When Steven and Nancy Cross announced they planned to bring a comic-con to Chewelah, a rural town of about 2,800 people, the idea drew a mix of reactions.
“Some were excited and others were like, ‘What the heck is a comic-con?’ ” Nancy Cross recalled with a laugh.
But by the time the event started Saturday, families and groups of friends filled the space, creating an inviting start for the first-time event.
Held at the Mistequa Casino Hotel, the all-day event drew residents from Chewelah and across the Inland Northwest. Some arrived in cosplay as their favorite characters, others made new friends at the gaming tables and many carried plates of food inspired by popular movies and TV shows.
Nancy Cross said they had begun brainstorming the idea last year after working as vendors at comic-cons across Washington since 2021 and selling a variety of items through their business, Cross Creations Design Studio. After several years in the convention scene and seeing how families enjoyed it, they had hoped to bring something fun to the rural area.
She added that by lunchtime, more than 200 people stopped by, including attendees from across the border in Kellogg, Post Falls and Wallace, as well as closer places like Addy, Valley and Colville, Wash. An estimated 500 people attended the event by the end of the day, she said.
“Growing up in a small town in Eastern Oregon, girls were given a lot of guff if they liked comics or anything, so I always felt like, as a kid, it wasn’t something that I was supposed to be into. And then I just married a nerd, and here we are,” Nancy Cross said.
Steven Cross echoed her statement, noting he grew up in rural north-central Montana and only attended his first Comic-Von four years ago, after starting as a vendor at other conventions.
“We both grew up in more rural towns than this. I’m talking like our closest Walmart was over 100 miles away when I was growing up, so there was nothing like this growing up for us,” Steven Cross said.
For local teens Lenden Stach, 13, and Hunter Annett, 14, the event was a surprise—and a thrill. Dressed as the Joker and Shrek, they said they never expected a comic-con in a town like Chewelah.
“I didn’t think there would be as many people as there are,” Annett said.
Stach said they decided to attend after his mom spotted the event on Facebook. He was most excited about looking through Pokémon cards and browsing the author tables. Both hope the event returns next year, with more Pokémon players and a wider variety of vendors.
Colville resident Darena Suprun drew attention with her homemade fox costume, inspired by the 1995 movie “Balto,” which tells the story of a sled dog delivering lifesaving medicine during the 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska. She spent three weeks crafting every detail herself.
“I watched that movie as a kid, and then I found out what a furry was, and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, I need to make my own character,’ ” Suprun said. A furry is someone who has a strong interest in animals with humanlike qualities.
Surprised by the turnout, she said she hopes the event will return next year so fantasy lovers can come together and continue building community.
Nancy and Steven Cross said they are already looking at ways to expand the event next year and encourage broader participation.
“Just seeing the costumes and people with smiles on their faces, I think it’s worth it to bring this to the community. I’m hoping to grow this next year,” Steven Cross said.
Monica Carrillo-Casas is a Murrow News fellow for Spokane Public Radio and The Spokesman-Review. All stories produced by Murrow Local News fellows can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. Image rights may vary.
