On November 1st – 3rd 2024, I attended my very first Starfury convention. I’ve been hearing about them for years, and I’ve always been intrigued, but I was never quite sure if I could justify the price. However, when I saw that Starfury Enchanted 5 had booked Colin O’Donoghue, who I’ve wanted to meet for years, I decided to take the plunge and see what it was all about. I’ve been a fan of Once Upon a Time for over a decade, and I don’t even know how many times I’ve rewatched it, so this felt like the perfect opportunity to fully embrace my love for the fandom.
I didn’t really have any idea of what to expect, since Starfury Events are so different to most other companies. So, I thought it would be useful to write this article about all my experiences over the weekend, as that way other fans can get a good idea of what it’s like, and decide if Starfury conventions are right for them!
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The Venue
Enchanted 5 was held at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Birmingham. I’ve gotta say, I really loved the convenience of having the convention held within a hotel. It meant that I could pop back to my room if there was any downtime, or if I didn’t want to be carrying everything around with me. I feel pretty spoiled compared to all the coming and going I have to do with most conventions, it’s so much easier doing it this way.
The hotel itself was pretty fancy, lots of marble and chandeliers. Breakfast in particular was incredible, there was a huge range of food, and I was very pleased to see that there were plenty of vegan options. So many times I have to resort to just having toast for breakfast when travelling, but that wasn’t the case here. There was fresh fruit, hash browns, plant-based sausages, and more. Whether you preferred a continental breakfast or a full fry up, you were covered. They even had delicious raspberry-flavoured plant- based croissants… I ate 6 of them!
I had a single room since I attended alone. The bed was technically a double, but there was a shelf above one side which acted as a bedside table, so I couldn’t have slept on that side. The room had a desk and a chair, as well as a very small wardrobe which was able to hold about 4 tops/ dresses. There were no shelves or drawers, so I put the rest of my clothes on the foldout chair. There was also a large desk, which was super convenient, as well as a TV with the basic channels.
This was the last year of Enchanted being at this venue, though, as next time it’s moving to the Renaissance Hotel in Heathrow.
The Guests
As with pretty much any convention, the guests are always the highlight, and this is especially true for Starfury. Their whole shtick revolves around an immersive fandom experience, so being able to provide several actors from the relevant franchise is important.
The guests are broken down into 3 categories. Regular guests have a free autograph included for all attending fans. Bonus guests have a free autograph included for all fans with a Gold ticket (more expensive than a Regular ticket). Then Extra guests always need to be paid for.
Initially, Karen David (Jasmine), and Isabella Blake-Thomas (Young Zelena) were supposed to be attending, but sadly they had to drop out last minute. Fortunately, Sean Harry was able to secure Bailee Madison as a last-minute addition.
Their Favourite Shapes of Pasta
I figured that the guests probably always got questions about Once Upon a Time, so I wanted to ask them something a little different. I’ve had a fair few fun discussions with friends about our favourite pasta shapes, so I figured it was as good a question as any to ask the guests! Most of them I asked in their autograph sessions, except for Amy, who I asked during her talk. Here are their responses!
- Colin – Fusilli
- Lana – Angel Hair (she doesn’t eat many carbs)
- Bex – Penne
- Bailee – Tagliatelle
- Keegan – Falfalle (she finds it fun to say)
- Raphael – Falfalle
- Beverley – Penne (she couldn’t remember the name, so she described it, and we looked it up on my phone to see if she meant penne or rigatoni)
- Amy – Fusilli (she couldn’t remember the name, so she described it, and I knew what she meant)
Colin O’Donoghue
Even though I was excited to meet the other guests too, Colin was the one I was most hyped for. Hook is my favourite character in the show, and I couldn’t believe I was finally gonna see him. He was the main reason I attended this convention, so I had very high hopes. I also wanted to make the most of the event, so I booked a photo, autograph, and 2 fan meets. I also attended his talks on both the Saturday and the Sunday.
