PAW Patrol and Sesame Street characters in Montreal for KidCon!
Two-day convention at Uniprix Stadium has dozens of activities for children
Some of your kids' favourite television and movie characters will be in Montreal this weekend. Head to Uniprix Stadium for KidCon!, where you can meet Clifford the Big Red Dog, pups from PAW Patrol, Cookie Monster and Elmo to name a few.
The two-day convention is a kid-friendly version of Comiccon, the annual gathering of devoted fans of comic books, science fiction movies and fantasy television shows.
KidCon lets children, and their parents, take part in dozens of activities, including craft stations, jewelry workshops, video game zones, inflatable rides and a dress-up parade.
Co-founder David Newman is a self-described pop culture fanatic. He came up with the idea for the event with his wife, after years of working at Comiccon in Montreal and Ottawa.
"A lot of parents were coming up to us and saying, they really loved the event but it was not always appropriate for children," says Newman.
"We decided why don't we do the same concept and celebrate kids brands and kids activities."
Drones, virtual reality and PAW Patrol
The convention is in its second year, and showcases some of the hottest new products on the market for kids. This year a selection of toy drones will be there to test out.
Newman is excited about a virtual reality video game, created in Pointe-Claire called Nemesis, where you can battle alongside R2D2 with your lightsabers or try virtual reality paintball.
"It's like the kind of thing that's from the future, I can't even believe that it exists in the real world," said Newman.
Skateboarding lessons
One talented eight-year-old skateboarder from Westmount will be at KidCon!, showing off his skills on the half-pipe.
Liam Sayegh-Létourneau has been skateboarding since he was a toddler. He's already competed at skateboard tournaments in Pennsylvania and California.
"Even when he was a baby, he would roll on [skateboards] on his knees," said his dad Alexandre Létourneau.
Skateboard instructors will be on hand to give anyone a lesson who'd like to test out their balance.
"We want everyone to know that skateboarding is actually a viable sport or an activity for kids, just like soccer is," said Betty Esperanza, of Skateboards for Hope, a charity that collects used skateboards for underprivileged youth.
KidCon is recommended for children aged three to 12. The event runs from Oct. 22 to Oct. 23 in Uniprix Stadium at Jarry Park.