I'm a bit biased towards QCAC since I am friends with the founder and a staff member. I was an attendee during 2018, their last year at their previous location. In 2019 I joined staff and have been an active member of the team that helps put one of my favorite conventions since then.
Having explained my own personal connection and bias towards the convention though here is my review!
Pro: the location
QCAC takes place at the Sheraton hotel on South McDowell Street in Charlotte, NC. For me I live close by so even if I wasn't staff and decided to drive in each day I'd be happy with the commute. But since I get to stay on-site as a staff member I love it even more. QCAC's programing all happens in the attached convention center that is mainly behind the also attached La Meridian hotel. The venue is large and open, and there is still room for QCAC to grow a bit more before having to move. And with the attached hotel we are a hotel convention which we absolutely love and don't look forward to one day potentially having to change. And though we don't offer room blocks for La Meridian, once the Sheraton sells out of both the block and non-block rooms there is still the option for attendees to stay on site.
Con: the weather
This is 100% not QCAC's fault, but it was so miserable outside. It wasn't even that it was hot, because we've most definitely had warmer weather in Charlotte this summer even, but it was the heat combined with the humidity. The moment I'd step outside I'd start to sweat. I was the photographer for a shoot on Saturday morning at 8am and then a cosplayer for a shoot on Sunday at 9:30am and it wasn't as bad that early, but come 10/10:30am it started to really heat up.
For anyone going in 2022, I highly recommend scheduling your photoshoots for early in the morning. Not only will it be cooler, but you'll get better light and there will be a lot less people out and about.
Pro: parking
There is so much parking at the venue. Even when I had to leave for a time on Saturday and come back a few hours later I was still able to easily find on-site parking, and in the parking deck on the exact floor I wanted too. I was scared I was going to have to park out in a far corner of the lot, or worse yet, off site. But nope!
The venue also partnered with us to provide a special rate on parking which was fantastic. For just $5 you could park on site until midnight. If you left after midnight then you'd be charged another $5 since it was technically a new day. That said though, you'd have full in-out pillages so you'd not have to worry about paying for parking again if you left the con at say 2am and came back at say 11am that same day.
Con: parking advertised
As staff and part of the media team who works on the social media for the con, advertising the requirements for parking is definitely something we can improve on. To get that special event rate of $5 per day you needed to get a sticker on your parking ticket. But we didn't seem to make that as clear as we should have. To staff it was all clear and to some attendees it was, but many others seemed to struggle with figuring out how to get the event rate.
Pro: the cosplays
I honestly think that QCAC has some of the most fun cosplays. They may not be the most technical or impressive cosplays, leaving that to Katsucon or Cosplay America or another con, but our attendees arrive with some of the best twists on cosplays and are always so enthusiastic about who they are cosplaying that it makes it so exciting for the staff members.
Con: the anti-maskers
Also not QCAC's fault, but it was so frustrating to see attendees not wearing masks while inside. While I was paneling I did ask an attendee to put on their mask, and for a short time on Saturday night I walked around and reminded people about masks. I ended up having to carry around a handful of masks since it seemed like some attendees thought that, once they were in the venue and had passed registration, they wouldn't have to wear a mask and thus were taking off their disposable mask and throwing them away. Some even tried to argue with me, but with those I was able to escalate it to hotel security and not deal with the Karens myself.
Pro: the disabilities accessibilities
I personally have no disabilities that would require me to receive accommodations at QCAC, but I know so many people who do. Be it needing a service animal, needing priority seating, etc. And the disabilities staff at QCAC is absolutely phenomenal. In comparison I know of a convention in Raleigh and a convention in the general DC area that I have attended have done very little to support attendees with disabilities. I'm not going to drop any names but I'm sure that if you look at my past cons that you'll be able to figure out which they are.
Con: the lack of food trucks
We did only find out maybe a week before the con that we could have food trucks, and the venue was also selling concessions, so in future years we do expect to have more food trucks available. But it just would have been nice to have more than the 3 that we did this year. Here's to 2022's trucks!
Pro: the variety of main events
QCAC's main events range from the usual cosplay contest, music events, and voice actor Q&As to musicals, circus shows, burlesque shows, and drag shows. Truly a wide variety of programing. It's all due to our staff and guests that we are able to even think about having such diverse programing. Since I was staffing I didn't have an opportunity to see many of the main events, but I do know that we streamed it on Twitch and recorded many others, so I do plan on going back and watching many of these for the first time. I'm so excited!
To summarize, great con, great people, can't wait for 2022.
Also, while you're here check out the CMV that iShinobi Studios made for us! It's absolutely stunning and I'm so jealous of all of the stunning cosplayers that got to be a part of it!
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