SANDPOINT — In one corner of the room, anime-style cosplayers were huddled in a group, talking.

In yet another, Star Trek characters were gathered at a table playing a board game.

And in yet another area, a diverse group of cosplayers were gathered, carefully painting miniatures as part of Sandemonium's annual fandom event, held Saturday at the Sandpoint Library.

Several hundred people attended the event, the first of two planned for 2026. The annual fandom convention offers an inclusive space for fans of "all things nerdy." From anime and science fiction to fantasy and esports, the annual event brings together like-minded individuals for a wide range of activities, featuring cosplay contests, tabletop gaming, video games, panels and more.

Among those attending Saturday's event was longtime Star Trek fan Holly Lopes, who said she loves to connect with friends at Sandemonium as well as other fandom events throughout the region. She always portrays a character from the Star Trek multiverse, often portraying K’Ehleyr, a half-human, half-Klingon Federation ambassador and special emissary.

"They have honor," Lopes said, her tone mimicking that often displayed by the Star Trek characters.

While some of her cosplay uniforms are off-the-rack, Lopes said she has created two customized pieces unique to K’Ehleyr — one an ambassadorial suit and the other full Klingon armor.

She'd been intrigued by Klingon characters for years but hesitated because she worried the headpiece worn to create the characters' distinctive foreheads would be bulky and uncomfortable.

A few years ago, she attended a Star Trek convention, and a vendor encouraged her to try it out. Soon, the vendor had applied the piece, and Lopes added a wig, and 12 hours later, she realized that she had indeed forgotten it was there.

"It was so cool," Lopes said. "That's when I started making the cosplay for the character and never looked back."

Lopes attends between three and six cosplay events a year, saying she enjoys the fellowship and camaraderie — especially within the Star Trek community.

"It's an interesting experience because you are an anonymous face in the crowd but at the same time, you're unique so I can just chill and be me but not be me," she added.

Lopes has always loved Star Trek, attending her first cosplay event when "Strange New Worlds" came out. Realizing one of the characters was a 5-foot- 11-inch brunette, the Sandpoint area resident bought the character's uniform and "things snowballed from there."

A friend who is a professional cosplayer has taught her a few tricks on how to thrift and create costumes, helping Lopes build a wardrobe of both commercial costumes and crafting uniforms from scratch. Ideas garnered from the Facebook Klingon community have given her invaluable tips, and a connection with a former art director for several of the Star Trek series has helped as well.

"Cosplay is for all ages," Lopes said. "It's for anybody who just wants to have fun. There are so many different mediums that you can go with. There's Star Trek, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, the entire anime world, the comic book world, Marvel, DC; there are so many things. You can be anything or anyone you want."

Also at Saturday's Sandemonium was Colin Coalson, who attended the event with fellow D&D enthusiasts and self-chosen family members.

"Sandemonium has all of our interests in one place and it's just a lot of fun," Coalson said.

Coalson and his friends said they love the diversity of activities offered at Sandemonium, with everything conveniently located in one spot, making it fun and offering something to do throughout the day.

"There's a quite a huge D&D/nerd following in Sandpoint," Coalson said, encouraging others to join 7Bcon, the nonprofit behind Sandemonium. "I just don't think that a whole lot of people actually know that this exists, so the more people that we can either get in the Sandemonium Discord and or the more word we can get out or the more word we can get out, this will probably grow as an organization and group."

In between helping crafters create dice (or trinket) bags, Vanessa Nickerson kept an eye on Sandemonium's attendees, noting that many came dressed in homage to favorite series or characters.

Some came to the library to check out a plant giveaway or a few books, stopping by Nickerson's table in the library foyer to ask what was going on.

"I would then see them go down the hallway and go in and they didn't come out, so I'm assuming they're having fun," she said, smiling, dressed in a fairy/elf costume complete with pointed ears.

Founded in 2015, Sandemonium began as a library event tied to the Teen Summer Reading Program before evolving into a full-fledged fandom convention celebrating everything from anime, comics, sci-fi and fantasy to tabletop gaming, video games, esports and cinema.

While bigger comic-cons and fandom events in larger cities may feature more panels or even celebrity guests, board members said the local fandom event can be more personable and fun.

"You're getting together with people you're probably going to see around town," board member Steve Hammond said previously. "You're getting together with people who, instead of having driven six hours to get to a convention or taken a flight, come from six blocks away and become these people that you can hang out with, who become friends."

For more information on Sandemonium, visit 7bcon.com.

"Princess Peach" helps a Sandemonium cosplayer with their costume during Saturday's cosplay contest.

    Zach Chenevert concentrates while playing a board game at Saturday's Sandemonium fandom event.
  

    Vanessa Nickerson, right, helps a Sandemonium participant create a dice/trinket bag at Saturday's annual fandom event.