Colin was an absolute delight, so friendly and welcoming. He didn’t give off any vibe that he thought he was better than you. He came across very genuinely, and seemed like a really lovely, chill guy. Colin was also incredibly funny, cracking jokes throughout the weekend. I felt his humour came alive most in the fan meets, as it was a more relaxed environment than the talks or the autographs. He was also happy to share his experiences of growing up in Ireland.
One thing I learned about him that I didn’t already know, is that he’s incredible at impressions! Not only can he do an excellent range of accents (Scottish, Southern American, Northern English, etc), but he has an arsenal of impressions to hand. My favourite one was Mickey Mouse, which he pulled out a couple of times during the talks. It honestly sounded just like him! And during the fan meet, I asked him to do his favourite, and he looked me right in the eyes as he did the best David Attenborough impression I’ve ever heard! It was seriously incredible.
Lana Parrilla
So, I’d heard plenty of amazing things about how lovely Lana was, and I was really excited to meet her in person. I’d like to preface this by making it clear that I don’t think I had a bad experience, nor do I feel even slightly negatively towards Lana because if it. It simply didn’t quite live up to my expectations, and that’s okay. Not all guest interactions can be incredible, some are just neutral, and that’s part and parcel of attending conventions.
Lana wasn’t rude or mean to me when I got her autograph, but it felt like she was running on autopilot. She barely looked up so there wasn’t much eye contact. And even though she didn’t explicitly say so, I could tell that she wasn’t interested in what I had to say. I completely get it, I was meeting her towards the end on the Sunday, so she must’ve been exhausted. So although the interaction was fine, it just didn’t feel overly personal. She also spelled my name wrong and had to scribble over it, which was a tad frustrating, as it makes the page look less neat. Still, it was an honest mistake, so I don’t mind too much. Plus, it was exciting to meet Regina in person!
I will say that she really thrived in the talks. She had plenty of funny anecdotes, and she really commands a stage. She’s so charismatic, and you feel hooked on her every word. She also comes across very kind and appreciative in that less intimate setting. I think she does better with group interactions than in one-on-one settings. Still, I’ve only met her the once, so your experience could be different.
Rebecca Mader
I feel like Bex is literally just Zelena if she was happy all the time instead of moody and vengeful. Bex has such a fantastic personality, she’s so upbeat and unserious. She’s also almost ethereally beautiful. I remember one morning I was sitting waiting for my photograph with Colin, fussing about how my face still looked pale from sleep, and then she strode by looking like a supermodel. The fact that she’s 47 is insane, she looks mid-30s at tops. She’s also got a youthful attitude to match her stunning good looks.
The best thing about her is her laugh. When I was waiting for a fan meet, I could hear her coming down the hall because she was cackling just like Zelena. And she kept that great sense of humour during her talks, joking around with the fans. She doesn’t take herself seriously at all, and it’s brilliant.
When I met her for my autograph, she immediately greeted me with a warm smile and a handshake, looking into my eyes and making me feel really seen. She was happy to chat along with me while she signed, and I felt so immersed in the moment. One thing I did find interesting is that instead of signing her signature, she just wrote her name. I’ve never seen that on an autograph before, so it surprised me. I asked her to sign in green, as it seemed fitting, and she was more than happy to acquiesce.
Bailee Madison
Bailee was added last minute as a replacement after Karen David and Isabella Blake-Thomas cancelled. Much as I was sad that the others couldn’t make it, I’m so glad that it meant we got Bailee. She’s just the sweetest, most lovely girl… and I say girl, even though she’s 25 now! It’s really weird thinking of her as an adult when I know her as young Snow White. She’s definitely got a youthful glow to her even now, though.
She’s just the friendliest, kindest, most genuine soul you could hope to meet. Her smile lights up her whole face, and you can’t help but smile back when you see it. She’s still pretty new to the con circuit, and you can tell she’s enjoying the novelty of it. Bailee just seemed so grateful to even be there. When she was signing my autograph, I was telling her how talented she is, and how excited I am to see where her career takes her. And at the end I told her how lovely she was, and she laughed, and showed me that she’d written that about me when signing my autograph! It was a really cute moment, and I’m glad I got to share it with her.
