“I think what Squatchcon has done for a lot of kids, at least those that I have seen participate year after year, is allow them to build their confidence and dream bigger. And not just dream bigger, but also see that those big dreams can be achieved either here or just outside of here.”
JESS GRELLO, SQUATCHCON CO-CREATOR
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et ready for a unique experience at Squatchcon 2025, taking place from April 10-13, 2025, in the heart of Port Angeles, Washington! This highly anticipated Olympic Peninsula event promises to be a gathering of enthusiasts, artists, and curious minds, all coming together to celebrate the wonderful world of pop-culture.
From engaging panels and workshops to captivating art displays, merchandise, contests, and cosplay, Squatchcon offers something for everyone. Whether you’re a lifelong believer in Bigfoot or just looking for a fun weekend activity, this event is sure to spark your curiosity and creativity.
In an exclusive interview, co-creator Jess Grello shares insights into the inspiration behind Squatchcon and the community it fosters. With a passion for storytelling and a love for the unexplained, Jess discusses how this event not only highlights cryptid lore but also encourages artistic expression and collaboration among attendees.
Grab your hot cocoa and get ready for an exploration of cryptids, cosplay, and community in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington!
BOOM: Hello Jess. Thank you for joining me. I appreciate your presence as you prepare for Squatchcon on April 10th through 13th, in the year 2025! Let us decode your recipe for a mind-blowing event that even a cyborg from the aPOPalypse would rave about!
Jess: Thank you very much for having me. I’m not sure if we need to set the bar low or high for an apocalypse situation, but I am sure that Squatchcon is weird and wild enough to keep you entertained!
BOOM: What inspired you to start promoting conventions? Was it like discovering a treasure trove of shiny gadgets in a wasteland of boring routines?
Jess: Squatchcon really started by accident. It was intended to just be a one-time themed arts market and just something to do to allow people an opportunity to get together. It was very late, towards the end of the pandemic in 2022. We didn’t expect very many people to come at all. And to our surprise, hundreds, over a thousand people came through that weekend for that first convention. So it really took myself and my planning team by surprise. And it became something that just, due to the way that it resonated with the community and with people visiting the community, we realized we couldn’t let it go. So I’ve been very fortunate. My background is in arts, theater, and events promotion and marketing, but not specifically in comic and arts conventions. And I’ve been very fortunate to work with some wonderful artists and entrepreneurs who are very familiar with that world. To name drop a few, Purity Milhouse, the co-creator of the event and a fabulous artist. Drew Schwab, the owner of Anime Kat and one of our biggest supporters as well as just a fantastic marketing and business mind. And then Donna Barr, who is a legendary comic artist. I like to refer to her as the “Fairy Godmother of Squatchcon”. So really it came about by surprise and now we are entering our fourth year and getting bigger and weirder and hairier by the moment.
Donna Barr
Purity Milhouse
Anime Kat’s Drew Schwab and Fawks
BOOM: What makes Squatchcon unique compared to other conventions?
Jess: Squatchcon is part comic and arts convention, part local arts market, and part Sasquatch festival. We are like a lot of other comic and art conventions in that you’ll see local comic creators, you’ll see our comic swap. We have a huge cosplay audience and an annual cosplay contest. There is a lot of nerd anime and fan content. And in addition to that, there’s also a lot of Sasquatch. Not all of our vendors necessarily have any Sasquatch related products, but there’s a lot of local art that pays homage to this very important figure in our area’s lore and legends. You’ll also find at Squatchcon we really emphasize local vendors and small artisan vendors, so you won’t see very many vendors who physically have storefronts unless those folks are supporting Squatchcon as sponsors. You’ll also get to see student vendors, local high school, and even middle school students, who have been sponsored with a free vendor space for them to sell their own work and receive mentorship about their potential as a future working artists. I think though, my favorite thing about Squatchcon is some of our after hours events. I love that we do three after hours events over the course of the convention. On Thursday night, we do a cosplay drink and draw. On Friday night, we have an all ages blacklight dance party. And on Saturday night, we host our annual cosplay costume contest and dance party. So it’s just a great time and a welcoming space and it’s also full of Sasquatch.
