Last weekend, one of the biggest YouTube conventions, VidCon happened in Anaheim, California. So much amazing stuff happened, and we were there to experience it all! Keep on reading for a recap/review of all the excitement.
First of all, the expo hall itself was incredible. With vendors as far as the eye can see and free stuff galore, it’s pretty impossible to ever get bored at VidCon if you don’t have a panel or other activity to go to. Here’s a brief tour of the expo hall and some of the many vendors there:
Outside, multiple stages have all kinds of different musicians, giving the outside a fantastic air of excitement. And on top of that, there were tons of amazing food trucks, from grilled cheese to cupcakes. Yum!
The majority of VidCon events are panels, interviews, and Q and A sessions with bunches of different creators. One particular outstanding panel was the Women of YouTube, featuring Ingrid Nilsen, Estee Lalonde, Kat Blaque, Sabrina Cruz, and Emily Graslie. Lots of topics came up concerning sexism towards women, and how to be “unapologetic” and your “most authentic self.”
If you missed seeing #womenonyoutube I suggest you check it out because some wise shizz was said: https://t.co/1iNa7oJ33l #Vidcon2016
— Estée Lalonde ?? (@EsteeLalonde) June 27, 2016
Another memorable panel was “The First Time I Hit Upload,” featuring Dan Howell, Phil Lester, Marcus Butler, Jenna Marbles, Elliott Morgan, and Flula. From Dan and Phil talking about the best ways to annoy Dan (hint: it involves playing his first video) to Flula’s wacky yet very accurate metaphors, the entire time you were bound to be smiling and laughing.
In addition to getting to hear from awesome creators, there was also a multitude of activities to do at night. There were tons of concerts and many fan meet ups for popular YouTubers such as Tyler Oakley and Miranda Sings. Another new addition to VidCon this year was the Spoken Poetry Open Mic. Organized by Savannah Brown, it featured poems submitted by everyday people about important issues such as race and depression. It was an emotional roller coaster to be sure. Savannah finished the night off with a poem of her own:
There was also a plethora of announcements. Miranda Sings told the world that she’s debuting a new Netflix Original series in October. Connor Franta announced his newest line of clothing on his brand Common Culture. VidCon founders Hank and John Green also announced a new website and NerdCon:
https://twitter.com/johngreen/status/746813918861885440
All in all, there was lots of excitement, lots of friends, and lots of appreciation for the YouTube culture that we all know and love. It’s going to be hard to wait until next year.