Our man in Vancouver

“One costume that may have been a first in the Northwest was the rollerblader from the Jet Set Radio video game. There were also at least two people dressed as characters from the Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney games. They even had “word balloon” signs with phrases like “Objection!” written on them.

“At one point a group of women outside in period costumes looked as if they must belong to some anime. But actually they were dressed in mid-19th-century clothing as part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the city of Vancouver, Washington. This event happened to be going on the same weekend as Kumoricon, in the park across from the convention’s hotel. The timing was great, because it made Kumoricon feel like part of a larger party.

“The convention’s location at the Vancouver Hilton also paid off when it came time to find something to eat. A farmers’ market was conveniently situated a block away, with plenty of fresh produce, various hot foods, and very short lines. The mellow locals hardly even reacted when ninja, pirates and other characters stopped by to check out the produce stands.”
Tom Good covers Kumoricon 2007, J LHLS, September 15, 2007

Not like being there, but pretty close.