Cosplayers, artists and writers gathered recently in downtown Sarasota for an event to kick off their summer. On June 7, the usually quiet Selby Library was converted into a bustling convention center with patrons decked out in costumes of all kinds for the annual SRQCon.
The Sarasota County Libraries website describes SRQCon as “Selby Library’s annual pop culture convention, celebrating all your favorite books, characters, fandoms and more!” Thirty-two local vendors and two food trucks served the approximately 2,000 guests who attended this year’s event.
The Con featured an array of activities and panels for all ages. Younger fans enjoyed a shadow puppet show while older ones could play video games or try their hand at creating a dragon’s eye out of clay. For attendees looking for more educational activities, there were various interactive panels including a Horror Writing Workshop for those interested in sharpening their craft.
SRQCon didn’t always look this way. It began in 2019, and like most large events, it shifted to a virtual platform in 2020 and 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic. Guests enjoyed online workshops on various interests ranging from cosplay to drawing and more. The Con was able to return as a live event in 2022.
“We had it annually since then, and it became our summer reading kick-off in 2024 and 2025,” Selby Library Assistant Manager Heather Tweed told Old School Catalyst via an email interview.
Tweed currently works in the Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources Department. Alongside a dedicated team, she oversaw a large portion of the pre-event planning and event day coordination. “[This year] we had more staff on board for planning and day-of,” she said. “We used more of the spaces in the library more effectively.”
Tweed also expressed her gratitude to the Sarasota County interns who offered their Saturday to help the event run smoothly.
“It was a lot of fun!” said Emma Brown, a Human Resources intern for the county who helped to organize the event. “We got to manage the different spaces that they were hosting events in at the library. I’d never been to something like that before.”
Interns weren’t the only ones experiencing the magic of SRQCon. Many of the vendors were also first-timers, and they had nothing but good things to say about the event.
“This is my first time at SRQCon and I had a great time,” Atomic Fringe author Orion Friday told Old School Catalyst. “I think it was a really wonderful event. Any time you can spend the day in a library is a good day, and even doubly better just with having this community of people here.”
“It’s my first time at the SRQCon and the vibes are immaculate,” said Kaitlyn L., a vendor, online artist and cosplayer known as NerdyNostalgia. “I think libraries are so important to our youth and to the community. Having a program space where we can embrace fandom and pop culture while also promoting all of the incredible resources that libraries have is just an amazing synthesis of everything—I am so happy to be here.”
For next year’s SRQCon, guests can gear up for a paleolithic theme, “Unearth a Story,” where though the dinosaurs are extinct, libraries are still alive and thriving. This will take place in June 2026, with an exact date to be announced next spring. Readers can refer to the Selby Library’s event page for more information on events happening throughout the summer and year-round.
