Downtown Fairhope will fill with storm troopers and wizards on Saturday, Dec. 17 for Fairhope Public Library's second-annual Utopicon.

Utopicon is a family -friendly fandom event for science fiction, fantasy and anime fans of all ages. The event kicks off at 9 a.m. and there will be lots of activities from geek crafts to role playing games to panel discussions. There will also be an anime screening room that will show popular, kid-friendly anime programs.

The Fairhope Public Library Maker Space will be open for STEAM projects like Perler beads, Jedi circuitry, miniature Harry Potter textbooks and manga fan badges. The upstairs classroom will host the game room with space for Dungeons & Dragons, card games like Magic the Gathering and Pokémon, as well as a selection of fun and unusual board games.

There are three panel discussions on the schedule:

9:30 a.m. - Whose Dungeon is it Anyway?

– a fun, interactive discussion of Dungeons & Dragons for newcomers and old campaigners alike. Audience members will help generate ideas using a randomizer for a panel of experienced Dungeon Masters, who will then run a short scenario for a few lucky players. Most enjoyable for ages 16 and up.

Noon - The Dos and Dont's of Characters in Genshin Impact
– In the world of Teyvat there are so many playable characters to choose from. Explore the good and bad aspects of all the playable characters as the audience participates in a friendly debate about their favorite characters.

1:30 p.m. - Hobbies from an Alternate Universe
– in this plane representatives from the Society for Creative Anachronism, the 501st Legion (Star Wars cosplayers) and the Blackwater Barbarians (live action role-players) discuss their organizations, what they do and answer your questions.

At 2:30 p.m. is the annual Cosplay Contest, where cosplayers will parade across the stage in their finest outfits to be judged by our guests and audience response.

Utopicon is free and open to the public and will run 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Children ages 7 and under must always be accompanied by a parent or guardian Parents of children ages 8-11 must remain in the building. The Fairhope Library is located at 501 Fairhope Avenue in Fairhope.