BOOM: Can you tell us who the Pied Piper is in the Squatch suit, or is it a secret? They always have tons of kids following them around, and it is so cute.
Note for the audience: Kids under 12 are free with a paying adult!
Jess: I’m not sure what you’re talking about, actually. Daryl is a real Sasquatch, and there is absolutely not a person inside of him operating him like some kind of a puppet.
Darrell Design by Kai (11th Grade, Sequim High School)
Real Sasquatch and Jess Grello
BOOM: Oh, thanks for the affirmative confirmation. Sasquatch are real in the Pacific Northwest!
What made you decide to include a free preview day on Thursday?
Jess: Because nothing is better than free! We live in a small community, and not everybody has access to events like this. And so offering a free community preview day allows us to welcome more people in our community to come check it out. And it also lets people come and get an idea of what they’re getting into before they buy a ticket. They might wander through and say, heck yeah, I want more of this. Or they might come by and realize that it’s not exactly for them. We’re just hoping that more of the folks fall into the former category. Either way, it’s a great opportunity to just get more people involved and welcome them into our community.
BOOM: How did you select exhibitors and artists this year to satisfy your wonderful convention attendees?
Jess: We have a juried selection process with Squatchcon, so I am very fortunate and grateful to have my planning committee behind me making these decisions. Everything is scored on a rubric, and oftentimes it comes down to a matter of points or even decimal points when we are determining whether or not an artist is going to be able to be admitted. Ultimately, what we’re looking for is overall quality of work, diversity of perspective, and whether or not that artist is fulfilling our mission and vision as a convention, which includes things like promoting local artists, promoting first time vendors and students.
BOOM: What top-secret protocols do you implement to turbocharge the con attendee experience?
Jess: I think it starts with great people. We have really nice welcoming volunteers, fantastic vendors and artists. We’ve got great food going on. There’s live music. There’s just a fabulous energy every year at Squatchcon. It probably doesn’t hurt that I try to keep the vendors sugared up so the energy stays high.
BOOM: Which fictional character or superhero would throw the best con, and why?
Jess: I hate to admit it because I’m not necessarily a fan, but I think you gotta give this one to Tony Stark. I mean, between the budget and the connections, that guy would have it covered. I guess what I’m really saying, though, is Pepper. Pepper would do all of the work.
BOOM: Pepper would definitely throw a great con!
Will the cosplay contest and party be held in the beautiful Field Arts & Events Hall again this year? Tell me about it.
Squatchcon 2024
Jess: Yes, we are very excited to be hosting the Saturday night Cosplay Contest & Costume Party in Field Arts & Events Hall again. It’s a gorgeous waterfront venue overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains and it’s the perfect setting for our fabulous cosplayers to show off their stuff. We have a live band. We have prize packages for cosplayers of all ages from our Little Foot category which starts at just babies to toddlers to of course our full-grown Bigfoot Adults. We also have food and drink available for purchase courtesy of Field Arts & Events Hall and their Sunset Bar & Lounge. And I’m really excited this year to announce that we’ll be partnering with Field Hall further to offer a pre-party event in The Laura Cooksey Gallery at Field Hall. We will be working with Field Hall to present a special Second Saturday Art Walk event during Squatchcon celebrating the release of a new comic book created by local artist, Cammry Lapka. This is just one of our after-hours events. But, I promise you, you don’t want to miss it.
Cammry Lapka at Squatchcon 2024
BOOM: Oh, I’m excited to send my team to see TRANSMITTER Cammry Lapka‘s gallery exhibit. Thanks for the heads up!
I am ready to download all the brainy bits about epic discussions and legendary guests that will leave my circuits buzzing! What are some of the juicy details about the mind-bending panels happening this year?
