The organizer of one of Orillia’s most popular summer events is still holding onto hope.
The annual Cottage CountryCon has been a yearly celebration of comic books, showcasing celebrity guests, artists and cosplay for the past four years. Annually, close to 7,000 people attend the event, said organizer Carmine De Santo.
“I think we still have the record for the most people to attend a single-day event in Orillia,” he said.
This year’s event was slated for May 17 and was pushed back to June 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was once more rescheduled to its currently scheduled date of Aug. 2.
De Santo does not believe there will be any more rescheduling; he is confident the event will take place as planned during the first weekend of August.
“I think it’s going to happen, and I think we are going to have a good turn out,” he said.
But it’s not up to De Santo. In order for Cottage CountryCon to take place, they will need to receive the green light from Premier Doug Ford.
“At the end of the day, we are waiting to hear from Doug Ford on event sizes. If he gives the green light for 250 people, we will go with it,” De Santo said.
De Santo says safety protocols will be in place for the event. Visitors will be required to wear a mask, temperatures will be taken before access is granted to the convention, and attendees will be asked to exercise physical distancing and remain six feet apart.
“Our fingers are crossed. We are just waiting for the announcement,” De Santo said.
This year's event is scheduled to take place at the Mariposa Conference Centre, which is holding the date for Cottage CountryCon.
“It’s looking good; I know it won’t be at full capacity but I’m happy if they say we can do 250 people at once,” De Santo said.
However, if the announcement from the provincial government doesn’t come before July 6, and/or the city of Orillia keeps their ban on public events past the current July 5 restriction, De Santo will be forced to make a decision on canceling this year's event.
The big attractions that Cottage CountryCon attendees are looking forward to is a 1966 Batmobile, the presence of legendary comic book artist Sam De La Rosa, and 80’s wrestlers Paul Orndorff, 'Cowboy' Bob Orton, and The Killer B’s.
De Santo said that it is critical for community members to enjoy local events this summer like Cottage CountryCon.
“I think this year’s event is important because people are getting sick of staying home, they need to get out,” he said.
