a 501c3 non profit and works hard to raise money for local charities in our area. Shellback Tech is our 2022 local charity of choice. The E-gaming community…
Security is on our side.
Our CoreCon Blogmaster and his family have been to many conventions. Even ones that aren’t CoreCon. From security that doesn’t care, to volunteer security on power trips they have seen…
Hotel Reservations for 2022
WAIT! STOP! HALT! Don't call for your hotel room reservation until you have read the instructions below! The Fargo Holiday Inn is where CoreCon 12: The Great Age of Dragons…
Tabletop Gaming at Game Central
One of the great things about CoreCon is our tabletop gaming room, Game Central! If you have been wanting to run a game or try a new campaign, it’s easy…
CoreCon and Covid
Fargo CoreCon is going to be in person May 26-29, 2022. It will be so good to be back in person. We have missed you and virtual just wasn't the…
404 Con not found
404 Con not found? Actually Morpheus can find us. Tron can find us. Sword Art Online can find us. In reality you don't need to be in a sci-fi series…
Missing your Con friends? We can help.
The Inner Core (CoreCon Staff) miss the fun and unique characters that make up the fan base of Fargo CoreCon. So we have set up a voice channel on our…
Connecting people online
CoreCon is a place for people to meet friends with similar interests. Whether at a themed fansuite, in exciting gaming areas or finding the subjects that are of interest at…
Inclusivity is a strong part of Fargo CoreCon
Fargo CoreCon Cares CoreCon has always cared about their fans. Heck, CoreCon is made up of fans running the convention for fans. The staff of CoreCon is a very diverse…
Anime Fargo Virtual Convention
CoreCon 2020 "The Great Age of Dragons" was interrupted by the "New Plague". Our paladins were attacking a dragon and needed healing. The 'wizard' of our dungeon party used 'bat'…
Suicide Prevention Month
CoreCon realizes that many of our fans have social anxiety and or depression. Especially since the pandemic has cancelled most conventions for people's social fix. Why does this matter to…
Improving Accessibility for Blind and Low-Vision Gamers
CoreCon chose the National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota, State Affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, as their main charity this year. In light of this,…
Egaming: Get Lost in a Digital World
CoreCon's volunteer staff who run the Egaming room have many years of experience in running an electronic cafe that everyone can enjoy. They take care of loaning out all sorts…
Game Central: Central to Gaming
CoreCon always has an extensive area at each convention for gaming. Whether you are looking for a quick parlor game between activities or an extensive RPG, Game Central has room…
CoreCon Cosplaying: It’s More Than Just Contests
Although CoreCon's costume contest attracts many fans, not every cosplayer enters. A lot of people prefer to roam the halls, donning the gear for the thrill of cosplaying. Whether it…
Fansuites: A Must See
While CoreCon has many rooms put together by the convention volunteers, fansuites are run by attendees who want to showcase their own fandoms! They have a variety of food and…
CoreCon 12 Costume Contest
Cosplayers do a fantastic job representing one of their favorite characters in our annual contest. Many put in long hours and pour their heart and souls into these projects. Last…
VOLUNTEERS
Core Con 11 is absolutely thrilled to announce a new competition at this year’s convention! The Very Outrageous Legendary Ultimate Non-stop Test of Extreme Endurance and Rad-itude Showdown (or VOLUNTEERS) will begin the…
CoreCon 11 Guest Announcements!
We are excited to announce our guests for CoreCon 11!!! Eric Wile, Video Game Designer Eric Wile is an accredited video game designer in Phoenix, AZ. During his time at…
CoreCon 11 Costume Contest
The CoreCon Costume Contest is the time when attendees get to showcase all the hard work that goes into costuming. The fun begins on Saturday afternoon with a masquerade for…
Game Central
Game Central is your one stop shop for all your board, card, and RPG gaming needs. Feel free to help yourself to our extensive game library or bring your own…
Tips From The Accessibility Head
My name is Nora Ruth, and I am the Accessibility chair at CoreCon for 2019. I am disabled myself and put together a guide with five of my tips for…
One Experience of A New Inner Core Member
When you’re friends with the new Consul, it might be a good idea to keep your mouth shut instead of offering to help out with that "conference thing" she’s putting…
Karaoke at CoreCon 11
I had heard tales of it. Legends, really. Stories long told of karaoke being held at CoreCons passed. I admit, I longed to see those days again. But what could…
CoreCon 11 Charity: The Cat’s Cradle Shelter
CoreCon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that exists because of donations and volunteers. So why do we donate to other charities? It's because we love supporting our community! We are…
Extra Life Interview with Rich Early
Extra Life is currently underway! There are all sorts of ways to participate in this 24-hour gaming marathon to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network. Rich Early of Paradox Comics-n-Cards tells you about his event in this blog!