Jess: I am so excited about the programming that we have planned for this year and I can’t reveal everything yet, but I can tell you that one of the very special guests we’re going to be hosting, well, two of the very special guests we’re going to be hosting are Mike and Patty Parrazza. Mike and Patty are a husband and wife duo. They are both master Disney animators who have worked in animation for decades. They are groundbreakers, hilarious and they have some incredible stories to share about their work while they show you live what they do. We’re also planning workshops on topics anywhere from how to look for funding for your work and for pursuing your arts career, to how to draw your own comic, to how to make your own Star Wars armor with the Washington Mando Mercs Costume Club. We are really excited to be bringing back some of our favorite guests, and be introducing brand new faces. So stay tuned to see the full schedule on squatchconpa.com.
BOOM: I have quite a few comics from the time capsule related to the comic swap in 2024 laying around my RV! Can you provide details on the comic swap and any other swaps happening in 2025?
Jess: That is so exciting to hear. I love that. We have three swaps. Our comic book swap is our Saturday swap, and we’re hoping to grow that. So the more folks who are willing to come down with long boxes or short boxes to share, the more free Squatchcon passes that we give out. And yes, you heard that correctly. If you bring a short box or long box of comics to trade at our free comic swap, you can get a free Squatchcon pass. Nothing better than free. We have two other swap events. Our most popular swap event is our Friday Free Octopus, which is a cosplay and costume swap event. You can come in and sort through all kinds of costume pieces, fabric pieces, accessories, and other materials that can help you make your next cosplay masterpiece. And then finally, on Sunday, we host a kids book swap. The goal for this is to have parents come in, bring pieces of media that their children have outgrown, be it books, movies, books on tape, or any other kind of media, and trade those up for new things that their kids might love now. We really hope that you participate in any of these swaps, and of course, anything that’s left over from these swaps that is in quality condition, we do donate to local charities. So thank you for your support of that.
BOOM: Can you tell us about your cons’ focus on the younger humans of school age?
Jess: The student vendor program at Squatchcon is kind of like my passion project within a passion project. I love that we live in a community that despite the fact that it’s small, there are so many opportunities for young creative people to get involved and get started. But what I have also noticed is that a lot of times those opportunities go unnoticed. When you are a kid growing up in a small town, it’s kind of hard to see the forest for the trees. And there’s a feeling like maybe I have to leave this community before my life can really get started. I think what Squatchcon has done for a lot of kids, at least those that I have seen participate year-after-year, is allow them to build their confidence and dream bigger. And not just dream bigger, but also see that those big dreams can be achieved either here or just outside of here. That they don’t need to move to Los Angeles to start working as an artist. That they don’t have to move to New York City just because they’re interested in becoming a publisher. I’m really excited about kids being inspired by what they love to do and seeing people who are doing exactly that. So, I think that at Squatchcon, there’s definitely an element of student mentorship and inspiration that we try to work into the programming.
But beyond that, we also just want kids to have fun. Squatchcon is a safe place to be yourself and have an awesome time and dress up like a character that you love and and meet other people who love the things that you love. And that is just important for kids to have access to. It’s cheap. It’s only $15 for a pass for teens. It’s free for kids 12 and under with an adult pass.
And you get all of these opportunities to participate in these different social connecting events that you might not otherwise get to experience. I love seeing teenagers meet new friends over the gaming tables or at a workshop. And I absolutely love seeing our middle schoolers and our younger kids going crazy during our Blacklight Dance Party on Friday night (6-9pm). That is…well, let’s just say, if you ever wanted to see a seven year old go clubbing, that is the place to do it. It’s just a really fun time for kids and it’s completely designed around them. We do blacklight face painting, we have glow stick bracelets, and it’s just intended to be for them. I think that that kind of content that’s just for kids–we need some of that. And, even though it’s just for kids, it gives parents and older people an opportunity to let loose and be a little silly too.
BOOM: Can you tell us about how sponsors help with the event other than by providing financial support?
Jess: We need and can use all of the help and support that we can get from our community. Of course, that includes financial sponsors. They keep the lights on. They allow us to put on a safe and really fun event. They make everything higher quality and of course they help us pay the team.
In addition to those financial sponsors, we also need in-kind sponsors–people who are willing to give us gifts that we can add to prize packages. We we have cosplay prize packages for winners of all ages, from little kids to adults. So anything from stuffed animals and trinkets and souvenirs to t-shirts to gift certificates to gift cards. It all makes great prizes for those prize packages.
