Nerd-Vana Convention Returns This Weekend in Oxford

Oxford is home to great music, food and art with events all year to celebrate each. However, this weekend, it’s local “nerds” who will be celebrating.

The Nerd-Vana Convention kicks off at 6 p.m. on Friday with the 30th Anniversary Power

Ranger Dinner. Tickets to the dinner have been sold out; however, tickets are still available for Saturday’s all-day convention.

The dinner will include several Power Rangers actors, including Selwyn Ward, Jeffrey Parazzo, Kevin Duhaney and Sandi Sellner, who played Alpha 5.

The dinner will be held in the multipurpose rooms at the Lafayette County Arena.

After the dinner, a Yu-Gi-Oh game night with Oxford Gamerz Den will start at 7:30 p.m. in the same location.

Early bird tickets are on sale now for Yu-Gi-Oh. General admission is $15, but it will be $20 at the door, so buy in advance.

The fun continues on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. General admission is $15 in advance or $20 at the door for the Convention.

The con will feature vendors, performances, and panels. Three featured vendors are local to north Mississippi, including Oxford Gamerz Den with tabletop games; Bad Eddy’s with collectibles and comics; and Alpha Gaming with new and vintage video games. Oxford Gamerz Den and Bad Eddy’s are both located in Oxford, and Alpha Gaming is from Tupelo.

“Nerd-vana has been a growing regional event,” said Wayne Andrews, Director of the Arts Council. “Stacy Irby and his team, who organize the event, are providing an opportunity for regional game shops, artists, and performers to bring in celebrities in the genre and offer a chance for fans to build a sense of community.”

Events also include a magic show, a comedy show, musical performances and a Mystery Box drawing. Buy a raffle ticket for a chance to win a mystery box filled with prizes including Pokemon Cards, McFarlane Toys, DC Action Figures, Funko Pop Merchandise, card games from Flux, branded gift items from Marvel, Star Wars, and Toy Story. Tickets are $5, and there are multiple chances to win.

You can see more of the vendors and celebrities attending the con by checking Nerd-Vana Convention on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NerdVana.con.

Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here.

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Full Schedule of Events Saturday

9 a.m.: VIP Admission

10 a.m.: General Admission

10:10 a.m.: Screening of the first episode of the POW miniseries

10:30 to 11 am: Peter Prankster

11 to 11:30 am: Yoknapatawpha Arts Council Funding Panel – learn about grants for creatives

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Anubis Improv comedy show

12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m.: Bentley Burns Magic Show

1 to 1:30 p.m.: Voice Acting Panel

1:30 to 2 p.m.: Power Rangers Panel

2 to 3:30 p.m.: Mystery Box Game Show

3:30 to 5 p.m.: Cosplay Contest

5 p.m.: Vendor Hall closes

5:30 to 6 p.m.: Super Nerd presents Nerd Core Rap

6:30 to 7:30 p.m.: Violet Creek Band

7:30 to midnight: Bad Eddy’s After Party

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Staff report