Thursday, December 12, 2019

Tim Zurko and Chicago Pop Culture Con

I spent last weekend at the Chicago Pop Culture Con. My full story can be found at Fun at Chicago Pop Culture Con 2019 on Patch.com.
Zurko Promotions runs the Chicago Pop Culture Con and several other events throughout the year around the Chicago area, including their All Night Flea Market in October.
Zurko Promotions is a family affair. Brothers Tim and Bob are always on hand and I recently met their father. I am sure there are other Zurko family members on site, but I haven't met them all yet.
These events have a little bit of everything. There usually is a former Chicago athlete, a couple of celebrities, local authors, creators, artists and more. Over the years, I have met CJ and Richie Ramone, Wesley Eure and Kathy Coleman (of tv's Land of the Lost), former Chicago athletes Jim Morrissey, Chris Zorich, Bobby Douglas, Kurt Becker and Paul Popovich and more.
Aside from the celebrities, many of the regulars have become friends of mine. I always enjoy catching up with Chicago filmmaker John Borowski, author Racheal Blaze, James Azrael (who does too many things to list), horror host D. Winter and so many other talented folks. One of the cool things is seeing them interact with each other.
I also have fun discovering others like Darren Marlar of the "Weird Darkness" podcast. I met Marlar for the first time this year and gave his podcast a listen. It has a lot of interesting content and I have added it to my podcast listening rotation. Now I look forward to catching up with him in the future.
If this all sounds like a bit of a family reunion, it sort of is. These might not be my everyday friends, but it always seems that way when I see them again. Plus, I know many of the attendees and it's just as fun seeing them.
It all goes back to Zurko Promotions for creating this atmosphere. Their events succeed because they feel like a big county fair on a Sunday morning. I mean that in all the best ways. Their events have all of the good elements of bigger conventions, while retaining the family feel of smaller events. I never feel overwhelmed or hurried, yet at the end of each event, I always feel like I did and saw so much.
Go to ZurkoPromotions.com for info on all of their events. Their next event is the Chicago Area Antique Flea Market in Wheaton on December 15.
Tim Zurko and me in St. Charles, IL-December 2918.

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