Submitted image
Harry Cropp III holds up a copy of the flyer he designed to draw attention to the Wilkes-Barre nime & Cos Play event he has planned for Aug. 8 on Wilkes-Barre’s Public Square.
Mary Therese Biebel | Times Leader
If you happen to see Spider-Man, the Joker and Harley Quinn strolling around Public Square on Aug. 8, they could be part of Wilkes-Barre Anime & Cos Play.
Wilkes-Barre resident Harry Cropp III is organizing the free, family-friendly event, planned for 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., so you might think he is a big fan of cartoon characters and dressing up.
But he’s not.
“I’m just doing it to give people something to do. I’m doing it for the city,” he said, adding that people interested in learning more about the anime style of cartoons will be as welcome as long-time fans.
After he’d chosen the date, Cropp learned that an Anime-Fest is planned for that same day at the Holiday Inn East Hotel in Dunmore. But he’s not dismayed.
The Wilkes-Barre event will be free, he pointed out, while the Scranton-area event has admission prices ranging from $10 for children and $20 for general admission to $100 for VIP privileges.
He’s working on finding sponsors, vendors and food trucks for the Wilkes-Barre event, and said any guests who bring and donate $5 or more worth of new school supplies or new winter items such as hats or gloves will receive a raffle ticket. Later, he expects to hold a giveaway for the school supplies, gloves and hats.
“I know in my heart this will happen,” he said.
He invites anyone who would like to help with the event to contact him at animeonthesquarewb@gmail.com.
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