Con Survival 101
Whether you are new to conventions or a pro, remember these few suggestions to make your visit to any convention enjoyable and safe. A convention like CoreCon has activities and events galore. Don’t get so busy you forget to take care of you! Here is a helpful guide to enjoy everything to the fullest extent. (more…)
Core Con Costume Contest and Children’s Masquerade
The CoreCon Costume Contest is the time when convention attendees get to highlight all the hard work that goes into costuming. The fun begins on Saturday afternoon with a masquerade for children. The children’s masquerade is a fun event where anyone under the age of 12 can show off their awesome costumes. There’s no formal judging, just judges who can give you tips and information on how to get into costuming. This is the place where CoreCon Kids can get their feet wet without having to walk through the main competition in front of a large audience.
CoreCon Gaming
One of our sister conventions, Fargo GameFest, happens this weekend from March 23rd to March 25th. You can check out information about their event here. But don’t think that you have to contain your convention gaming to just one weekend of the year!
Artemis: Choose your Team and Save the Planet
Artemis. Take control. Pilot the ship. Become the hero or villain you’ve always wanted to be.
Some New Hotel Info For You!
With the change of hotel (the Holiday Inn) and dates (Memorial weekend), the policies have been updated for 2018. Here are a few things that you might want to know…
CoreCon 2018 Charity
Since CoreCon accepts donations in order to be able to have an event each year, we make a huge effort to give back to the community in various ways. Some of our most recognized events include raising money through the annual Extra Life fundraiser and organizing blood drives. We also select a charity to benefit through a silent auction at each convention.
Youth Events at CoreCon X
CoreCon isn’t just for adults! In fact, we try really hard to make sure people under eighteen feel like they get just as much out of CoreCon as their older peers do. This is a family event. Most of the people who organize and attend CoreCon have children that they want to make sure feel included as much as possible, even if they can’t attend every panel. So since we have some 18+ rooms and panels, we gave children and young adults their own rooms and events, too!
2018 Guest Announcements
Jennifer Cihi & Stefanie DeLeo Jennifer Cihi began her professional career at the age of 12 when she landed the role of Pepper in the Broadway production of Annie. She…
Be Different!
There are debates among nerds over all sorts of things. Is Star Trek better than Star Wars? Did Han shoot first? What was up with the ending of Inception? Even though some things can be settled with facts, these fights will still continue because of how passionate we are about our fandoms. And that’s fine. We don’t mind healthy arguments and debates. It’s when you cross into the area of straight up bullying someone that we get really angry. And you wouldn’t like us when we’re angry.
House Is Where The Heart Is
Character Name: Gary “House” Williams
Class: Orc
Race: Half-Giant
Height: 6’6”
Strength: 24 (used to haul items for CoreCon)
Constitution: 24
Sarcasm: 38
Intelligence: 12 (arguably higher but we docked points for his jokes)
Charisma: 30
Wisdom: 26
Volunteerism: 152
CoreCon began ten years ago with the idea of “By The Fans, For The Fans.” One fan in particular deserves special notice. This gentle orc would give you the chainmail off his back if you needed it, and CoreCon would not be the same without House.
Body Consul: Tyler Schara and Definitely Not Some AI
Body Consul blog recording start
Loading composition/writing programs
Running blog subroutine
Accessing mimicry setups
Starting TylerS.exe
Greetings, user. I am Tyler Schara, Body Consul for CoreCon. I am not some AI. There is no reason to think that.
Becoming Hagrid
One of the costumes people couldn’t stop talking about at CoreCon IX was Hagrid. He was massive and even had a magical pink umbrella! Kevin Ruddy won Fan Favorite and Best in Show during the costume contest, so we asked him to tell us about what it was like to become Hagrid.
Confidence Through Cosplay
Guest Writer: BBDesign Cosplay
Imagine a world in which you can express your passions and hobbies without being criticized or belittled but rather praised in a welcoming environment that encourages you just to be, well, you! Imagine spending hours upon hours on creating a character that you look up to or share similar personality traits with and showcasing that to a community that you can be comfortable demonstrating that confidence.
Wait a minute. Comfortable showing confidence? Isn’t that kind of backwards?
Not for me, Brittney of BBDesign Cosplay, in the cosplay world and in the Fargo-Moorhead community. Cosplay has given me so much confidence to express who I am in and out of character. Over the years, I have figured out a couple of reasons why.
