Cal State University Bakersfield (CSUB) held its annual RowdyCon fundraiser on Oct 6. RowdyCon is an “Extra Life” gaming charity event, with all proceeds going to the Lauren Small Children’s Center. The event started in 2012 and has continued each year since. RowdyCon derived its name from Rowdy the Roadrunner, the CSUB mascot.

The main event featured a vendor expo as well as video game stations as well as tabletop gaming, board games, and card games.

RowdyCon also included an artist alley which showcases fan art and art from students who wanted to show their skills. The event also had game tournaments, cosplay contests, a maid café, and outdoor activities.

Activities outside included bounce houses, nerf target practice, and RowdyCon’s first ever Nerf Wars.

“It’s played like football, but instead of tackling you get shot with a nerf gun and start back on your side,” said Laurence Salcido who was helping assist with the Nerf Wars.

The teams were split into colors blue and yellow and each team would grab a football in the center of the field and whoever grabbed the ball had to make the football into a bucket on the other side. Both teams had the chance to take out another player by shooting the other team. Should a player be shot that individual would raise their hand and go back to their side of the field and when they do they are able to re-enter the game. The first team with the best two out of three points wins the game.

The event held an event called “Movies in the Park” which anyone who attended the event could stay and watch the film “Incredibles 2.”

Guests arrived dressed in costumes based on comic books, video games, movies, and more.

Mark Felisilda an attendee who came dressed as Captain America had said that the reason he was dressed as the First Avenger was that of the years it took for him to make his shield. It was his debut as Captain America. He mentioned he felt accomplished cosplaying with a finished cosplay.

“I am part of Campus Gamers and so I helped set [RowdyCon] up last night, so you know I feel like I should show up,” Felisilda said.

RowdyCon normally also hosts a 5k fun run, but they did not this year due to the weather. The organizers wrote online that they would hold a better one in 2019.