Elsipogtog Comic Convention to Return in 2026 Following First-Ever Event

Elsipogtog’s comic convention will return next year, making it the first ongoing event of its kind at a First Nation in Canada, according to organizers.

Elsi-Con, which debuted Saturday, marked the first-ever comic convention held on an Atlantic First Nation reserve.

Inside the Chief Young Eagle Recreation Centre, vendors offered comic books, vintage toys, and cosplay masks, while special guests mingled with fans. The day also featured a wrestling match by Moncton’s Innovative Hybrid Wrestling and a spirited cosplay contest.

The competition welcomed both seasoned cosplayers and first-timers, giving many young people their first chance to show off a costume in front of a real convention crowd. Standout outfits included an Indigenous Sailor Moon and a Mi’kmaw vampire. The “Best in Show” award went to Ricky Whyte of Miramichi, who recreated a Ninja Turtle action figure—an outfit he crafted over four or five months, a few hours at a time.

The convention also drew big-name guests. Actor Adam Beach—best known for his lead role in Smoke Signals—said he’s been to major comic-cons across North America, and Elsi-Con held its own.

“Having a comic-con for the first time here in a Mi’kmaq community enables us to connect to the younger generation—and the older generation, like myself,” said Beach, 52. “I love comic books, I love movies, animé is amazing.”

Mi’kmaw actor Glen Gould of Membertou, whose credits include Outlander and Tulsa King, said hosting the event in Elsipogtog gave local youth an opportunity they don’t often get. “Kids in First Nations communities don’t always get the chance to attend something like this, or to even know what it is,” he said.

Elsi-Con came together quickly—just nine weeks—after former Elsipogtog chief Susan Levi-Peters was inspired by a chat with an organizer from the East Coast Comic Expo in Moncton. The idea caught fire, and the community made it happen.

Guests and vendors were eager to be part of the first edition. “When I got invited, it was quite a surprise because I didn’t even know this was in existence yet,” said Saint John–based comic writer Hal Hilden. “I’m just so happy to be invited here. It was a great time.”

One highlight was a demo of Kun’tewiktuk: A Mi’kmaw Adventure, a fantasy video game inspired by Mi’kmaq legends and set in Unama’ki (Cape Breton Island). The game features Mi’kmaq voice actors from Eskasoni First Nation.

Author Jason Lawson was also on hand, teaming up with Beach to adapt his novel Jim Charles’ Gold into a feature film. The thriller, based on East Coast history, tells the story of an Indigenous guide who discovers gold in the Wabanaki wilderness—and the violence that follows. The book reached Amazon’s Top 100, Lawson said, though film funding in Canada remains a challenge.

Other guests included Florida-based stuntman and actor Jon Ambrose (The Umbrella Academy, The Retirement Plan), who once lived in Nova Scotia. “It’s kinda like coming home,” he said, praising the hospitality of Elsipogtog. Editorial cartoonist Michael de Adder was also in attendance, reflecting on the challenges of satirizing Donald Trump: “It’s hard to make fun of someone who’s already funnier than anything you could come up with.”

For organizers Brad MacDonald and Scott Tingley, the inaugural Elsi-Con was a success. “Not bad for a ragtag group of misfits,” MacDonald said, though he admitted turnout was lower than hoped, with competition from major festivals in Dieppe and Rogersville.

Still, the foundation is set. The second edition of Elsi-Con is already scheduled for August 8, 2026.

Reporting by Anna-Leah Simon, David Gordon Koch, Lance Francis, and Lisha Francis. This reporting was made possible in part by the Government of Canada, administered by the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS).