• New York Bronycon Writeup #2, and Huge News for September!

    I know some of you don't like meetup posts, so if you read nothing else just know that Jayson Thiessen himself will be attending the September meetup.  That is amazing.

    A Full writeup of the last one can be found after the break, courtesy of Purple Tinker.

    Hello, everypony!

    So, this time, we're making the effort to get out our post-event wrapup email done in a timely manner for once! (Shock and awe!)

    Yesterday was our Bronies-NYC July meetup, and by all accounts it was a success. Here's what went down, in a nutshell.

    The day began with all the staffers and artists arriving at the venue starting approximately 30-45 minutes before the event. Tables were set up, a monitor began playing pony episodes, and ponies started to file in by the dozens. The Artist's Alley this time featured Samantha Neukirch, Lady Abraxas, Aura, Autumnalone, and Gluestick. Registration went rather smoothly this time, thanks to a better staffer-to-attendee ratio. (i.e.: There wasn't a ridiculous backup at the front desk this time!) A pony store was available, selling a wide variety of official and unofficial (this time, mostly official) pony merch, including the much-coveted crystal keychains, which sold out. Strawberry Spice, a.k.a. sticker brony-- maintainer of Equestria Gaming-- finally managed to attend, and distributed many of his wonderful stickers.

    This time, since it wasn't a formal con (but, rather, a large meetup), there weren't that many scheduled events. One notable exception was our video appearance/tutorial by the one and only Egophiliac, the well-known pony comic and cartoon artist. In addition to answering questions about her art and the way she works, she made a number of amazing "ponicatures" of various attendees. (See the 28 ponicatures on her deviantArt!) She also did a number of sketches live during the con! "Plus, I'd like to thank Egophiliac for drawing this adorable picture of me!"


    Shortly after Egophiliac's two-hour-plus gala presentation ended, Steve's Minty gave a special screening of the new documentary, 'My Little Obsession', which attracted a fairly wide audience. (NYC local and frequent Bronies-NYC attendee Kar was, in fact, one of the ponies featured in said documentary!)

    We also featured a surprise Bingo game towards the end of the con, at which one lucky brony won $72.50. Before the competition, Kurosuwako announced the upcoming PMV contest for September, the winner of which will be announced at BroNYCon September. (A full writeup about this competition, and how to enter, can be found on Equestria Daily here.)

    After said Bingo game, I disappeared to a nearby Taco Bell, coming back with almost two dozen food items (most of which to give away) plus a bucketload of hot sauce. Meanwhile, a number of bronies engaged in an impromptu singalong of the Cutie Mark Crusaders theme song, with a powerslide by Punchline as the grand finale (which ended up becoming the first time we had to use our First Aid kit.)

    We had over 50 attendees, including two members of the press. In fact, in a happy coincidence, the grand prize was won by one such journalist, JoeStrike, who had previously written about the brony phenomenon. This time, the grand prize included a pony backpack, a miniature 'Bridlemaids' billboard, a $50 Visa card, and a complete set of McDonald's G4 ponies, in an original McDonald's Happy Meal G4 box. Congratulations to all of our winners!

    Last but not least, in what was definitely the day's biggest news of all, I made a very special announcement regarding our first announced Guest of Honour for BroNYCon September: One Jayson Thiessen, Director of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic! A full article on Mr. Thiessen's appearance is also being posted on Equestria Daily.

    Our afterparty was, as always, awesome. In addition to the usual pony video watching and singing along (including some epic metal pony singing), staffers Punchline and Nanashi managed to come up with two amazing new pony drinks, the Great & Powerful Trixie and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, recipes for which were recorded in my journal and will be posted with a future pony drinks update.

    All in all, a wonderful time was had by all! Looking forward to our next big meetup next month, and especially the next full-scale BroNYCon in September!

    In the spirit of friendship,

    Purple Tinker

    41 comments:

    1. conman lost the game

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    2. I witnessed dat~

      Lol, three cheers for those who have made it to every NY herd meet up

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    3. I need money. If I do not go to this Con, I will explode.

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    4. I need to go to this con

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    5. Wait....

      So they're bringing in the top dog for a meetup that occurs around the same time that season 2 is going to start?

      Do I smell a sneak peak of some sort?

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    6. Sounds like an awesome time, would love to go to BroNYCon in September.

      Also, there was an after party for a party lol?

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    7. Wish traveling isn't so expensive considering I live from south texas

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    8. I'm all the way up near the Rockies.. I really want to gooo!

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    9. So I'll admit, when I found out that the "huge news for September" wasn't an official date for the Season 2 premiere, I died a little inside.

