It’s no dog-and-pony show.
Thousands of “My Little Pony” fans will stampede to Park Slope’s Grand Prospect Hall for a three-day celebration of the brightly-colored magical horses. PonyCon, taking place Feb. 13–15, will offer music, games, and friendship to anyone who adores the equine toys or their cartoons, say organizers.
“This is a gathering of all people who love ‘My Little Pony’ in all its incarnations,” said Bill Crumlic, PonyCon’s Operations Director. “From the toys of the 1980s which started it all, to the TV shows and movies that were produced back then, to today’s ‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic’ television show.”
That latest My Little Pony cartoon show, which started in 2010, has sparked an intense and loyal fandom, including (but not limited to) “Bronies” — boys and adult men who adore and identify with the traditionally girl-targeted series. Despite some neigh-sayers, PonyCon is open to bronies, little girls, and pony fans of all ages and genders, say the organizers.
“There’s something for everyone at the convention,” said Crumlic. “We’re very focused on providing a good time for families. And Park Slope is chock-full of families, so we have a bunch of events that will be for them as well as adults who love the show.”
Attendees at PonyCon can expect pony-inspired musical acts like the Shake-ups in Ponyville, panels with voice actors from the show, displays from artists who work on the cartoons and comic books, and participatory events like “Prancing with the Stars,” writing and drawing classes, and an empowerment workshop titled “Finding Your Cutie Mark.”
The event is no one-trick pony: this is its fourth annual incarnation, with earlier PonyCons stabled in New Jersey and at St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights. The new venue offers a larger, more elegant space for the 2,500–4,000 people expected to hoof it to the show, said Crumlic.
“When we came across Grand Prospect Hall we thought ‘Wait a minute, we have a reputation for trying to class up the convention scene,’ and we thought ‘What about this beautiful, beautiful facility?’ ” he said.
At the tail-end of the day, PonyCon is not just about cartoon ponies, says Crumlic — it’s about bringing people together.
“‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic’ comes along and it teaches the value of friendship, the value that: sometimes you learn tough lessons, but you can still be friends after these tough lessons.”
PonyCon at the Grand Prospect Hall [263 Prospect Ave. between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Park Slope, (347) PONY-790, www.ponycon.nyc]. Feb. 13–15, 10 am–10 pm. $35 per day ($15 kids, $75 for all three days).
