- Event Dates: May 31-June 1, 2025
- Location: Dulles Expo Center - Chantilly, VA, USA
- Ticket Cost (Saturday only): $33.85 including fees
This report marks two "firsts" for me:
- My first experience getting things autographed by industry guests
- The first convention report I'm writing for this website! YAY!!!
This was my first time attending Big Lick Comic Con. I learned that this was the Northern Virginia (NoVA) event, and BLCC holds several throughout the year (at the time of writing this in June 2025, the BLCC website shows three events: Roanoke, VA; Chantilly, VA; and Greensboro, NC). I only attended on Saturday, but it was a full day and I had a great time. I only took a couple of photos, so I apologize for not having more.
The event space was also new to me. At first, the Dulles Expo Center did not strike me as an event space from the outside. It's situated as part of a strip mall shopping center, and if not for the line of attendees winding down the sidewalk, I would have assumed the building was a hardware store or shopper's club! We parked in the large surface lot right outside, and Daniel got suited up in his Ghostbusters cosplay. I made sure to pack an extra bag for shopping, and a few protective sleeves for art and photos, then we joined the end of the entry line.
Once the doors opened at 11:00AM, the line moved really fast, and we were ushered efficiently and politely through ticket scanning and bag check. BLCC NoVA gives you a hand stamp and wristband upon entry, so you can come and go as much as you like during the day. I wish I'd gotten a photo in front of the photo-op area they'd set up just inside the entrance, it had a huge backdrop and a mascot statue and was really cool!
The first thing I wanted to do was find out where the ticketed photo-ops were taking place. Three of the actors from Baldur's Gate III were guests: Tracy Wiles (Jaheira), Helen Keeley (Dame Aylin), and Amelia Tyler (the voice of the DM herself). I had bought a photo-op with all three, and was so excited to meet them. I'll come back to that when it's photo time...
Once we found out where the queue and photo area was, we decided to do a little shopping in the vendor and artist area. There were tons of awesome artist booths, and I quickly found myself in possession of a Gelatinous Cube in a bottle and several new stickers. Daniel spotted some Transformers kits he was immediately interested in, and the littlest Ghostbuster at the convention found him and they posed for a few photos.
Then it was time to queue for the BG3 photo op! The main stage for panels was right next to the photo area, so I didn't even have a chance to be bored in line while waiting for my turn since there were Q&As going on. Tracy, Amelia, and Helen were so lovely and nice! You can tell I was absolutely stoked to take a photo with them XD
After my photo op, we did a little more shopping and had a midday snack of pizza and Icees (yummm). Then I went to watch the BG3 Q&A while Daniel got some Guyver things signed by David Hayter. Once the Q&A was over, I waited in line for each of the BG3 actors so I could say hello and get my photo signed. They were all so gracious with their time and just the nicest folks to talk with! Tracy Wiles gives the most A++ hugs in the whole world. I also got to make friends in line, and chatted with a couple of other attendees about our Extremely Good Choices (TM) in BG3 (≧▽≦).
Then it was time to leave and join our friends for Korean-style barbeque! I saw the biggest, cutest Jinro Soju toad at the restaurant and wanted to take them home.
So that's my day at Big Lick Comic Con NoVA! I had fun, and the convention felt like there was plenty going on, but not so much that it wasn't manageable in a day. I would definitely try to do both days next time, just to see more of the Q&A and interview panels, and I did feel like I rushed through a little bit of the vendor and artist booths.
Oh! Speaking of which, I did pick up one more thing for myself: a Rengoku snap-together model kit! Here he is all assembled.
Thank you for reading!
-Tina