Sadly I missed her talk on the Saturday as I was getting autographs, but I loved her talk on Sunday. She was sharing the stage with Colin, and she was so fun to listen to. A lot of the questions were aimed just at Colin, and she didn’t mind at all. She didn’t make a fuss, or even pretend to be upset, she just happily let Colin take the spotlight. I don’t think I saw Bailee with a frown the entire weekend, and that just sums up the wonderful person that she is.
Raphael Sbarge
This man is an absolute GEM of a human being. Seriously, he’s one of the loveliest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of interacting with, I can’t praise him enough. He is such a kind, genuine, gracious man, and he took the time and effort to make sure that every single fan that he spoke to felt cherished and appreciated. Literally every single time a new fan came up to his desk, he would stand up, shake their hand, and look deep into their eyes so that they felt heard and cared about. And then he would happily chat for as long as the fan wanted, there was no feeling of being rushed.
His queues were so long, precisely because he was taking the time with everyone, and he finished his autographs long after all the other actors had finished signing theirs. It wasn’t about the money for him, in fact, his was one of the free autographs included with the ticket. He could easily have made it quick, just signed his name and said goodbye, to try and get through everyone quicker. Instead, he stayed to make sure that every single fan had the best experience.
I’ve been lucky enough to meet loads of actors and actresses at conventions over the years, and I can honestly say that Raphael is probably the sweetest celebrity I’ve ever met. I also loved how open he was during the talks, where he shared about his own experiences with depression, and encouraged people to seek therapy. “If you’re struggling, it’s okay to ask for help”.
Beverley Elliott
Beverley may technically be getting on in years, but she seems to have missed the memo! She’s got so much energy, and can easily keep up with the younger actors. Her sense of style is unmatched, and I loved seeing her various outfits over the course of the weekend. My favourite was this beautiful scarf that she wore, it looked so incredibly elegant on her.
To give you an idea of Bev’s personality, here’s a little anecdote from my autograph session with her. I can’t remember exactly what I said to prompt it, but she made a “that”s what she said” joke! She has a cheeky sense of humour that I loved. I also asked if she could do a little doodle of a werewolf, as a nod to Granny, and she happily obliged. She spent way longer than I expected making sure to get the details right, and even wrote a little speech bubble saying “howwwwwwl”. The best part is that she said the howl out loud as she was writing it.
She’s incredibly wise, and had so many wonderful quotes during her talks. A couple of my favourites that she said are:
- “Follow your dreams. If it’s what you wanna do, fight for it.”
- “If you don’t wanna do something, say no.”
And if all that wasn’t enough, she’s also musically gifted! At the end of both her talks, she led a sing-along with the crowd. She’s get a beautiful voice, and her face is so expressive.
Keegan Connor Tracy
Keegan was the first actor that I got an autograph with at Enchanted. I was struck by how natural the interaction felt. It didn’t feel like I was meeting a celebrity, it was just like having a chat with a random stranger. I mean that in the best way possible, it felt like such a genuine connection, just two people getting to know each other. I chatted a little, talking about Once Upon a Time, but also briefly about her appearance in Supernatural. I’d seen one of her episodes a couple of days before the convention, so it was still fresh in my mind. With her autograph, she also drew a fairy wand, and wrote ‘with magic’, which made it feel extra special.
I was able to attend both of Keegan’s talks. I believe her first one was solo, and then on the Sunday she was with Amy. Just like in the autograph session, she came across really down-to-Earth. She was happily just chatting away, and there seemed to be no distance between her and the fans. She also admitted that she’d deliberately played the Blue Fairy as suspicious, because she liked the theory that Blue was secretly evil, and wanted to play into that. But she did acknowledge that there was technically no truth to it, and Blue just believed in order.
