In costume, in character for 2019 Cosplay Picnic (5 photos)

The Sault Cosplay Committee held its annual Cosplay Picnic in Bellevue Park Saturday afternoon, bringing out cosplayers for a costumed celebration in the sun. 

Sault Cosplay Committee member Chris Moore says the Cosplay Picnic helps give people an outlet in which to express themselves. 

“It’s nice to have something like this for people who enjoy that sort of thing, and maybe don’t necessarily fit in popularity-wise or something like that,” said Moore, who was dressed up as Lumière from Beauty and the Beast. “This gives them a bit of an outlet.” 

Chelsea Schell, who was dressed as the Japanese anime character Akko from Little Witch Academia, says she's been coming to the Cosplay Picnic for six years now, and came to her first picnic when she was 14 years old. 

“I do it because it lets people bring out their creativity, and what they love - media, pop culture, or whatever they enjoy,” Schell told SooToday. “It lets them express themselves freely, in whatever form they want to, whether it be music or activities, or dressing up as a character.”

Moore says the picnic is a "cool, positive event" that sees people from different walks of life taking part. 

“It’s a fairly broad, kind of diverse community,” he said. “You’ll see adults doing this, you’ll see kids doing this, you’ll see youth. It’s just sort of fun to dress up and be characters - and be a nerd.”

The Sault Cosplay Committee will host Mori-Con 2019 - described by organizers as a celebration of all things nerdy - at Quattro Hotel & Conference Centre Oct. 26. 

Tickets are $15, and are available for purchase on the Mori-Con 2019 eventbrite page.