This week on ConCast, we’re joined by Angela Kearney, the mastermind behind the very first Topeka Renaissance Festival! She walks us through the wild ride of bringing an 8-year dream to life—from pirate meetups at Golden Corral to building a full-blown Ren Fest complete with jousting, Viking encampments, mermaids, and even a pole dancer in the 21+ pirate bar. We talk about the grassroots hustle, dealing with old-school gatekeepers, the creative reuse of garage sale treasures, and what it takes to make magic on a shoestring budget. Plus, as always, we wrap up with geeky news, mead talk, and toy-collector heartbreak over She-Ra Barbies.

S3E18 | Bigfoot, Ghostbusters, and Giant Spiders: The Con Report!

Ash and Little Beard are back, tired but full of stories after a packed weekend of events. The episode kicks off with some fun banter about Bigfoot vlogs and Ash’s latest weird TikTok algorithm obsession: Stick Nation.

The crew gives a rundown of their weekend adventures:

• McConnellCon – A surprisingly packed six-hour military base convention, with free signed memorabilia from Darth Vader actor Spencer Wilding and R2D2 actor Jimmy Vee (Little Beard hilariously blanked on the name mid-show).
  Highlights included a chaotic Dirty Smoker show moment where R2D2 "fought" Darth Vader onstage—an unscripted con memory that stole the show.

• Big Game Market – Over 200 vendors, great food, and a good crowd despite the heat. Little Beard encountered a disgruntled attendee who mistakenly blamed the Scallywags for a prior bad show (turns out another group used their name as a scapegoat).

Geekgasms of the week included:

• Little Beard’s new lightweight 1984 Ghostbusters proton pack (with future smoke and sound mods planned).

• Ash discovering PCBWay’s open-source project hub and cheap ways to replicate expensive brewery hydrometers.

Tech & Geek News included:

• Amazon testing humanoid delivery robots.

• Melbourne researchers advancing toward an HIV functional cure.

• OpenAI models resisting shutdown commands (!).

• AI-powered weapon detection at hospitals.

• Superpower.com – a new AI-driven personal health platform aiming to optimize longevity and wellness.

• Researchers successfully gene-editing spiders to produce fluorescent red silk—raising both scientific promise and giant-spider horror movie vibes.

The show wrapped with some playful discussion about AI's risks, mocap trends, and Eight-Legged Freaks vs. Arachnophobia. Ash also teased upcoming events including the Topeka Ren Faire and Anime Fest Wichita.

In this lively episode, Ash, Little Beard, and special guest Jon Pic delve into upcoming conventions, geek culture, and some wild AI developments. Ash reveals his family's surprising Mayflower lineage and geekgasm-worthy 3D printed "Most Important Machine in the Universe." Jon shares insights into organizing McConnell Con, a military-focused convention that bridges Wichita’s geek community with Airmen and their families. Topics include 3D printing trophies, AI-generated video content, cosplay contest prizes, and upcoming guests like Spencer Wilding and Scott Innes. The crew also debates the new Harry Potter series casting and the AI-fueled future of pop culture. Expect laughs, behind-the-scenes banter, and a healthy dose of fandom love.