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GalaCon and the Brony Fandom 2024

I was at GalaCon 2024. Actually, I was at every GalaCon since the first one in 2012 in Stuttgart. But the 2024 one was just last weekend and that's the one I'm going to write about. GalaCon is a My Little Pony fan convention in southern Germany that's taken the place of the largest such gathering in Europe ever since the fourth generation of the My Little Pony TV show has become the source of such a popular meme and art culture. As usually with events I write about, I'm not going to explain what it is like, what culture characterises which parts of the event or what happened in the past. I'm writing this from the perspective of somebody who is famililiar with the fandom even though they have not been involved with it much in recent years.

I had a vendor table again, selling my LED pictures. (I hope I remember to link the post here that I plan to write tomorrow.) So I didn't exactly have the time to walk around all day and attend panels and workshops whenever I liked. But I took enough time to walk around the vendor hall (which really is just everywhere around the corridors of the venue). My overall impression was that mostly established vendors with experience had a table, and only one new name was there. More than one new to GC. But only one who was trying out how things go for the first time. The fandom did change over the years. It's not as young and brisk anymore and the vendor hall reflects that. The establieshed cosplay, plushie and other fandom culture has the power to conceseal the fact that this has become an old fandom. New things arise, and a new generation of the show ensure new content and dialogue. So it is not a dying fandom or a fandom occupied with the past. But it has come a long way since 2013. The mountains of fresh memes, edgy video shorts and its affiliation with the troll cuture has faded to the point I don't expect people I talk to to know anything about it. Many remember the biggest memes and running gags. Others have heard about the funniest controversies or the most cornerstone events of the fandom. But I don't expect anybody to know. And nowadays I'm not actively involved in the fandom much. GalaCon once a year and two or three post on social media a year are pretty much the extend of what I see of it. I'm one of the 2013 bronies. And by now it doesn't matter anymore what your definition of a brony is or whether I myself define me as one. A 2013 brony simply is what I am and that's the role that I play at fandom events. I may catch up on the new generation of the show. But it will lack the enthusiasm that I experienced during a livestream of the new episode with a chat in 2015 or so and I will not be tempted to created memes and GIF animations from the new episode like I used to. It's a G5 fandom now. Not the one controversion or wholesome news articles were written about. Just one cartoon fandom among many. This is not to say that it's character changes. Lover and Tolerance are still values that are held high by many and referenced to at times. It is not the motto of everything most people do most of the time anymore. But in the end, I really like the plushie culture, the implied freindliness and the kind of show-related talk that occurs during an event like GalaCon, aside from the show itself.

I was surprised at how many pictures I took this year. Nothign special. I'm not the hobby photographer anymore who takes his camera everywhere and overuses it's ability to take 6.3 photos per second for pretty much no cost. But it did show, like in the lest of my life, that I'm getting off the years-long period of being too stressed to even read a paragraph of anything or to thing about how to frame or light a photo of something. So, to my surprise, I left out many photos that weren't that bad or even interesting, to draw a more even picture of the entire event as I experienced it. The attached photos are meant as an impression of what I saw from my table, while walking arounf or socialising outside suring and after the event. In addition to the photos below I took a lot of photos of the concert on Saturday. To be honest, almost exclusively of Prince Whateverer's performance. Over 190 pictures got into the shortlist of pictures that I will post in an additional entry in this blog. It was the first time that Prince Whateverer and My SLR camera were at the same venue. And I too the chance to try and get as many nice stage pictures as I could during the half hour he and the band played. Well, the best I could do with the two focal lengths I had packed (30 mm and 8 mm at a 1/1.6 crop sensor). I plan to edit some of them this week and post them in my next entry.

As for my LED picture selling stuff, it's incredible how close I keep getting to a bottom-line-0 almost every year. I didn't make any money again this year except if I exclude the convention ticket for me and my helper and calculate with an hourly wage of 0 € for everybody involved. It really is a loss. But I'm not planning to quit. As every year, I didn't sell every last thing that I made. So I have some merch to start with in the next year. And I always have enough ideas to make new pictures that I can then sell. I also have ideas for some elaborate ideas that would be far too expensive to sell. (Althoug, I should try before I claim that.) And one of those years I'll probably make one ore the other of those. I think I'll probably write more about that in my upcoming post about my LED picture hobby.

