EnchantiCon 2025: Full Schedule

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11:15am CDT

Not the Droids: Finding Your Way Through the Star Wars Universe

Friday August 15, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm CDT

Want to explore a galaxy far, far away but not sure where to start? Love Star Wars but want to dive in more? This is the panel for you. Not the Droids Podcast will be jumping to lightspeed to help you navigate the vast universe of Star Wars and help you on your path to the light (or dark) side.

Presenters

Dani Mione

Dani is a fan of all things, creator and host of the Creating Magic podcast and Not the Droids podcast. Dani can be found creating content, sewing, reading and exploring all the fantastical worlds. You can find her at @magicelleadventures on most platforms.

Mayuri Patel

Mayuri is a romance and fantasy fangirl who lives for swoony slow burns, epic magic, and the morally gray love interests everyone warned you about. She co-hosts Not The Droids podcast, watching every Star Wars thing in-universe (yes, even that one), and Spiced Volumes, where the... Read More →

Friday August 15, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm CDT
Midway Suite 5

Panel

12:30pm CDT

The Art of Shieldmaking

Friday August 15, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Midway Suite 5

Join award-winning craftsman Matt DiGirolamo for a deep dive on how ancient shields were made, how to recreate them today, the health benefits of crafting, and some surprising parallels found in pop culture and video games!

Presenters

Matt DiGirolamo

Matt DiGirolamo (@theancientarmory) is a professional shield builder, historical researcher, and an award-winning craftsman. Having been involved with recreating shields from ancient history since 2016, Matt has branched out into cosplay and conventions as a panelist. His primary... Read More →

Friday August 15, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Midway Suite 5

Demonstration

2:30pm CDT

How To Build A Dungeons & Dragons Character

Friday August 15, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CDT

Midway Suite 5

Need a character for a game night, but you are new to D&D? We got you! Let's build a character from scratch who is ready for adventuring!

We will go over both the "old-fashioned way" straight from the Player's Handbook, but also the quick way on D&D Beyond!

Presenters

Jaine Torres

Jaine fell in love with fandom because of the love, acceptance, and friendships she has made. If you find her at the con say hi. She is a 'professional' DM, 'professional' con attendee, and professional nerd! Interests include but are not limited to: D&D, Pokemon, Harry Potter, fun... Read More →

Lara Griffith

Lara is a queer, autistic book and D&D nerd. She has organized panels at many conventions including LeakyCon and FanExpo Denver. Her default class is rogue, and The Unsleeping City is her favorite D&D campaign.

Kathy Kavanaugh

Kathy Kavanaugh, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and considers herself to be a “professional nerd” as she often utilizes narratives and themes from popular culture in clinical work. Kathy continues to grapple with how to engage with fandom in the wake of JKR’s transphobia and... Read More →

AJ Samett

AJ, cofounder of @D20_Cosplay, has been attending fan conventions for over 10 years, and has found a true love for the communities they create. Currently, they are one of the members of a Dimension 20 cosplay meetup group where they facilitate dozens of meetups internationally in... Read More →

Friday August 15, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CDT
Midway Suite 5

Interactive

3:45pm CDT

Strengthening Family Bonds Through Fiction and Fandom

Friday August 15, 2025 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT

Midway Suite 5

Family relationships strengthen through shared experiences and interests. During this session, father-daughter duo Jamie and Katie will share how fiction, fandoms, and cons have helped them build an incredible relationship. Co-host Derek will also share how he used these techniques with his young children after attending one of these sessions.

Presenters

Katie Smith

Katie is a passionate public speaker, swing dance instructor, and community builder. She’s been attending Mischief Management events since 2018, and is thrilled to return as a presenter. She has been a swing dance instructor for two years, helping people of all backgrounds discover... Read More →

Jamie Smith

Jamie was a regular attendee of LeakyCon starting in 2018 in Dallas and is a lifelong fiction fan. By day, he’s a technologist; by passion, a theme park enthusiast who grew up in South Lake Tahoe and has explored Disneyland, Disney World, and Universal Orlando. He’s always ready... Read More →

Friday August 15, 2025 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
Midway Suite 5

Panel

5:00pm CDT

Battle of the Plot! Should It Be Canon or Fanon?

Friday August 15, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT

Midway Suite 5

Step into a space where you now control the narrative. Have a character in mind who shouldn’t have died, an event in a story that could have been done better, or a ship that should have happened? This is the place to hash them out! We call all fans of fantasy fiction to come together to discuss theories and storytelling decisions that keep us wondering why they did or didn’t happen. Vote on what should be considered fanon or canon!

Presenters

Abby Evangelisto

Abby Evangelisto is a YouTuber, cosplayer, and performing artist from Fort Worth, Texas. When they’re not playing accordion or working on their latest artistic project, they can be found reading kid lit, listening to 80’s new wave, and over-analyzing satirical media—sometimes... Read More →

Amanda Roth

Amanda Roth is a musician, nerd, marathoner, and arts administrator. By day, she works as a Production Operations Manager for From the Top. At night she can be found knitting, reading, or petting her cat.

Nana Kay

Your not-so-niche Chicagoland indie author known for poetry, prose, and even her satirically sassy video shorts about life and media. As a lover of storytelling, her work often explores philosophy, media, and culture to draw creative parallels to social happenings. If she’s not... Read More →

Lillian King

Lillian King is a writer, journalist, and fandom menace with a master's degree in folklore and a never-ending thirst for knowledge. When she's not writing Wolfstar fanfic, she's working on a Dumbledore libretto, playing roller derby, taking photos, or maybe even learning a third song... Read More →

Friday August 15, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
Midway Suite 5

Interactive

7:00pm CDT

Multi-Fandom Trivia! Hosted by Fantasy Fangirls

Friday August 15, 2025 7:00pm - 9:00pm CDT

Midway Suite 5

Attention scholars of myth and magic! We’re hosting a trivia game to rival all others, all about the fantasy worlds that we adore. The Fantasy Fangirls invite you to join them for an epic test of knowledge during EnchantiCon Game Night.

Answer sheets will be provided; we encourage participants to bring a writing utensil just in case! Fandoms will range and vary so be sure to bring your A-team and maybe find some new friends to join you. Teams of six or less recommended.

Presenters

Lexi

Lexi was climbing the corporate ladder in B2B tech marketing before she became a mom. Then her identity was wrapped up in motherhood for several years, and this rediscovered love for fantasy reading (plus the catapult into content creation) has largely helped her find herself beyond... Read More →

Nicole

As an entrepreneur/podcaster for 5 years, Nicole always enjoyed diving head first into things, gaining the title of “deep dive queen” from her husband. But in August 2023, she picked up ACOTAR, and the analyst part of her brain was immediately devoted to romantasy. Nicole is the... Read More →

Fantasy Fangirls

Fantasy Fangirls is a top-charts podcast known as the cure to your book hangover. Two sisters, Nicole and Lexi, deep dive into your favorite fantasy stories one series at a time. They discuss lore, characters, insights, and theories of beloved magical worlds — with lots of laughs... Read More →

Friday August 15, 2025 7:00pm - 9:00pm CDT
Midway Suite 5

Interactive