Keegan had real girl-power energy, and I loved how unapologetic she was. My favourite quote from her was: “Fight for yourself. Ask the question, because very often, the answer is yes”.
Amy Manson
Amy is the only one of the guests who I didn’t get an autograph for. It was nothing personal, but she was an Extra Guest, meaning I would’ve had to pay for her. I decided I couldn’t really justify buying her autograph since I’m not a big fan of Merida. I always felt like Merida’s storyline was shoehorned in, and I found the character a bit two-dimensional. It was no fault of Amy’s though, she did an excellent job portraying her, I just didn’t like the direction that the show chose for the character.
I was happy to go and see her in talks, though. Amy has a really fun personality, and I love her Scottish accent. She’s also very willing to share her experiences, and I was touched by how vulnerable she was willing to be. She shared a story of a problematic director who took advantage of her, and I thought that was really brave of her. She also cracked plenty of jokes. Amy seems like someone who would be great to be friends with, like you could hang out and have a laugh.
I got the sense that Amy truly appreciated being around the fans. She also brought her mum along with her, which I thought was super cute. During one of her talks, she said “I love coming to this con because there’s a spirit of camaraderie and community”. You could tell she loved the social aspect of it, and didn’t just view the weekend as a way to make money.
The Talks
Hearing the guests speak on a panel is always the highlight of any convention for me. I love getting to hear what they have to say, and feeling like I’m connecting with them on a more human level. The Starfury talks are formatted a bit differently to most other cons, and I can’t say it’s an improvement. They’re not bad, just could definitely be better. For starters, there’s no host, so the talk is purely Q&A. Some fans may prefer this, as it means more people get to ask questions, but personally I find that a host tends to ask better questions than the average fan, so I prefer when it’s closer to 50/50. I will say that I really approved of the choice to have a seated microphone queue, that was a stroke of genius.
My main concern with the talks was the seating layout. It had Gold at the front, and Regular at the back, which is fine. However, there were several hours where most Gold fans were getting autographs, so most of their seats sat empty. There should’ve been an option for Regular fans to sit in Gold seats if they were still empty before the talk, with the understanding they had to vacate if a Gold fan showed up. This was extra frustrating since it was incredibly hard to see the stage as a Regular fan. There was no staggered seating, so, being on the shorter side, all I really saw was the back of people’s heads. Even sitting on the aisle wasn’t helping as I was blocked by the microphone queue. There were screens with video projected, but if I wanted to watch a video, I’d just go on Youtube.
What I Enjoyed About the Talks
Still, despite my gripes with the layout, the talks themselves were really good. The guests were funny and friendly, and everyone was so deeply passionate about the fandom. It was great to hear so many talks relevant to something I enjoyed. Each guest brought their own unique personality, and it was awesome to get to know them better.
It was also great to have the opportunity to ask our own questions. Every fan was given the opportunity to join the microphone queue if they wanted. I asked several questions over the course of the weekend, and I really felt like I was getting my money’s worth by doing so. I know not everyone is comfortable with talking in front of others, but personally I love asking things to the guests. At one point I asked Colin his favourite karaoke song, and he launched into a performance of Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream! It was such a fun moment, and I’m kinda gutted that recordings weren’t allowed, because I’d love to replay it! We already knew he was a great singer after the musical episode, but wow!
Each guest had 2 talks over the weekend – one on the Saturday, and one on the Sunday. It meant that if you missed a guest on a particular day because you were getting autographs, you still had a second chance. And it also meant that you could hear your favourite guests twice if you prioritised their talks over other activities.
The Fan Meets
Not all convention companies offer fan meets, and I consider it a privilege to be able to attend them when possible. Before now, the only company I’ve seen doing fan meets is Monopoly, who charge an extortionate amount for them. In contrast, Starfury are incredibly reasonably priced. I was able to do a fan meet with Colin O’Donoghue for just £90! I know that probably sounds like a lot if you’re new to the world of conventions, but I assure you it’s VERY cheap to what other places would charge. Due to the low cost, I bought 2 – one on the Saturday and one on the Sunday; I got to meet him twice since each one was less than half the price I’d budgeted for it.
