Arlington County’s public libraries are celebrating “Cosplay Month” for the first time with a series of events at the Westover Branch Library, starting tonight (Monday).
Cosplay is a hobby where participants dress up to represent characters from books, comics, television shows or movies, and now Arlingtonians can learn more with four free events.
“It’s about empowering our patrons through a hybrid of art, fashion, role play, books and sub (geek) culture,” a library spokesman said. “We provide our patrons with the opportunity to transform themselves into their favorite characters from their favorite shows.”
Tonight, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Westover Branch Library (1644 N. McKinley Road), photographer Ashley Loth and cosplay model Jillian Ryan will teach cosplayers how to pose their models, set a storyline and bring their cosplay to life in photographs. The event is aimed at adults and mature high schoolers.
On Tuesday, September 12 at the Westover Branch Library, Star Wars fans can meet the 501st Legion from 7-8:30 p.m. The legion has “spread the magic of the Star Wars genre worldwide” by wearing authentic costumes and hosting charity events, according to an event listing.
September’s Casual Monthly Drawing Meet-Up on Tuesday, September 19 will be themed around cosplay from 6:30-8:30 p.m., while on Saturday, September 30, the Westover Branch Library will host a panel discussion on what it’s like to cosplay when you are a “minority nerd.” The discussion lasts from 1-2:30 p.m., with panelists expected to share their diverse perspectives.
The month of events comes hot on the heels of International Cosplay Day, which took place on the weekend of August 26 and 27 and saw themed events held across the world.
Photo via Twitter