Hey, your AA Director here, just popping in for a quick update! I am absolutely excited to see the amount of registrations that have come in over the first week, many more than in previous years! As such, it is taking a bit longer to get confirmations sent to everyone, which is coupled with the fact that quite a few of you have asked questions along with your registrations.

I am currently addressing each email individually, however for here are some of the more general questions:

Do I send money with my registration?
No. DO NOT send registration money when you register for Artists’ Alley. ONLY send money after you have been sent your confirmation email. This is to prevent people paying for a table that they might have been placed on a waitlist for. There will be instructions in you confirmation email of how to send payment.

When is the deadline for Artists’ Alley payment?
June 1st.

I can’t attend ConBravo this year! (sadface) Can I get a refund?
Yes. But only by May 29th.

I can’t attend ConBravo this year AND I’ve missed this cut-off date for a refund! What can I do?
EMAIL ME IMMEDIATELY: artists@conbravo.com
We will sort something out.

Is the cost of a weekend pass included with a half-table/full table?
Yes.

What is the difference between a half-table/full-table?
A half-table is $45. It is 4×2′ of a 8×2′ table. You will be sharing the table with another Artist. You get 1 chair and 1 weekend pass.
A full-table is $55. It is an 8×2′ table. You get 2 chairs and 1 weekend pass.

Why only one chair for a half-table?
Because that is what fits. If there were two people at a half-table at one time, one would have to be really comfortable with the other sitting in their lap.

Why are there two chairs for a full table?
If an Artist who has purchased a full table would like a Helper to sit with them for the weekend, they may do so.
If an Artist who has purchased a half-table would like a Helper to sit in their place while they are away, they may do so.

What are these Helpers you speak of?
Helpers are friends of Artists who do just that, help. The Helper system is in place for Artists to get a much needed break to get food, drink, bathroom breaks and attend/moderate a panel.

Do I have to buy an additional pass for my Helper?
Yes. Those can be purchased through pre-registration online or in store, or onsite the day of the convention.

I don’t have a Helper and I have to pee!! Can someone on staff watch my table for a few minutes?
Specifically, it is not the staff’s responsibility to watch your belongings. However, staff and volunteers are always on patrol for anything suspicious. If you really can’t hold it, the best thing to do is to “close up” your table while your gone.

Is there room enough behind the table to keep my merchandise, coat, suitcase, purchases, giant plushies, etc.?
Depending on how much stuff you have, but generally, yes. Just not enough for an elephant. Please don’t bring your pet elephant.

Are there outlets available for my electronics devices that are integral to my display?
Yes. Ask ahead of time so that we can seat you near one.

Our hard-working code monkeys and designers have put together a brand new website to showcase all the goodies we’ve got coming in the next few months! Gaming, anime, comics, and all those wonderful guests and panels, events and shows — can’t hardly wait!

Attendees, vendors, artists, and everyone, really, should probably mark down the following dates:

Earlybird Pre-Registration

$20 weekend passes will be available for pre-reg March 1st-30th.

Regular Pre-Registration

$25 weekend passes will be available for pre-reg April 1st-June 30th

Artist Alley Registration

Opens on Feb 1st 2012 and Closes on June 1st 2012

Vendor Market Registration

Opens on March 1st 2012 and Closes on June 1st 2012

Panel & Workshop Registration

Panel and workshop registration will be open March 3rd until June 1st.

Volunteer Registration

We will be accepting volunteer applicants as of March 1st.

We’d like to take a moment to remind everyone that if you want to come say hi, we’ll be at several conventions in the Promotional Tables sections in the upcoming months:

• G-Anime / January 27-29th / Gatineau, ON – One of the best weekends you’ll ever spend in Quebec!
• Con-G / February 25-26th / Guelph, ON – The fourth season returns to Guelph! Come celebrate anime and geekery with the rest of us!
• Ad Astra / April 13-15th / Markham, ON – The very best in sci-fi literature appears just north of Toronto!
• Anime North / May 25-27th / Toronto, ON – The largest gathering of anime fans in the Great White North!

You will also be able to pre-register at our promo tables at Ad Astra and Anime North!

This very same map will also be posted at the front of the convention near the Registration Table. If you’re in doubt and need to figure out where something is, please consult the map or ask one of our helpful volunteers.

See you at the con!

Please review the weapons policy here.

Q: Will there be a discount pass for younger fans?
A: Yes. We will have pricing in the near future for fans younger than 13, accompanied by a guardian.

Q: Will there be video games?
A: Yes, gaming is a huge part of what we’re doing. Both days will see many gaming events, with the bulk of them coming in during Sunday. This will include classic gaming, tournaments, and lots of freeplay. We’ve got some really neat features in the works, so keep an eye out for those!

Q: Will there be tabletop gaming?
A: Yes, absolutely. Tradable card games (TCGs) will play a huge part in our gaming events on Sunday. We’ll be running a poll in the near future to determine which card games we bring to the table.

Q: Will there be guests?
A: Yes. We can’t comment extensively on who’s coming as our guest list isn’t complete yet. We can say for sure that Team JAVEX, a high-profile cosplay performance group from Quebec will be opening our masquerade, and you can count on the Live Action Mario Party crew to be running a double feature at the convention.

Q: Will there be cosplay events?
A: Yes! We urge everyone to come out to the Masquerade on Saturday night to participate. We’re going to have prizes for exemplary costumes, as well as short skits. Details on the Masquerade will be coming shortly!

We hope this answers some of the more pressing questions you may have had. If you have any further inquires, please leave us a comment below, or contact us using our e-mail form!