Mind Consul: Kim Odegaard
There are three Consuls, or heads, of CoreCon: Mind, Body, and Soul. They make all of the tough decisions that no one else wants to and oversee every department. Mind Consul Kim Odegaard has been a part of CoreCon since the very beginning. Alongside Body Consul Tyler Schara and Soul Consul Sarah “Kitten” Danielson-Ruddy, she does her best to ensure each year is better than the last!
Supplies Needed For The Spark Station
Spark Station Master Erin here! We all have wishes and dreams, and mine are to have a fully stocked and functional craft room at CoreCon this year!
Fansuites? More like FUNSUITES!
Have you ever considered being a host and running a Fansuite? Or maybe you’re just curious to know what they’re all about? Here’s everything you need to know about what makes these fan-run con experiences so magical! (more…)
The Save Point Photo Room: Capturing Your CoreCon Memories
A picture is worth a thousand words, so it might seem a little pointless to write a blog when we could just show you a slideshow. But pictures won’t capture how much effort our volunteer photographers put in each year to make sure that every great moment is captured on film forever.
There are a lot of things that happen at CoreCon each year, and we are blessed to have so many talented photographers who want to make sure that you can remember it all through images. You’ll be able to spot most of them at panels, tournaments, and just walking around, talking to people and snapping photos. In case you can’t find one of them, they also have a designated photography room called The Save Point.
Panels: Make Friends and Share Knowledge
Panels are one of the biggest parts of any convention. These are scheduled slots of time in which a group of people can reserve a room and do… well, pretty much anything they want (within reason). The panel is advertised in the program guide and heralded throughout the convention, so other attendees can join the fun. They’re the best way for people with common interests to come together and discuss them. (more…)
The Registration Team: Making Your First Few Minutes At CoreCon Great!
If you’ve ever attended CoreCon before, you’re at least somewhat familiar with the Registration team. They’re the ones who greet you at the front desk to take your payment in exchange for your badge and a welcome packet. You probably don’t see them for the rest of the convention. So it’s got to be an easy job, right? WRONG!
Costume Contacts & Circle Lenses: A Long Blog Post That Is Both Fascinating And Good For Your Brain
Don’t lose sight of this post! [We’re starting with an eye-related pun so that everyone knows Doug Beierle had a hand in making this one possible.]
“The words that come out of Doug’s mouth do not necessarily represent CoreCon, DCon, Anime Fargo, Digital Grail, his family or friends. Use caution if listening.” This is the quote written on Doug Beierle’s shirt. He is a walking hazard and requires a disclaimer from our CoreCon staff. However, we are giving you express permission to listen to him today. In fact, we are urging you to heed his advice.
Doug is a Bad Joke Generator, but more importantly, he’s an optician. He’s seen people sacrifice their eyesight and put themselves at risk of future problems for the sake of a good costume. Costume contacts, or circle lenses, can be a really cool addition to a cosplay character, but it’s important to do proper research before getting yourself a pair.
Cosplay Focus: Jason Gould
Jason and Dawn Gould won the 2016 CoreCon costume contest award for Best in Theme: Carnival at the End of the World. Jason, the artist, sculptor, and tinkerer, tells us what he thinks of cosplay. (more…)
CoreCon’s Accessibility Team
Everyone has a weakness, even superheroes. Superman’s is kryptonite. Daredevil’s is loud noises. Green Lantern’s is… the color yellow?
We want to make sure that whatever your weakness is, it won’t ruin your fun at CoreCon X. That’s where the accessibility department comes in.
CoreCon’s Security Team
Our volunteers take many things into account when arranging events for the convention, and the biggest one is safety. We don’t want anyone getting hurt, so we do everything we can to prepare for the worst. While our medical team focuses on any potential medical emergencies, the security team works on arranging emergency safety plans.
CoreCon’s Operations Team
CoreCon is considered a vacation for some. Even if you live within walking distance of the convention, being able to hole up in the hotel with nothing but your fellow gamers, cosplayers, furries, or whoever else can be the best thing. But just like any other vacation, your entire weekend can be ruined by losing something. When you’re not at home, misplacing an item can feel like an emergency. And if the thing you’ve lost is your medicine, it might actually be one. There’s where Operations (or Ops) comes in. (more…)
CoreCon’s Medic and The Pickle Juice Incident
The Inner Core team wants to share what they love about Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, and Anime with like-minded fans. That’s why CoreCon was started ten years ago. We want to let everyone have a space where they can really let their nerd flag fly and have an unlimited amount of fun. [Disclaimer: Fun supplies may be limited. Get yours now while supplies last.] You can’t have fun without safety (supposedly), so we have several teams who work hard to do all the serious stuff behind-the-scenes and keep you out of harm’s way! This blog will cover the first department: Medical. (more…)
WTF (What The Fun) Is A Spark Station?