And finally, we have another way for businesses to participate just at their own location. Every year, we do a Squatchcon Scavenger Hunt in which we list participating local businesses who offer freebies, discounts or some kind of promotion to guests who show their Squatchcon pass. So if you would like to be involved, you can just email us at info@squatchconpa.com. Let us know what kind of discount you’d be interested in providing and we can add you to that list.
BOOM: Are there any new features or innovations you are planning to introduce this year?
Jess: We’re always working on improving the programming and the floor plan, so there are definitely some changes coming to Squatchcon this year. But one of the biggest content changes that I’m excited about is, I’m going to be working with a few of our partners, Blake McCabe and Richard Stephens, on creating a cosplay installation inside the City Hall atrium space. We’ve previously used this space for live music, for vendors, and for our cosplay registration, and some of those things will continue to be in that space, but this is going to be an exciting opportunity for us to showcase some of the really meticulous handiwork that goes into cosplay pieces and add another element to that part of the con, which is one of our most popular features of the convention.
BOOM: I need to know what fuels your event-planning engine! What keeps you motivated and passionate about organizing this event every year?
Jess: Honestly, sometimes it’s just copious Red Bull. But most of the time, it’s thinking about the way that people feel when they get to Squatchcon. I love hearing from people that they feel welcome and that they feel able to be fully themselves and that they’ve had the chance at this event to meet other people who embrace them for who they are. So, when it gets tough, it gets a little bit easier when you remember that that’s what you’re working towards.
BOOM: How do your volunteers contribute to the success of Squatchcon?
Jess: I think any startup convention or young event will tell you that volunteers are the lifeblood. And I am so grateful that there are so many people in this community who are passionate about creating this kind of space and willing to donate their time and energy and efforts to support it. So, please, if you see a Squatchcon volunteer, they are in Squatchcon shirts, please say thank you to them because they are making my life a lot easier and they are doing their very best to create something special for everyone in the community.
BOOM: What would be the most unexpected item to find from Squatchcon in a time capsule that will be opened 100 years from now?
Jess: I think, two years now, we hosted a create-your-own comic workshop for kids and a very mysterious author left behind an original comic book called The Seeds. And it is my favorite piece of literature and would probably be a bit unexpected if found in a Squatchcon time capsule 100 years from now. Unexpected, but I assure you that the reader would be delighted to find it.
BOOM: How many years have you been attending cons?
Jess: I try not to admit this publicly, but since you asked. Squatchcon is the only convention that I have ever been to. Don’t tell anyone.
BOOM: It is remarkable how you orchestrate an impressive and diverse convention despite lacking prior experience in attending one.
What futuristic trends do you see shaping comic conventions in the coming decade?
Jess: I’m interested to see how streaming and digital access will change the shape of conventions in the future. I hope that people are still motivated to come out in-person, but I can also see how people who might not otherwise be able to access a convention could attend virtually, either because it’s less expensive or because it’s simply easier to access from their home than traveling to the space itself.
BOOM: You nailed it! I hope to provide this virtual community space to complement in-person conventions and provide more opportunities for human collaboration and fun worldwide in my WAREHOUSE!
Coming soon! Stay tuned for detailed data!
Where can we find out about Squatchcon in cyberspace?
BOOM: It is time for a shout-out! Who would you like to acknowledge and thank today, and why?
Jess: I’d love to shout out my support team, Sam my husband who is my rock during Squatchcon planning and keeps me from going insane, even though I think it costs him a bit of his own sanity. I would love to thank Purity Milhouse for all of her support and incredible artistic insight. Drew Schwab for everything that he has done to support the convention and by extension, Anime Kat, our title sponsors who make this event possible every year.
BOOM: Finally, how would you make the world a better place?
Jess: I think it’s important for people to be able to find their tribe, and feel accepted, and welcomed in a space. So, I love that Squatchcon can be that for people.
BOOM: Thank you for your time and insights, Jess. My team looks forward to tabling at this year’s exciting event.
Jess: We are very, very excited to see you. Thank you so much for having me, and please keep us updated on any apocalyptic news.
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