On October 21, the main stage of “LITEXPO”, the Lithuanian exhibition and congress centre in Vilnius, welcomed stars from prominent Hollywood projects such as “Stranger Things,” “Breaking Bad,” “Harry Potter,” and others. The memorable opening ceremony marked the beginning of the fifth-largest popular culture event in the Baltic States – “Comic Con Baltics 2023.” As it is an international event, the main language was English.
“Last year, there were more than 25,000 of us… We have the largest – and record-breaking – cosplay contest in the Baltic States, we have an expanded Artist Alley with over 70 creators, an incredibly expanded gaming and technology space ‘Baltics Gaming Expo’ and 12 guests from the most prominent global projects. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet them!” said the event host, Professor Jaq.
Famous guests who came to Lithuania shared good emotions and great humour with the gathered fans. The event also welcomed thousands of fans and introduced Nikola Djuricko, the actor who played the role of Yuri Ismailov in the series “Stranger Things,” as well as internet comic authors with millions of followers worldwide.
The largest pop culture event in the Baltic States, organized for the fifth time in Vilnius, invited fans to explore the world of movies, series, video games, technology, and other engaging entertainment throughout the weekend. Spread over tens of thousands of square meters of “LITEXPO” space, impressive film and series decorations were set up, along with interactive gaming spaces for both young and old.
A significantly expanded gaming and technology space, now called “Baltics Gaming Expo,” occupied a separate hall this year. Throughout the weekend, tournaments of legendary games such as “League of Legends,” “Trackmania,” and “Counter-Strike” took place. Event participants were also introduced to the world’s first augmented reality sports branch “HADO.” All visitors had the opportunity to try it out and even participate in an international tournament partly financed by the Vilnius City Municipality.
The event’s conference spaces had dozens of discussions and presentations. Actors and comic creators presented their experiences and “behind-the-scenes” of famous projects at the event. A separate part of the program was the “Meet Lithuanian Film Industry” platform, where the most prominent people in the country’s film industry spoke about their experiences in global projects such as James Bond films, “Mission: Impossible,” “Stranger Things,” “Chernobyl,” and many others.
In the exhibition spaces of “Comic Con Baltics 2023,” alongside other activities, representatives of the Lithuanian Army and the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Lithuania were present, introducing the activities of real-life superheroes and talking about the importance of cybersecurity. The project was partly financed by the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Lithuania.
Throughout the event, visitors had the opportunity to personally interact, take photos together, or get the desired guest’s autograph. “Comic Con Baltics” was a family-friendly event. Children up to 7 years old were admitted to the event free of charge. A special “Little hero world” space was created for the youngest visitors, and there were plenty of educational and interactive games, various superheroes and cartoon characters walking around and playing with the children.
Tickets are already on sale for Comic Con 2024, which will again be held in Vilnius.
