“Star Trek”’s Borg characters mixed with “Firefly” heroes who mixed with comic-book supermen. With intricate costuming and sci-fi celebrities, SoonerCon again brought the genres to life in the heart of a modern city.

In April, the medieval times attracted girls stuffed into busty corsets and boys into “Pirates of the Caribbean” Jack Sparrow garb at Norman’s Medieval Fair. Across town, the Victorian era met industrial fantasy at Oklahoma City’s first Steampunk Convention.

Laugh if you will, but such gatherings bring in a staggering amount of money to the local economy, making it as successful as some of the more traditional conventions and cultural festivals.

“I think when you have a themed festival, it’s a fantasy, a way to get away from the worries of modern day and return to the romantic times of kings and queens and heroes,” says Ann Marie Eckart, Medieval Fair coordinator. “When you step into a different world like the medieval times or steampunk era, your worries go away for a while.”

A KING’S TREASURE

With a warm April weekend, an estimated 385,000 visitors stepped into the regal times of the Medieval Fair, held outdoors at Reaves Park in Norman. Due to balmy weather and increased awareness, the 2011 numbers beat 2005’s record attendance of 350,000 visitors.

“We’re very weather-dependent,” says Eckart. “Our money comes from booth fees, food booth fees and game commissions. We did very well. We didn’t make a huge profit, but some booths did report that people were spending more.”

Food and game booth commissions may have increased at the event this year, but Eckart says the real impact can be seen for local businesses.

“We had a (convenience store) near the site that had to order an extra tanker. They told us their sales were up 500% that weekend,” she says. “It’s not just the Medieval Fair that gets great business.”

For instance, in 2009, more than 150 hotel and motel rooms were booked during the annual event.

According to a 2002 study from the Norman Arts Council, the total annual spending generated by the fair is estimated at $5,571,351, which represented 98% of total spending for all of the events included in the survey.

In addition, the Medieval Fair is the city’s largest annual event, attracting more visitors than any other single event, including a University of Oklahoma football game, say event organizers.

CON MEN

SoonerCon 20 expected one of the strongest attendance figures this year, since becoming an annual event in 2006. Numbers were expected to reach 400 visitors buying threeday passes at $45, with 600 purchasing the one-day pass at a cost of $20.

With those numbers comes big spending power.

According to the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber’s economic and revenue impact study, SoonerCon provides an annual economic impact of $546,556 to the metro area. The study claims that direct visitor spending this year will reach $319,800, and will support six jobs equaling $169,196 in payroll at other businesses.

Revenues from admission were expected to generate approximately $30,000, and visitor spending was estimated to generate $24,011 in local sales and lodging tax revenues.

Those same visitors were likely to produce $20,026 in state taxes, according to the chamber’s study.

“SoonerCon is a multiplatform fan convention, which means we have some video gamers, board gamers, writers, artists, et cetera,” says Jerry Wall, SoonerCon chairman. “We get Oklahoma City and Tulsa people, but also people from Kansas, Dallas and as far away as New Mexico and Florida. Most are over age 30, middle-class with disposable income. That’s good news for the exhibitors and vendors.”

above Costumes at the annual SoonerCon wow those in attendance, who contribute nearly $550,000 to the local economy.

Norman’s Medieval Fair attracts more visitors than any other single event in the city.