Attention all Otafest newbies: Are you planning on attending Otafest next year and don’t know how to plan your day? Do you know what to pack? Just what the heck even goes on at Otafest? If you have ever thought about any of these things, or are an old-timer just wanting a guide book to making your Otafest trip a success, I have got you covered. This guide will be especially helpful for those of who you don’t want to attend all three days as it will advise you on how to not waste your time unnecessarily. Keep an eye out for more Otafest 101 blogs to come!
This guide is quite lengthy, so feel free to skim through and read the sections that you feel are of help. Please also enjoy some sneak peeks of items I purchased at Otafest.
Navigation
Getting to the University of Calgary may already be a challenge for some, and I can assure you that navigating inside the buildings won’t be much easier. For someone as directionally challenged as myself, a map will be your friend. Before you head off to Otafest, study the layout of the events. They change each year, so even if you’ve been to Otafest before, it’s a wise decision.
Scheduling
Unless they decide to randomly change things up, Otafest will also post a schedule along with their map, usually on the same page (this year it was http://otafest.com/map). No matter which day you’re going, check this schedule ahead of time. Events do overlap and chances are you will miss most of them. Each event is held in a different room in a different building. If two of your events overlap or are being held on opposite ends of the campus, make sure you account for this. The panels fill up quite quickly so you’ll want to be there 5-10 minutes early. Even if it looks like no one is waiting in line, you will be glad you’re the first one there.
What to Bring
Vendors and Artist Alley
Again, be prepared for crazy lines. The Artist Alley doesn’t fill up as quickly, but there are some who line up outside the vendor area 30-50 minutes before they even open. If you don’t feel like standing in a line for that long, you’ll probably just have to suck it up, but you can pull out your phone, DS, or talk to that person beside you there (so overrated, I know) and the time should pass quite quickly.
I suggest visiting the vendors during a block of time when there are no panels or other special events that you plan on going to. Overall, a trip to the vendors will take a toll out of your schedule (and wallet). Unless you only plan on browsing and not buying, set aside 1-2 hours for roaming the vendors. The Artist Alley I also suggest setting aside an hour for, but the wait is not nearly as long.
The vendors are only open during Saturday and Sunday, so don’t come on Friday expecting them to be open.
Panels
One of the things that makes me slightly irritated is the fact that Otafest does not advertise what their panels are. Some of the events, such as Cosplay Battle Chess, are pretty self explanatory by title. Although, there are some events called Anime Things or Themed Torture Tag that make you wonder just what the heck is going on. Should you decide to take a chance and visit an ambiguous panel, don’t feel obligated to stay if you would rather attend something else. If you are a true Otaku, it will be quite unlikely that you end up in a panel you don’t enjoy.
There are AMV showings and an improv show which are both very popular (for good reasons) so you’ll want to make it there very early in order to get a good seat for these two.
Food (Trucks) and Maid Café
The University of Calgary cafeteria is packed with different types of foods, so there should be something that strikes your fancy. The prices are quite high (unless you’re going to A&W or Orange Julius), with a meal ranging from $6-$10, so be sure to set aside an appropriate amount of your spending money for food.
The food trucks are even more expensive, and they also tend to run out quite quickly. If you’re planning on going to a food truck, it would be best to head over before 4:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. just to make sure that anything you want to eat will actually be in stock.
I’m not sure if this will be applicable every year, but the reservations for the maid café were crazy this year. If you want to get in, it’s best to make your reservations right at 9:00am when the doors to Otafest open. I didn’t end up making it any of the days I was there so I can’t give a solid opinion, but the friends I talked to said that the maid café was quite good this year.
Other General Thoughts and Tips
I love walking and I can walk for a very long time without getting tired. For some, this may not be the case and walking for five hours every day for three days might not seem fun. Wearing comfortable shoes (cosplay or not) is going to prevent you from having some very sore feet.
Set a limit and stay within it. Take out a certain amount of money beforehand and budget it so that you don’t end up spending too much (like I probably did).
Bring a water bottle with you or buy some sort of beverage for your trip. You will get thirsty at some point and if you wait until lunch, the lines will be quite long for food.
Have a camera or a phone with a good camera because I guarantee you will run into at least one person you will want to take a picture of/with. But just remember that cosplay does not mean consent! Don’t creepily take people’s pictures without their permission.
Enjoy your time at Otafest!
