Kids of all ages are welcome this summer to the City of Lake City for the first ever A.G.E. Con; a brand-new, family-friendly convention that celebrates everything in the anime, gaming, and entertainment world!

Presented by the City of Lake City, the idea for the A.G.E. Convention stems from the 2021 and 2022 Smackdown Tournaments that did well but didn’t have much for the community beyond the participating players. These Esports events focused solely on tournaments where competitors from surrounding states traveled to Lake City to compete in games such as SuperSmash Bros., Guilty Gear Strive, and Tekken 7 for cash jackpots.

“We found that the players were excited and involved, but once their games were completed, they really didn’t have much to keep them entertained,” said Savon Whitehead, Esports and events coordinator for the city. “Additionally, the family members who came out to support the tournaments had little to do when their loved ones were not playing.”

“When people come to A.G.E. Con, we want them to have a great time and to stay and engage with each of our activities at the event. When you visit A.G.E. Con, we want you to come see something new and find something you may be interested in. There are a variety of entertainment options to explore, and there will be something for everyone,” said Whitehead.

“There is a demand for things for our youth to get involved in and participate in Lake City and this is an activity that we want to offer to everyone and get them involved,” said city administrator William A. Hall. “This genre allows for people of any age to participate regardless of their skill level.”

“Esports is a growing industry that offers many career opportunities beyond tournament play,” said Whitehead. “From streaming, to commentating, to programming, to coaching, to event management, we started Esports for those students who may not be interested in traditional sports, and this convention is a natural expansion of our summer camps and earlier tournaments.”

The two-day A.G.E. Con spans the genres of anime, gaming, and pop culture with table-top games, a retro arcade, virtual reality experiences, and industry panels as well as several gaming tournaments. Tickets are available on Eventbrite and begin at $20 for one-day general admission. Kids ages 12 and under get in FREE! VIP packages are also available and include a free swag bag with surprise gift for the first 200 tickets sold.

For more details about upcoming city events, visit the City of Lake City Facebook page or LakeCitySC.gov. Lake City is a community of 6,000-plus residents who invite you live – work – play – and visit in the southern part of Florence County.