The fan meet itself takes place in a private room, away from the rest of the convention. I got a little lost trying to find it on the Saturday, but thankfully I made it in time. The layout was set in a square, which I’ve never seen before, but actually worked really well in allowing everyone to see the guest. There were sweets scattered over the tables, which were not only yummy, but brought a more relaxed vibe. There were ~20 of us at the tables, so it was much more personal than the talks.
Being able to interact with Colin in that environment was amazing. He was so chill and relaxed, and we all had a chance to ask him questions. It was a wonderful experience, and he was very open to our questions, laughing and joking with us. He even filmed a couple of Tiktoks, so now I’m forever immortalised on his channel!
The Social Side
One reason I was tempted to do Starfury Enchanted 5 was because I’d heard what a wonderful social environment it was. I’m no stranger to attending cons alone, but it can get a little lonely not talking to anyone all day. I was excited at the prospect of connecting with other fans. Initially, I wasn’t getting that vibe at all. I felt so awkward being surrounded by strangers, especially since I’m an introvert. I ended up just chilling alone in my room until the opening ceremony, feeling a little sad. However, it picked up afterwards, as one of the women offered to show me where to go to get food. And then at the party, I met some new friends who took me under their wing, and I connected with sporadically over the weekend.
Before I attended, I’d guessed that it would probably be around 80% women, but if anything, that estimate was too low. I reckon it was closer to 90%, even 95% women! I’ll be honest, and I hope this doesn’t make me sound too much like a misandrist, but I really loved that about it. It felt so safe to be surrounded by that much feminine energy, and all the guys who were there seemed like really wholesome dudes, who were fully welcomed in that space as well as the women.
I ended up getting to know plenty of familiar faces from the autograph lines, fan meets, talks, and parties. Most people were happy to chat, and it did feel very much like a community. I’m glad I chose to be brave and put myself out there, as I met some wonderful people.
The Parties
If you’d have told me prior to attending Starfury Enchanted 5 that the parties would’ve been my favourite part, I’d have certainly raised an eyebrow. I’m not a party person, not by a long shot. I’m a sit down and have a quiet evening in person. I hate loud music. I hate feeling crowded. I’m uncomfortable with strangers. And yet… something happened there. The music was the perfect volume, loud enough to feel immersive without being too loud that it felt deafening. There was enough space that I wasn’t crushed, and the strangers were all so friendly that I felt totally safe.
I wanted to check out what the parties were like, so I made my way down on the Friday, and I was surprised by how empty it was. There weren’t many people in the room, and even fewer on the dance floor. So I sat down in a seat and decided firmly that there was no way I was dancing. But the music vibes were on point, and I felt myself shuffling in my seat, itching to go and join in. So I dug deep to find all my courage, and I got up on that dancefloor! A couple of the other women made space for me to join their dance circle, and I just let loose!
I stayed until midnight on Friday, and all the way until 2am on Saturday (which was much busier). I had an absolute blast, singing my lungs out when bangers by Taylor Swift or Chappel Roan came on. The DJs were taking requests, so pretty much every song was amazing. And of course, there were plenty of tunes from the Once Upon a Time musical episode, including my personal favourite – Revenge is Gonna Be Mine.
Cosplay
Cosplay is a huge part of the Starfury experience, and although I didn’t dress up myself, I loved seeing other people’s outfits. They’d clearly put so much effort into them, and I was in awe at the talent that some people had. I used to cosplay back in the day, but these days I just don’t have the confidence for it. So I have great admiration for people who are willing to put on an outfit and take on the role of a character they love.
