The San Diego BJD Convention is celebrating its 10th year. The convention is only held on one day, but it packs that time with workshops, venders, photo dioramas and more.
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Q: When you held your first event, did you think you would still be holding them 10 years later?
A: I didn’t really think about it at the time. I had been organizing some meet-ups at restaurants and as well as going to some around San Diego and they were often crowded. Too many people, not enough room, particularly for those selling things. I figured a large meet-up in an actual convention space was the logical next step.
Q: Did you hold an event every year? What were the themes?
A: Yes, we’ve held one every year. Here’s the list of the yearly themes:
2009 – Oberon’s Ball (Fairy Realm)
2010 – Amazon Women on the Moon (Pop Science Fiction)
2011 – Supernatural Orleans (Vampires, Zombies, Voodoo, & Witches)
2012 – Wild Wicked West (All Things Western)
2013 – Naughty Nauticals (Pirates, Mermaids, and the Beach)
2014 – Fairy Tales (Medieval Fantasy)
2015 – Roaring 20’s (Gangsters, Prohibition, & The Silver Screen)
2016 – Steampunk (Late 1800’s Victorian Science Fiction)
2017 – Opulent Orient (Classic and Modern Asian Cultures)
2018 – Angels, Demons, Gods, & Monsters (Mythology)
Q: What did you offer at the first event? Has more been added over the years?
A: We had a long table in the middle of the room for all the participants’ dolls and about a dozen vendors. We also set up a photobooth with a diorama of the pilot’s cabin of a Steampunk Airship. After that event we realized that the whole display area should really be the photo set. So the dioramas have been getting bigger and fancier over the years. We also added more refreshments, more vendors, and more giveaways. Starting in 2014, our 6th convention, we gave away shopping bags with an imprint of the year’s theme.
Our 7th convention was our only 2-day event, held at a hotel. But it turned out of be quite the money loss, with not enough attendees to pay for all the added expense. So we’ve gone back to a 1-day con.
Q: Do you build many or all of the photo sets?
A: Yes, my friends and I build all the dioramas. It takes us about 4 months to do so, mostly because we only have the weekends available. They have really become the core of our convention.
Q: Tell me more about this year’s event.
A: This year’s theme is “Angels, Demons, Gods, & Monsters”. It’s all about mythology from Greek and Roman to Norse and Celtic to Egyptian and Tibetan. We’re building five areas: Hell, Heaven, Ruined Temple, River Styx, and a small Cityscape. We’ll have about 40 feet of display space. And I should note here that we’ll be doing something a bit different this year due to the participant feedback we’ve received. The doll costume contest display will be separate from the diorama. In the past we always had people put their dolls in the display and have the contest. But that made it difficult for people to place dolls for their own photos. This time we’ll have tables set up just for the contest.
Q: How do you come up with your themes? Do you ponder of this all year? Is it a group decision or do you get suggestions from others?”
A: At the con we give out a ballot with three suggestions for the following year along with a write-in. We use that as a guide for what we do for the next year. Much of what is decided is done by consensus. There are about 8 friends who are part of this every year, and they are a tremendous help. There is no way this could happen without them.
For those who have never been to our convention, it’s not large, but it is very friendly. For $20 at the door, you get access to almost twenty BJD vendors, a huge diorama display to photograph your dolls, refreshments, a gift bag, raffles, discussions, workshops, a doll costume contest (in which you can win a very nice prize), and a chance to meet lots of people who are genuinely interested in ball-jointed dolls. We do not have any sponsors, do not discriminate between the various BJD dolls, and all are welcome. So come check it out, whether or not you own a doll or a menagerie of them! There are a couple of things we ask. If you are a minor, you must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. And, last but most important: Do not touch or handle the dolls without permission from the owner.
This year’s theme is Angels, Demons, Gods, and Monsters.
Just $20 at the door gets you access to over a dozen vendors of BJD stuff, entry into the doll costume contest, gift bag, refreshments, and door prizes! We’ll have over 40 feet of diorama for BJD photos!
Saturday, December 1, 2018
10am – 5pm
Marina Village
1936 Quivira Way, San Diego, California 92109
(10th Gift bag imprint art, courtesy of Ailene)
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