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Love comic cons but end up overwhelmed? Welcome to the sensory-friendly Calmer Con

Calmer Con comes to Boston August 24, and is heading to NYC in the spring of 2025

Features by Grant DeArmitt, Staff Writer

Published on Wed Aug 07 2024

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Comic conventions is a whole lot of fun, but it is also, well, a whole lot. The crowds, the noise, the general sense of so much happening at the same time can be overwhelming at times, especially for those of us with different sensory processes. That's why, in 2018, Adam Wilson put together the very first Calmer Con.

Wilson's son Logan is autistic, which meant that all the hustle and bustle of comic conventions would overwhelm him quickly. Wilson set about providing a space for folks like his son by starting the Calm Passion non-profit, an organization whose goal was to provide sensory-friendly spaces (or Calmer Spaces) at conventions. Then, this effort grew beyond specialized spaces at conventions and into one of its own - Calmer Con, which has been held in Massachusetts and Florida across five years.

Currently, Calm Passion is preparing for Calmer Con 2024, which will be held August 24 just outside Boston (follow their Instagram account for more info). Possibly the best thing about Calmer Con is that it's totally free to attend, but that does mean that they're relying on others' kindness to put the event on. You can donate to the event here, or learn how to volunteer for it if you're in the Boston area.

And if you're not in the Boston area, don't worry - Calmer Con is setting its sights on expanding. At the moment, they're on track for a New York City convention to be held sometime in the spring of 2025. No dates for that show have been announced as of yet, but we'll let you know as soon as we do.

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Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. As Popverse's Staff Writer, he criss-crosses the pop culture landscape bringing you the news and opinions about the big things (and the next big things). In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.