The cosplay contest on the Saturday was not to be missed. I don’t know exactly how many entrants there were, but I reckon at least 30. It was fun to see such a variety on display, everyone was so creative. Some of the best ones were the Seer (who had gone all out, and looked exactly like the character on the show), Pinocchio (she’d attached strings to her arms and legs, and wooden sticks to her head so she really looked like a puppet), and the Evil Queen in Disguise (this one was incredible, it was when the Evil Queen was impersonating Ursula, so there were these huge tentacles and everything). There was so many other awesome ones as well, too many to mention.
My personal favourite was Overcompensating Rumplestiltskin. Not only was the Rumple cosplay incredible, but he’d made a MASSIVE replica of Rumplestiltskin’s dagger, it was even bigger than he was! He’d even applied shimmery gold face paint, so he looked just like the Dark One did in the Enchanted Forest. The cosplayer was this guy called Craig, who I chatted with a few times over the weekend; he’s a really lovely guy, and a fantastic dancer.
Accessibility
Due to my autism, some aspects of conventions can be a challenge for me. A lot of conventions these days offer accessibility passes, with the passes providing different benefits depending on the organiser. Thus far, my main experience with these passes has been with Monopoly Events. Their accessibility pass is essentially just a free upgrade to a diamond pass, which allows you to skip the queues, and makes the event much less stressful for those like me who are unable to queue due to disability. You can also get a free carer ticket if necessary.
Starfury do it slightly differently. You don’t get a free upgrade to Gold, but I completely understand why, since their Gold ticket offers extra perks such as a Friday meet and greet, free autographs from Bonus Guests, and better seating, none of which are necessary from an accessibility standpoint. Having said that, I do think certain people with accessibility needs should’ve been offered better seating. There was a young lad who was clearly distressed about not being able to see the stage, and I would’ve liked to have seen him be offered the chance to sit in empty seats in the Gold section. He very clearly had extra needs, and I don’t think any of the attendees would’ve found it unfair.
What you do get, though, is a little pass that you can show to stewards. It doesn’t allow you to skip the queues, but it does mean you can sit at the side until you would’ve been at the front of the queue (you talk to the person at the back of the line and they hold your place). You can also get a free entry-only Carers ticket if needed. The stewards were very helpful with accessibility needs, and I can’t fault them.
Sean Harry
Sean Harry is the name behind Starfury, building the conventions up himself as a way to connect fans. The thing that really stands out to me about Sean, and Starfury in general, is how fan-driven this company is. This is very clearly not just a for-profit venture. He cares about the experience, and gets hugely involved. He’s there introducing the guests at the opening and closing ceremonies, he made the announcements for the cosplay contest, and he wanders around the event joining in. He even stayed to party all the way until 2am!
The guy is really friendly, and he’s happy to take selfies with anyone who asks. I did get a selfie with him, but out of kindness to him, I won’t share it, because he was wastedddd, haha. He has awesome charisma, and I really enjoyed his speeches when he was on stage talking about the event.
I wish more convention organisers were like Sean, we need people who genuinely care about the fans and the experience. I love that he gets involved, and I love that fandom is very much at the forefront of what he does.
Miscellaneous
One thing that really struck me about the convention was how affordable everything was. The entry ticket was more expensive than most conventions, but that’s because you get more than you do with most other conventions. It included 3 free autographs, and entry to all the after parties, as well as the event itself. You also got an exclusive enamel pin, as well as 2 Once Upon a Time posters. Photos were a pretty standard price, but the autographs and fan meets were INCREDIBLY reasonable. Being able to get autographs for Colin O’Donoghue, Lana Parilla, AND Rebecca Mader for just £100 was insane. I would’ve expected to pay double that anywhere else.
There wasn’t much in the way of merch, it was certainly different to most cons in that regard. Usually, conventions will have rows and rows of merch tables, but that wasn’t the case here. There was just one table out the front of the main hall that had a selection of merch. There was a fair amount for Once Upon a Time, but there was also stuff for other fandoms such as Supernatural and Lucifer. You could also buy plenty of posters, these were available in the registration room, although I don’t recall seeing them on other days apart from the Friday. I could be wrong on that though, since I wasn’t paying much attention as I had no intention of buying.