CoreCon is getting crafty! Beginning in 2018, for the first time ever, we will have our very own craft room! Spark Station will be a place to spark your creativity, learn some new skills, and take home a fun and unique souvenir from the convention! There will be a full schedule of crafting sessions available in the program guide, but if you want to help make this room extra awesome, we’ll tell you how! (more…)
Buermann Presents Family Quest Knight
On November 18th beginning at 4 PM, Paradox Comics-n-Cards will host Buermann Presents Family Quest Knight, a board gaming event with a goal of exposing kids and non-gamers to “Gateway Games.”
Haunted Locations of The F/M Area
Looking to get some frightening thrills in during the final weekend of October? Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered!
Extra Life Interview With Steve Dekrey
November 4th is the day when gamers around the country will dedicate 24 hours purely to gaming. While this may not be too different from what these gamers do every day, November 4th is different because they will be raising money for Extra Life and the Children’s Miracle Network. To help people understand how important this event is, we talked to Steve Dekrey, president of the Extra Life Guild of North Dakota. (more…)
The 4th Annual Worst Human Tournament
The 4th Annual Worst Human Tournament is designed to be as offensive as possible, and it succeeds in doing just that. This is an annual event, and while they have had smaller tournaments throughout past years (like at CoreCon), this will be the only one happening for 2017, so you better be there! It happens November 11th, and this blog post should provide you with all the information you need to be crowned The Worst Human. (more…)
CoreCon is Memorial Day weekend!
With all of the heroic or villainous tasks you have to do on a day-to-day basis, maybe you hadn’t heard, but CoreCon is changing their dates to Memorial Day Weekend. That’s right! Not just a hotel change but dates, too! The Holiday Inn of Fargo May 24-27th is the place to be!
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CoreCon is growing!
CoreCon began with roughly 100 supporters. After almost ten years, we have more than 1,000 regular attendees! With this growth in fan base, we outgrew our old hotel and needed a new place to continue to provide everything the congoers love and expect. The Holiday Inn of Fargo will be the new location for CoreCon X as it has almost double the convention space. (more…)
It’s Okay To Be You
Access Panel Blog It's Okay To Be You By Richard Early I was very excited when I learned that CoreCon had chosen Freedom Resource as its charity this year and even moreso…
Photo Shoot Schedule
For the Zelda: Breath of the Wild cosplayers, we regret to inform you the photo shoot has been cancelled as our Forest Dweller Camera has broken and our Guardian Camera is badly damaged. Please also note the Batman family photos are cancelled indefinitely… (more…)
Explore Space With The Artemis Simulator
Take control of a ship to help kill the monsters roaming in Fargo and save the city at CoreCon: Monsters Vs. Mechs. New races and ships are available this year!…
The CoreCon Schedule App Is Live!
Check out the schedule at: corecon2017.sched.com Make sure to save the app to your cell's homepage so you don't miss anything! We will be updating a few things as CoreCon…
Guest Spotlight: Aida Jacobs
Making free time is hard. Luckily, this author who is working on her fourth fantasy book will be doing just that to join us at CoreCon IX. (more…)
CoreCon YouTube Channel
CoreCon has some great panels and guests every year. So many in fact that there is no way a person can attend them all. It’s okay though because our AV team has the talent, the equipment and the drive to cover almost every panel. 2016 Opening Ceremonies, 2016 Costume Contest, Curse Like A Pyrate: 2016 With Paul St Peter, Pirates in Literature: 2016 with Terri Pray, Putting the Sizzle in the Scene: 2016 with Terri Pray (18+) are a few of the panels from CoreCon VIII: On Ancient Seas that have been edited and are ready to view. More are on the way. (more…)
Guest Spotlight: Christiana Cosplay
Overcoming stage fright to follow your dreams of acting is tough for anyone. One of our guests did just that to become one of the miraculous role models she cosplays as. (more…)
Group Photo Shoots
CoreCon is excited to announce we have multiple cosplay photographers on board this year for CoreCon IX: Monsters and Mechs held at the Baymont Inn & Suites June 8-11. Are you interested in being part of a group photoshoot with other cosplayers? Click the link for more details! (more…)
Guest Spotlight: Jorge Guzman
Movies bring people together. With all of the different genres, it’s hard to find something not to have a favorite. Now meet a man who takes it a step further. (more…)
2017 Guests Anouncements
What does CoreCon look for in a special guest?