      That being said, I may have to hitchhike up to New York in a little while.

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    10. Wish there was one of these going on in my area... I'm sick of hearing all the awesome stuff about bronycon because I don't live up there and I jelly.

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    11. @Aquaman52
      >Season 2-related things

      I hear ya, man.

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    12. Egophiliac was great. Somepony asked her if she was a secret mastermind planning to take over the world.

      After a dramatic pause she said, "Yes," and continued sketching.

      Also, during one of our breaks while she was wrapping up the Fluttershy-in-socks sketch, she started singing, "Rainbow Dash always dresses in style," to herself.

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    13. Hey, it only took me a few hours to do the writeup for June, after spending over a week trying to get *somepony* to send me the talking points! Just sayin'!

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    14. HORYSHET! Jayson's gonna be at this thing?! :D

      *Sigh* It's times like this where it sucks that I live in Tennessee and that I'm still in high school.

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    15. *looks into airfare for September*

      I'm going to end up flying to the Big Apple for this, aren't I...

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    16. Dammit all! Trapped, on the west coast! I spit on all those able to attend with envy! Your mothers were hamsters, and your fathers smelt of elderberries!

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    17. @ToonNinjaWest coast? Try FINLAND. xD

      So yeah, my interest in these posts is nominal at best because them meetups seem to happen completely elsewhere for me xP

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    18. This is awesome. I need to get to NY for this. Time for a road trip up north.

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    19. I will walk into the frigging city if I have to to make the next one...

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    20. Really makes me wish I still lived somewhat close. Though we had a pretty good turn out for the first Dallas Brony Meet at least.

      Sounds like they're doing pretty good though. And having Jayson as a special guest will be really cool. Dunno how likely a sneak peak into Season two will be since Hasbro would have to approve such a thing as well. But it's fun to ponder. lol

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    21. GRRRAAAAAGGGGHHHH, I simply MUST make it there next year if at ALL possible. X_X

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    22. @CupcakesNomlol do you see how many ponies actually want to come????

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    23. Hmmm, if I only knew a good way to get there...

      Anyone in Ottawa planning a road trip? :D

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    24. Well time to book some Bus Tickets. Need to see if I can get any other MD Brony's to bus up with me. I don't want to be going up to NY all by my little lonesome XD

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    25. Hmmmm... I could afford a ticket to America by then... Problem would be getting back. Swimming 7500 miles doesn't sound good.

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    26. the Meetup was great as always and im excited for the next few.

      and im still pleased that Ego actually drew my fairly rediculous request.

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    27. I may not be able to attend BroNYCon this year, but I've already got my eyes set on next!

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    28. @CupcakesNom She started singing that because someone was ordering some of my Rainbow Dash always dresses in style stickers and she heard it hahaha.

      It was a fun time! I'm going to need to prepare for September. I don't think I can take the excitement.

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    29. Just wanted to point out some other tidbits:

      * BroNYCon September may feature a dance.
      * BroNYCon September will have THE most epic Derpy Prize ever.
      * BroNYCon September will rock your freakin' world.

      Oh, and...

      * Tickets are just $25... BUT ONLY FOR ANOTHER WEEK! Then the price goes up to $30. (It'll be $35 at the door.) So RSVP today! Go to http://www.meetup.com/Bronies-NYC/, sign up, and RSVP for the event :)

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    30. I really wish i could go to BroNYCon, but unfortunately i live in Texas. fml -.-

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    31. I looked at the My Little Obsessions page... yeah.
      Only FiM exists in my eyes.

      Still the BroNYcon sound great, I'm going to MCM Comic Con in London later this year, hopefully the'll have a Brony meet up their, if not, then some custom merch for moi.

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    32. Out-of-state bronies: A limited amount of free crash space will be available at Tinker's Lab. Stop being jelly of those who can attend; just buy some plane tickets and attend! You won't have to buy a hotel room.

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    33. It was an awesome time had by all indeed...........

      Maybe next time someone will actually win my hat

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    34. 8|...

      "Jayson Thiessen"

      D8!

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    35. It won't be an 'Official Convention' till Pinkie Pie shows-up and starts everypony doing the Pony Pokey.

      I'm stating it now:
      First rule for any gathering to be considered an 'Official Convention': Pinkie Pie must make an appearance.
      Second rule: Everypony must do the Pony Pokey.

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    36. Good times, great memories. I just wish I could stay for the whole thing. And I was totally the dude that made Ego sing.

      Also: I like how Tinker used "Guest of Honour" instead of the proper, American way of spelling it for a Canadian guy.

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