There are so many details that I though I'd write about. But I don't see the point right now to spend a lot of time on jokes and references only people who attended the convention would get. So, instead I'll just describe some of the convention's surroundings. Since I didn't write about GalaCon last year (the first year at the new venue in Waiblingen), I'd first like to emphasise how much I like the Bürgerzentrum compared to the Forum in Ludwigsburg. The Forum was great. It could hardly have been any better. The building, its style, the square in front of it. The parking area and the park nearby. I thought it would probably be worse in Waiblingen. But: The venue is very much in the same style; even the fountain on the square in front of it. There is a park even closer to it. There is a beergarden with good food very close, which is arguably better than the Irish bub in Ludwigsburg. The parking is just as cheap (but only a very limited number of spaces for vehicles higher than 2 m is available) as it used to be in Ludwigsburg. And the only thing you even need to cross a street for are the two discount markets that are right across the strees, way closer than the next supermarket or similar store used to be in Ludwigsburg. I can't speak for other attendies or the organisers. But I like the new venue very much. There are way fewer hotels in the entire town. Many more attendies than before have to commute from Stuttgart. There is no Bodencon or Stair Con or similar venture that I'm aware of. But in principle the park area would hold enough places for settings up tents or maybe even very small camps for the night. That would probably not go well as lonog as it did in Ludwigsburg since more passerby would notice them in the morning and such a camp would be difinitely illegal in Germany. But I'm just saying, in principle, there are nice places under some bridges and next the the stream.

I watched the recording of the livestream on Tuesday. Monday was for sleeeeeeeeeeeping. (There's this many 'e's in the word because I slept for such a looooooooong time.) And honestly, I think that a nice way of adding that content to my con experience. I still rememberd the people that I met and the memes that were going around and the cosplayers and the genral vibe of the event when I watched the panel recordings. I really like that GalaCon not only does high-quality livestreanms and free recordings but also publishes the unedited livestreams on YouTube right away. I've watched everything that happened in the mane hall in those two days. (Well, I skipped some bits.) And I was not disappointed by the amount of ambition that many attendies of the charity auction have put into keeping years-old jokes alive, developing them further and in one case, taking it over the top. I consider this the GalaCon at which one particular shark has been jumped (figuratively, even though there were shark plushies around). If you know how GalaCon charity auction go and you remember the Swiss bronies vs. the Joker fondly, you should watch this years's auction. Above that, I guess it's nothing special nor worth watching for somebody who doesn't know what I'm talking about. More about the actual convention in the image descriptions below.