Pros and Cons
Starfury is very unique in its approach to conventions, and that comes with good and bad aspects. I’ve delved into plenty of detail throughout this article, but here are some overall pros and cons for those of you wanting the tl;dr.
Pros
- One fandom – Everyone is there because they’re a fan of the same thing, which means that you can chat about the show with anyone, and they’ll most likely be really into the conversation.
- Safe and friendly vibe – It’s a lot smaller than most conventions, and very well-staffed. Pretty much everyone there is really lovely, and there will nearly always be staff or stewards around to help you if any issues did arise. It means you can relax and enjoy the atmosphere.
- Multiple relevant guests – For me, at least, I decide which conventions to go to based on the guests. Often, there’ll only be 2-3 guests I’m actually interested in meeting at a con. With Starfury having these conventions for specific fandoms, it means that I’m interested in nearly all the guests, which is really exciting.
- Convenient venue – As I mentioned earlier, I love the convenience of it being hosted in a hotel. It means that I don’t have to lug my bag around with me, and I can take multiple breaks as and when I need to. It also really helps create this immersive environment where I can forget the rest of the world.
- Fun parties – I feel like the parties really add an extra element of excitement to the event. Being able to sing and dance my heart out with other fans was such a fulfilling experience for me; I had the largest grin on my face.
- Affordable autographs – Whilst their photos are roughly the same price you’d expect elsewhere, the autographs are so comparatively cheap. All the guests were excellent value, and it meant I could meet more of them. I wouldn’t be able to justify paying the prices that other cons would charge for those same guests. Same for the fan meets.
Cons
- Expensive overall – Even though I do feel you get good value for money, Starfury conventions are definitely a luxury expenditure. Since you can’t buy individual days, and the Regular tickets come with free autographs, it means the price starts at £130. Most other conventions set you back around £50-60 for a weekend, or £20-30 for a single day. Then you also have the room costs for staying at the hotel, and lunch/ dinner costs since those aren’t included, and it can quickly add up.
- Clashes – This is an issue that’s inherent to the fact that everyone is interested in all the guests. With most conventions, I can plan my day to make it so that I see the guests I like without missing anything I want to do. But here, there will be fan meets/ autographs happening at the same time as talks, so you’ll naturally end up missing stuff. I ended up only getting to see about 15-20 minutes of Rebecca Mader over the course of the weekend just because of how my schedule worked out. Things also don’t always run on time, and a lot of the events ended up starting pretty late.
- Downtime – Ironically, as well as the clashes, there also ends up being lots of downtime, since you’re in the hotel over the entire weekend. If you’ve gone to the convention with someone else, it’s not that big a deal as you can just hang out. But, having attended alone, I did feel a bit lonely/ awkward at times whilst waiting for the next event to begin.
Overall Opinion
Overall, I had a really great time at Starfury Enchanted 5. Being able to indulge my love for Once Upon a Time in such an intense way over the course of the weekend was awesome. I hadn’t known what to expect, but I would say that it was an incredible experience. The only thing I’d question for myself was whether it was quite worth the amount I paid. All in, accounting for tickets, travel, accommodation, and meeting the guests, it came to over £800. That’s kind of insane when you consider I was only there for one weekend. I probably could’ve done it for closer to £450, but that would’ve meant skipping the autographs, photos, and fan meets, which were the highlight of my weekend. Still, I feel like experiences are worth as much as we decide they are, so I’m choosing to believe it was worth it.
If you can afford the money, and you enjoy a more intimate experience rather than the chaos of a larger convention, then Starfury conventions could definitely be worth checking out. I’d strongly recommend going with a friend, but it is still fun by yourself.
Have you ever been to a Starfury Events convention? If not, which fandom would you want to attend one for? Join the discussion over in our Facebook community, or tweet us over on Twitter!
