After the rain let up on the afternoon of Sunday, February 10, 2019, the fifth Turlock Toy-Anime-Comic Con began at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds. This event is hosted by Ohana Comic Con, which organizes events throughout the Central Valley and Northern California region.
The event gathered hundreds of people from all over the Central Valley, many of which were families and groups of friends.
Stan State student Daniel Ching (senior, Computer Science) said, “A lot more people showed up than I thought, turnout’s cool!” He added that he had attended other local conventions, including the one in Modesto.
The event focused on toys, collectibles, artwork, and local groups in order to create an inviting environment for all ages. Local cosplayers were invited to show off their costumes and enter in a contest. In addition, custom car owners were also invited to show off their geeky rides.
Tommy Roberts, Fresno resident, was asked to display his custom car at the event. His ride was inspired by the White Ranger from the Power Rangers.
Roberts has had this car for over a year and said he hopes that Jason David Frank, the original actor of the White Ranger, will see it. He said that he has showcased it at car shows and is slowly attending more cons.
Along one of the aisles were several local artists from Turlock who displayed the hashtag #TurlockToonSkwad on their banners.
Among these local artists was Omar Salinas, a Stan State alumni. He attended the con for his third time and showcased his artwork that was for sale. The artwork ranged from super heroes to sports, however he said that his artwork is centered in pop culture.
Salinas added that his artistic abilities go beyond unique pop culture sketches and stretch into custom letterman jacket designs for local athletes. He said that this is his most popular art.
Among these several vendor booths was a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament. The competition started with 16 players who were competing for a cash prize in an elimination style tournament.
After several close matches between the competitors, Daniel Ching was the winner of this tournament, taking home a $25 cash prize.
Once the tournament concluded, attendees were invited to play casually against each other until the end of the event.
There were several activities and attractions for all fandoms alike. The event had something for enthusiasts of all kinds, ranging from video games to super hero movies.  
The convention will return later this year in September. Details are to follow on the convention’s social media pages.