If you’re like me, you grew up being a fan of things that the “it” crowd didn’t care much for. Wrestling, Star Wars, comics, video games…all pillars of yours truly’s childhood.

If you can associate with that upbringing, then Grand Rapids Comic-Con is the place for you this weekend.

Starting back in 2013, when husband and wife Mark and Jennifer Hodges decided to put on their own fan convention in West Michigan, Grand Rapids Comic-Con has become a staple in the culture of the area, bringing in guests and patrons from all corners of fandom. From comic book writers to artists to actors – including voice actors, as well as those from television and the silver screen- and other figures that us geeks have grown to love over our lifetimes.

Event Director Mark Hodges says Comic-Con is a place where people can be themselves and find others who have similar interests as them.

“One of the big things is, especially the younger kids, a lot of them feel a little isolated sometimes in their schools,” Hodges explained in an interview with GR Channel. “Because they’re an Amazing Digital Circus fan or something like that. Then they go to a show like [Comic-Con] and they see somebody dressed as the main character of a show and they’re like, ‘Oh my god, I’m a big fan of the show.’ They get a picture with them and all that. Then, they become Facebook buddies or whatever. There’s something to that, too…it‘s part of that that the show is designed to inspire people.”

This year marks the 16th edition of Grand Rapids Comic-Con, and there’s a different feel heading into this year. While there are the typical areas where patrons can play games, have interactive experiences and meet many notable characters, on top of dressing up in their favorite costumes and other outfits, there are a few very intriguing panels coming up. Saturday is seemingly the biggest day of the bunch. Anne Serling, the daughter of Rod Sterling, the creator of The Twilight Zone, will be holding a panel where she will be discussing her book As I Knew Him: My Dad, Rod Serling, going through her relationship with her father and how the mind worked for the man who created one of the more progressive works of television that was seen at the time.

Also on Saturday, special effects guru Roger Christian, one of the three creative figures behind the Star Wars franchise, will be holding a forum discussing how he and George Lucas helped create many of the vehicles and ships and spaceships that were highlighted throughout the series. One of those tales will include hopping in dumpsters and using scrap pieces to put them together.

Also, three of the most prominent names in professional wrestling will be holding a panel describing their days in the territories. Legendary manager Jimmy Hart, along with legendary performers Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and Jake “The Snake” Roberts, will talk about their days before the WWE, then known as the World Wrestling Federation, took over the wrestling landscape. 

Grand Rapids Comic-Con will be held at DeVos Place this weekend, opening on Friday at 12 p.m. The first day of festivities will end at 7 p.m. Saturday’s hours at DeVos will go from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the venue being open on Sunday open from 10 a.m.. to 5 p.m. You can buy tickets online at GRcomiccon.com or Ticketmaster, or you can find a list of comic book shops around Grand Rapids that will waive service fees. More information can be found at the event’s website here.