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Saul Gutmann, a lawer very much in character most of the time posing for the camera after his other standard move: giving everybody that he just met one of his business cards_
Saul Gutmann, a lawer very much in character most of the time posing for the camera after his other standard move: giving everybody that he just met one of his business cards.
Saul Gutmann meating bronies in the park_
Saul Gutmann meating bronies in the park.
One of my favourite outfits that weekend_ Casual, Dash shirt, small scoot plush, proper hair, friendly wearer_
One of my favourite outfits that weekend. Casual, Dash shirt, small scoot plush, proper hair, friendly wearer.
Bronies at the beergarden close by_ At a certain time of the night at least one table will have loud electronic pony music playing_
Bronies at the beergarden close by. At a certain time of the night at least one table will have loud electronic pony music playing.
So many plushies at the beergarden as well_ That is mostly how I determine that it's a brony table_
So many plushies at the beergarden as well. That is mostly how I determine that it's a brony table.
I just liked the pictuure_ Couldn't not share it_
I just liked the pictuure. Couldn't not share it.
The second of two chalk paintings this year_ I have no idea why this trend suddenly plummeted like this_ The Hamburg meetup ended up taking their group picture not in front of the drawing but closer to the building, maybe because of the weather_
The second of two chalk paintings this year. I have no idea why this trend suddenly plummeted like this. The Hamburg meetup ended up taking their group picture not in front of the drawing but closer to the building, maybe because of the weather.
Scootalooplushies were one of my favourite thngs to take pictures of this year_ This is the only one with hairy hair_ Looks punky_ I like it_
Scootalooplushies were one of my favourite thngs to take pictures of this year. This is the only one with hairy hair. Looks punky. I like it.
Another Scootaloo plush_ It doesn't get much cuter than this_
Another Scootaloo plush. It doesn't get much cuter than this.
The "black market" at the camper parking area close to the venue_ Speculations were brought up that they were selling OnlyFactory and other chinese cheap pony plushies there, like at that one stand close to the old venue in Ludwigsburg once_ But I don't know anybody who has met anybody at that trailer_
The "black market" at the camper parking area close to the venue. Speculations were brought up that they were selling OnlyFactory and other chinese cheap pony plushies there, like at that one stand close to the old venue in Ludwigsburg once. But I don't know anybody who has met anybody at that trailer.
The front window of the "black market" trailer_ There is a hint of a huge plush further back in the camper_
The front window of the "black market" trailer. There is a hint of a huge plush further back in the camper.
I just like how many plushies are poking out of backpacks_ Can be cute_
I just like how many plushies are poking out of backpacks. Can be cute.
Sparkling drinks with pony theme_ I guess somebody made them themselves some years back_ This brony had six of them left still unopened_ Sounded like he couldn't decide whether he was a collector or wanted a soft drink_ But he ended up continuing to be a collector_
Sparkling drinks with pony theme. I guess somebody made them themselves some years back. This brony had six of them left still unopened. Sounded like he couldn't decide whether he was a collector or wanted a soft drink. But he ended up continuing to be a collector.
The other chalk drawing this year_ Looked really good from the right height_
The other chalk drawing this year. Looked really good from the right height.
Looked weired from the wrong height_ But they did take the time to extend the lines inbetween_ I like that work_
Looked weired from the wrong height. But they did take the time to extend the lines inbetween. I like that work.
Poking out might be an understatement in this case_ She was gazing at the clear sky or trying to fall out_ I don't know_
Poking out might be an understatement in this case. She was gazing at the clear sky or trying to fall out. I don't know.
Raise the flag_ Raise the flag_ …
Raise the flag. Raise the flag. …
Dusty Katt and [refraining from any speculation_ I don't remember who that is_ I probably should know_] in great costume in this year's theme_
Dusty Katt and [refraining from any speculation. I don't remember who that is. I probably should know.] in great costume in this year's theme.
My vendor table after setting up but before cleaning up_ (I always forget to clean up before the con is over_)
My vendor table after setting up but before cleaning up. (I always forget to clean up before the con is over.)
My favourite piece this year_ It wasn't sold; a little bit to my surprise_ So I gifted it to my helper_
My favourite piece this year. It wasn't sold; a little bit to my surprise. So I gifted it to my helper.
I made some non-MLP pictures this year_
I made some non-MLP pictures this year.
Corner broke off, so I decided to make it a Tempest picture_ Sold it including the broken-off horn_
Corner broke off, so I decided to make it a Tempest picture. Sold it including the broken-off horn.
This plushie maker didn't apparently wanted to feed the Fanta joke but she said she didn't want her plushies to end up at the auction_ So she made a Spezi, a Sprite and a Coke plush_ Really great work!
This plushie maker didn't apparently wanted to feed the Fanta joke but she said she didn't want her plushies to end up at the auction. So she made a Spezi, a Sprite and a Coke plush. Really great work!
Folr the first time there was a vendor at GalaCon who mainly sold similar items as me_ He has laser-cut and -etched vectors, a limited slection of pictures, a nice table set-up with black backgrounds, just one type of base_ Nice work_ A more professional-looking version of my table_ But a smaller selection of characters as well_
Folr the first time there was a vendor at GalaCon who mainly sold similar items as me. He has laser-cut and -etched vectors, a limited slection of pictures, a nice table set-up with black backgrounds, just one type of base. Nice work. A more professional-looking version of my table. But a smaller selection of characters as well.
The other pictures at his table_ I especially like the cut-out edges_
The other pictures at his table. I especially like the cut-out edges.
Large plushies can poke out of backpacks as well_
Large plushies can poke out of backpacks as well.
One of the few elaborate theme-related costumes this year_ (Few is more than there usually are_) I think this may be my favourite viking cosplayer at this year's GalaCon_ The costume fits him_ And he was super-nice_
One of the few elaborate theme-related costumes this year. (Few is more than there usually are.) I think this may be my favourite viking cosplayer at this year's GalaCon. The costume fits him. And he was super-nice.
