Viencon is an Event held in Center Parcs near America in the Netherlands (confusing isn’t it?). It’s billed as an event for fun and festivities but also you can enjoy the tropical pools at Center Parcs.
I will be honest I didn’t have expectations and didn’t know how to treat this event other then try and take random photos at the pool side, if allowed. I wasn’t even sure how organised other people going were. After a busy two days at Gamescom and week staying in Germany, I was probably a bit too relaxed for this con.
Venue at Viencon
Viencon made sure, when attendees arrived at the nearby train station, that there was a bus service to and from the venue. You can travel there by car but since I didn’t know the area, thought it best to use as much of the services laid on there.
If you’ve been to a Center Parcs in the UK, it’s exactly the same. The area is mainly wooded, grass areas but there is a pond in the middle with a wooden bridge and a pagoda. There is also a play area, archery range, mini golf and of course, swimming pool area. I used areas which may not be obvious to shoot in, like the arcade areas with the neon lights and reflections or the small pond area outside the restaurants.
Accommodation
This may be an issue with some people. To claim a spot at the venue you need to either pay for a home for four or eight people. I know for some it’s not easy to find people willing to go to another country. But the chance to have a chill with your friends was too inviting. The rooms were big enough and the lounge area is plenty enough to either help store or space to get dressed. They were very clean and wholesome to live in.
Activities at VienCon
As it is held at the Center Parcs venue, activities were open to everyone such as archery, which I got a nice bruise from the bow. Viencon itself held sessions, such as a beer tasting, a photography seminar, and cosplay etiquette.
The beer tasting was interesting, tasting beer from different regions of Belgium. They were all very tasty and nice to drink. The archery was exciting and fun as the instructors both made it safe and games to play to make the session even more fun.
Swimming Pool Area
The highlight of the event is of course the swimming pool area. There are two main pool plus an outdoor pool and a slide. I might have gone on the slide a few times the big kid I am.
As this was the first year to be held, we were lucky the number of people who turned up and wanted to get photos at the pool wasn’t too many. So everyone was able to get photos at every point of the swimming pool area. I had to be inventive about getting photos where no one else spotted.
I only discovered the outdoor pool area which will look great in photos and hoping someone was able to get photos of this area.
Photos
Here is a small selection of photos taken at VienCon. Full gallery can be found on our facebook page below.
Summary
From not knowing what to expect from Viencon as an event, I was mightily surprised at how well run it was, how much was put on for us and how chill it was. I have to hand it to the staff who made it very relaxing. The cosplayers who went was very varied and had cosplays from all walks of life. Cosplays for both normal and swimwear variant.
I’ve found the cost of attending and flights to the event were all reasonable and probably cheaper then going to one of the UK major comic con events.
It would be another event I would certainly go to again.
If you want to keep an eye on the event and if it will be coming back for 2019, you can follow them on their website http://viencon.nl/, or their social media pages on facebook and Twitter.