Willy Wonka star and Power Rangers actor heading to Wakefield comic con
A star from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory will be among the guests at a family comic convention coming to Wakefield next month.
Winter Con: Freeze Over will take place at WX Exchange on Sunday, November 29, with Julie Dawn Cole, who played Veruca Salt in the original 1971 film, and James Davies, who played Chase in Power Rangers Dino Charge, among the headline attractions.
The event will feature question-and-answer sessions with actors, stage performances, cosplay characters, life-size props and stalls selling collectibles, toys and pop-culture merchandise.
A full-size wrestling ring will also host live performances throughout the day.
The convention is being organised by Rebel Trading Events, a family-run business founded by Steve Sweeting and his partner, who have moved from trading in collectibles to putting on their own events.
Originally from York and now based in Leeds, Steve spent around a decade working in the mobile phone and motor sales industries, progressing into management in his early twenties.
After 10 years in the motor trade, he decided to leave and turn his hobby into a business buying and selling toys and collectibles.
His business has been trading for four years, with his partner now working alongside him full-time.
Steve said his experience as a trader at comic conventions had helped him identify what worked well for visitors and what could be improved.
“We have been trading at comic cons ourselves for the last thee to four years so have seen this from the other side and have put together all the things we think work well and remove the bits that don't,” he said.
“We aren't reinventing the wheel but we really are trying to give everyone an amazing experience without it costing a fortune during these hard times and want to bring joy to all ages.”
He wants to broaden the appeal of comic conventions beyond dedicated fans, with attractions designed to bring families and people of different ages together.
The event follows The Galactic Gathering, a Star Wars-themed convention held at WX in May.
Winter Con: Freeze Over runs from 10am to 4pm.
Tickets start at £4.34, including booking fees, with under-fives admitted free. Prices vary according to entry time and ticket type.