PopCult Anime Con first addressed the Covid-19 pandemic on March 16, 2020, mostly reacting to the first wave of local event cancellations. When we released our second statement on May 9th, we’d grown much more concerned and were hoping the MA state government would extend their large gatherings ban, allowing us to cleanly break our contracts without default. PopCult Anime Con 2020 was formally cancelled on June 9th.
With less than 10 weeks between cancellation and the scheduled convention, our staff volunteered countless hours to put together a virtual day-con‘s worth of programming including Panels, Game Shows, Watch Parties, Twitch Streams, Virtual Vending, a Masquerade, Idol Show, and even a Dance! All of this was free to join from the comfort and safety of anyone’s own living room and attendees hailed from Massachusetts to Australia! PopCult Anime Con was proud to host even a small event that might maintain a sense of normalcy and bring entertainment to an isolated and hurting community.
In November 2020 the Sheraton Framingham (and home of PopCult Anime Con since inception) went up for auction, citing losses in business due to Covid-19. In mid-December the building was purchased by its own mortgage lender and the future of the building is currently unknown. Our deepest condolences to all of the staff at the Sheraton Framingham, and the Framingham community at large, for this monumental loss. We loved working with you, your beautiful location and the enthusiasm you showed for our event each year. Thank you for everything.
At a staff meeting in January 2021, it was formally decided that PopCult Anime Con will remain postponed until 2022 as the pandemic is still heavily affecting the event and entertainment industries. A new commitee was formed and will put this extra time to good use looking for prospective new locations for our next live summer bash.
In the meantime, our staff remains busy planning a whole year’s worth of mini events, virtual entertainment, social opportunies and prize-winning contests to break up the monotony of quarantine and maintain the spirit of our PopCult community! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Facebook Social for the full PCAC ’21 experience. These events will be free and open for all to join!
[wpedon id=”3222″ align=”center”]
Covid-19 has raised prices and shuttered many businesses beyond the Sheraton Framingham. Unfortunately, this means we’ll be planning 2022 with many new vendors and unpredictable expenses. After surviving two years without your staple conventions, we want to put on the very best show for you that we can. Making a small donation now could add up to an incredible event down the line. Thank you for supporting small, local events like ours!
The staff at PopCult Anime Con’s hearts go out to all the first responders, essential workers, the families of those who have passed, the sick, the quarantined and all those who have been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 virus. A community in solidarity will always soldier on.
Thank you for being a part of our community.