Sweetie Bot was there again_ I heard they even had a panel there_ Still have to look that up_ I don't know if there are recordings from the smaller rooms_ Sweetie Bot has changed since the last time I saw her_ She did seem to be more reliable in the movements that she does_ Or her controlling human had more experience_ She can turn her head 360, show several emotions on her mouth display, wiggle, shake, nod her head, open up her back_ The pistol with soap bubbles wasn't with her_ But there's apparently plans for an improved version of it in the future_
Sweetie Bot was there again. I heard they even had a panel there. Still have to look that up. I don't know if there are recordings from the smaller rooms. Sweetie Bot has changed since the last time I saw her. She did seem to be more reliable in the movements that she does. Or her controlling human had more experience. She can turn her head 360, show several emotions on her mouth display, wiggle, shake, nod her head, open up her back. The pistol with soap bubbles wasn't with her. But there's apparently plans for an improved version of it in the future.
Vinyl Scratch hogging the base cannon_ (Well, one of the tweeters is all that this small one can manage_)
Vinyl Scratch hogging the base cannon. (Well, one of the tweeters is all that this small one can manage.)
Many ponies hogging many parts of the base cannon_ I like that the base cannon seems to be an annual attendence now_ It's a great build of the iconic device from the old fan animation_ I don't know the name of the person who made it, though_ No idea what to link to_
Many ponies hogging many parts of the base cannon. I like that the base cannon seems to be an annual attendence now. It's a great build of the iconic device from the old fan animation. I don't know the name of the person who made it, though. No idea what to link to.
This guy suddenly appeared to inspect my table_ He took a lot of notes, made sure that there are no sharp edges on my products, made sure that I knew who's best pony and asked a couple of other safety-related questions_ Kudos to him for staying in character even though I talked a lot of crap_
This guy suddenly appeared to inspect my table. He took a lot of notes, made sure that there are no sharp edges on my products, made sure that I knew who's best pony and asked a couple of other safety-related questions. Kudos to him for staying in character even though I talked a lot of crap.
Colorful variation of LED pictures at my table_
Colorful variation of LED pictures at my table.
I found orangehaj_ Nemo is not in this picture_ What a confusing plush_ Sold to another vendor_ The maker of this shark had also some other uncommon plush items_
I found orangehaj. Nemo is not in this picture. What a confusing plush. Sold to another vendor. The maker of this shark had also some other uncommon plush items.
Familiar faces are sometimes accompanied with familiar outfits and plushies_
Familiar faces are sometimes accompanied with familiar outfits and plushies.
Plushies of this size were hanging out on the railings ore than I remember from last year_
Plushies of this size were hanging out on the railings ore than I remember from last year.
This year's roll-up_ It was auctioned for charity later_
This year's roll-up. It was auctioned for charity later.
Sweetie Bot alive_ Sweetie Bot like regular pony_ Sweetie Bot has equality_
Sweetie Bot alive. Sweetie Bot like regular pony. Sweetie Bot has equality.
Sweetie Bot kiss brony
Sweetie Bot kiss brony
:p
:p
More and more plushies accumulated on these railings_ Weirdly, they seemed to move whenever I wans't looking_ I haven't seen one of them in the same spot twice_
More and more plushies accumulated on these railings. Weirdly, they seemed to move whenever I wans't looking. I haven't seen one of them in the same spot twice.
Pinkest Pie in the Länd_
Pinkest Pie in the Länd.
Scootaloo has the perfect colour scheme for a pony (or dragon), winged or otherwise)_
Scootaloo has the perfect colour scheme for a pony (or dragon), winged or otherwise).
The largest plush I've ever seen was this one of Discord_ He has a blow-up baseball bat, which proved to be perfect to hit passing bronies without hurting them_
The largest plush I've ever seen was this one of Discord. He has a blow-up baseball bat, which proved to be perfect to hit passing bronies without hurting them.
Best dragon costume again_ Petting cute human_
Best dragon costume again. Petting cute human.
Princess Ember is best princess_
Princess Ember is best princess.
? poni
? poni
This artist wasn't at the con_ But a friend sold prints of hers at their table_ I like thagt style_ And the price of these prints is really low_
This artist wasn't at the con. But a friend sold prints of hers at their table. I like thagt style. And the price of these prints is really low.
People like Sweetie Bot_
People like Sweetie Bot.
That Flutterguy was there, too, of course_ I think he's been at avery GalaCon I've been at, or more if you consider those meetups that happened during the time GalaCon would have taken place if it hadn't been cancled because of the pandemic_ And for some reasons I always habe to take a photo of him_
That Flutterguy was there, too, of course. I think he's been at avery GalaCon I've been at, or more if you consider those meetups that happened during the time GalaCon would have taken place if it hadn't been cancled because of the pandemic. And for some reasons I always habe to take a photo of him.
WAMP 2023 - Close-Up Shots Of Things Lying Around And Stuff But Not People

I brought a camera to WAMP last year. The resulting pictures are very underwhelming. But because I was there and my brain has experiences and memories connected to them, I deem them worthy of being here. These are close-up shots of things lying around and stuff but not people. There is a separate entry with macro shots of things lying around and stuff but not people.

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WAMP 2023 - Macro Shots Of Things Lying Around And Stuff But Not People

I brought a camera to WAMP last year. The resulting pictures are very underwhelming. But because I was there and my brain has experiences and memories connected to them, I deem them worthy of being here. These are macro shots of things lying around and stuff but not people. There is a separate entry with close-up shots of things lying around and stuff but not people.

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Rock die Burg 2014
This entry is referencing the entry 'Rock die Burg'.

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To the extent possible under law, steeph has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this work.

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Rock die Burg 2013
This entry is referencing the entry 'Rock die Burg'.

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To the extent possible under law, steeph has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this work.

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