A guest can be a writer, artist, musician, actor, comedian, or a combination. (more…)
2017 Panels Deadline is approaching.
If you plan on doing a panel at CoreCon IX: Monsters and Mechs, you need to register soon! The battle takes place at the Baymont Inn and Suites June 8-11,2017! (more…)
2017 Gaming
The Showdown is about to start! The Monsters and Mechs will be battling at the Baymont Inn of Fargo June 8-11, 2017. While the battle rages on, you need to…
2017 FanSuites
Hello there, fellow nerds! Are YOU or someone you know interested in hosting a Fansuite or "Party Room"? Well, lucky for you, there are a few spots open! Fansuites are…
Cosplay Focus: Jonathan Angert
Cosplaying is the art of bringing the joy a person gets from a fandom to others. Although Jonathan does a variety of cos-plays, he is best known for his larger than life mech costumes. They’re impressive even if you don’t know the fandom.
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Cosplay Focus: Eric Wilme
It’s very apparent when Eric Wilme walks into our convention. Everyone begins shouting, “WILME!” His enthusiastic exuberance is a welcome sight and turns the con fun-meter up a few notches. After winning the 2016 CoreCon Costume Contest Historical Captain’s Award with his friend Casey, he has a few things to say about cosplay.
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Cosplay Focus: Brittney Berthiaume
Brittney won the 2016 CoreCon Costume Contest for “Best In Show” as Tigress and feels cosplaying has helped her to be a more confident person. (more…)
Cosplay Focus: Matthew Morrison
Meeting new people. That’s why Matthew (or MJ to his friends) cosplays. (more…)
Panels at CoreCon
Panels are truly a great part of CoreCon. Where else can the title of a panel tell you where your friends are, even the ones you haven’t met yet? (more…)
CoreCon Kids CONnection
Kids can be nerds and geeks, too! That’s why CoreCon has activities for everybody!
2016 Costume Contest
Here are the winners and more from the 2016 CoreCon Costume Contest. You can see the craftsmanship and love of cosplay in everyone’s work. A picture is worth a thousand words and each of our costumers deserve a thousand thanks for their hard work and dedication to the craft. (more…)
CoreCon the Picnic
Why you should go to CoreCon.
You can conquer your video games at home, read comics in your bedroom, game at the kitchen table, and watch movies in the living room. Let’s face it, if someone would bring you food you would never have to leave the house. Our convention is so much more than just doing those things though. (more…)
Anime Fargo is turning 3!
Some of the people of CoreCon helped a while back with the birth of Anime Fargo . CoreCon is proud to announce she is running on her own and is going to be three years old in September. Their theme this year is “Kawaii Invasion” which is a type of cuteness factor in Japan which really fits turning three. An entire convention devoted to Anime is just what Fargo needed.
Social Experiment #38
In an experiment to determine if certain species have a natural or nurtured dislike for each other, many separate groups were brought together for four days in 2016 and were observed by scientists. The results were astounding. (more…)
Fansuites and Consuites. What’s the Difference?
Fansuites have always been a go to place for most attendees of CoreCon. The games, movies, activities, challenges, and party vibes are a great time for all. A huge thank you goes out to the people who host a room. (more…)
CoreCon IX: Monsters vs. Mechs
When I first heard of CoreCon IX’s theme “Monster’s and Mechs” I envisioned Danny Trejo using a machete against some werewolves and wondering if this was racist or not. I guess it was Mechs as in short for Mechanical, oops. Now I have that sorted out our project team is going to have fun with this one. (more…)
CoreCon Cares donates to The Village
CoreCon is a non profit and likes to help our local community. At CoreCon VIII: On Ancient Seas we raised $1600.00 to help Nokomis Child Care Centers which is a part of The Village Family Services. How did we do that? Selling Pirate ships of course. (more…)
On Ancient Seas Thanks You
To all of the volunteers and people who made this years convention happen THANK YOU! CoreCon has always been a “for fans by fans” run convention. It took unbelievable hours and effort for a four-day celebration. Some people worked on bits and pieces all year-long so THANK YOU. The volunteers in the Inner Core (3 Consuls head the con, Inner Core are the Department Heads and Assistants) did a tremendous job this year and all while working regular jobs and home lives. (more…)
CoreCon Cares: The Village
CoreCon is a non-profit fan based convention entirely run by volunteers. As if getting ready for CoreCon wasn’t enough work, some of the volunteers do more volunteering within our own group called CoreCon Cares. This year we are collecting toys and donating money to help out The Village Family Service Center and hope you will too. (more…)