Rikon 2024, the largest Croatian convention of fantasy, pop culture, and gaming, will soon open its doors for a weekend that promises an unforgettable experience for fans of fantasy, cosplay, video games, and East Asian culture. This year's Rikon, which will take place from October 11 to 13 at Exportdrva Rijeka, is set to be more spectacular than ever, as always, bringing a series of interesting lectures, panels, workshops, quizzes, competitions, games, and tournaments. This year, it has the honor of presenting a renowned guest of international acclaim.
This year's honorary guest of Rikon is Doug Cockle, an American voice actor best known for voicing Geralt of Rivia in the mega-popular video game by Polish giant CD Projekt Red "The Witcher", a game that has been declared game of the decade and is enjoying its adaptation on Netflix. In addition, Doug voices many characters in video games, including “Baldur's Gate 3,” “Horizon Zero Dawn”, “Alan Wake II”, and “The First Descendant”. He has built his career not only in video games but also on theater stages and in major Hollywood productions such as HBO's series "Band of Brothers" and the film "Reign of Fire" where he starred alongside Christian Bale.
Visitors of Rikon will have the opportunity to meet Doug, get autographs, take photos with him, or even receive a personalized voice message. Doug will be featured in the program on Friday and Saturday, and in addition to signing autographs, he will participate in two panel discussions after which visitors will have the chance to ask him questions they have always been curious about regarding the numerous video games he has worked on, the characters he has brought to life, voice acting, and his career.
“As in previous years, we have prepared an interesting and content-rich program that combines serious and entertaining content and creates a unique atmosphere that makes it one of the largest festivals for youth not only in Croatia but also in the region.” - emphasized Marta Glažar, the organizer of the event and president of the Association "3. zmaj".
From Friday, October 11, to Sunday, October 13, the Rikon program includes panels, lectures, and quizzes about cult films, games, popular series, and Korean culture. There is also the audience's favorite - Cosplay competition, the only Croatian K-pop dance competition, and the always popular board game zone, gaming tournaments, creative workshops, and a program dedicated to Rijeka martial arts clubs.
From the rich program, we highlight panels, featuring top domestic participants and moderators, and the topics will surely spark discussion among the audience! For those considering how to turn their passion for video games into a career, Rikon has prepared a panel Careers in the Video Game Industry: The Path to Success, and for film buffs and lovers of classic science fiction, top genre experts will discuss the state of contemporary representation of the sci-fi genre on the big screen in a panel titled Clash of Generations: From Cult Sci-Fi Classics to Metaverse Monopolies. Visitors will have the opportunity to hear and discuss what life is like between Croatia and East Asia, what the cultural differences are, and what the similarities are in the panel Croasian perspectives: Living between cultures. The panel Behind the Action: Stunt Performers in the Film Industry will provide a special insight into the world of stunt work, presenting the first European stunt festival in Karlovac, and the entire event will be graced by a special international surprise guest! It is certainly worth noting that two panels are dedicated to the honorary guest Doug Cockle, where visitors will have the chance to get to know the voice of Geralt of Rivia better and ask all the questions they have always been curious about.
As every year, Rikon also brings numerous interesting lectures, of which it is definitely worth highlighting A Legal Perspective on Artificial Intelligence, where Ivana Kunda will discuss how to translate the complexity of artificial intelligence into transparency, fairness, and effectiveness of legal provisions. Marin Karuza will guide visitors through the fascinating medium of light and its importance for the flow of information from the source to our perception in the lecture Light: A Window into the World of Information. Global warming has long been our reality, and how art copes with it and what potential scenarios science fiction has predicted will be discussed by Dejan Durić in the lecture Life After Global Warming: Climate Narratives in Contemporary Science Fiction. Mateja Olujić and Josip Balić will talk about what it is like to work in a small team on an ambitious video game in the lecture Working in a Micro Dev Team with Macro Ambitions, while physicist Marina Manganaro will present a guide for parents on how to become a Pokémon professor in the lecture Pokémon and Science.
For the youngest, Božica Bajčić will present a bilingual picture book “Klokić” about a strange creature, the protector of the forest from the island of Krk. The picture book is written in the original čakavian dialect spoken in Dobrinja and the surrounding area and has been translated into standard Croatian. Author Morea Banićević will present a children's book “The Lost Mr. Kovač”, where various motifs of fantasy and horror genre intertwine, and where the plot is based on the joint efforts of a family that needs to protect its youngest member.
In three days, Rikon is preparing the always popular and rich quiz program where visitors will be able to stretch their brain cells and showcase their knowledge on numerous topics. We can expect quizzes like The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Jurassic Park, The Last of Us where quiz participants will be able to test their knowledge of horror. Anticipating the new season of the popular series, there is the Arcane quiz, and in the quiz Between the Living and the Dead, visitors will be able to check how much they really know about the dark world of vampires.
The detailed program and schedule are available on the official festival website.
Free entry for children up to 10 years old and discounts on online purchased tickets
Tickets for Rikon are available on the website www.RikonRijeka.com, and for everyone who buys tickets online, discounts and promotions are available - promo price for weekend tickets, a discount for 10+ tickets for groups, and the purchase of VIP tickets - with special benefits.
Tickets will also be available for purchase on-site. Rikon is an event for all ages, with free entry for children up to 10 years old. Get your tickets and prepare for a magical weekend!
For all information about the program and ticket prices, check the website www.RikonRijeka.com and follow Rikon on social media (Instagram and Facebook @RikonRijeka) to stay updated with the latest news and surprises!
