STAR Wars, Pokémon, LEGO, Cosplay – whether you’re a Trekkie or a Whovian, NerdMania has something for you.
Not since 2019 has the pop culture event run, but 2026 sees a long-awaited return of the hugely popular NerdMania to Greater Shepparton on Saturday, August 29, at the Multipurpose Pavilion at the Shepparton Showgrounds, from 10am till 4pm.
Presented by Salvation Army North East Youth Services, Greater Shepparton City Council and VicHealth.
“We’ve been working towards this outcome for a few years now, so to say that it is finally happening is amazing. We were asked monthly, if not weekly, when it would come back, and oh I wish that would come back, it was incredible and so on, so this announcement will make a lot of people very happy. I’m one of them,” said Jim Gow, Youth Participation Worker at Salvation Army North East Youth Services.
“Without the seed funding provided by the Greater Shepparton City Council and VicHealth, this wouldn’t be happening, make no mistakes. This is very much thanks to them, and I feel they recognise the value this event brings to the community and wish to support it.”
The funds raised on the day through entry fees and stallholder fees go back into the coffers to ensure the event can remain on the events calendar for years to come.
“We are aiming at making this event an annual event that occurs every year, so we are hoping for a cost-neutral event at the very least. We know there is strong demand for this family-friendly event, so we think that the community will get around it and support it so it can continue moving forward,” said Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali.
Cosplay fans are encouraged to dress up as their favourite characters from television shows, animation cartoons and movies. The creative outlet can assist neurodiverse people and people who have mental health challenges to funnel their issues into something creative and soothing.
In addition to all things pop culture, many other services that help and support young people will also be in attendance on the day. An important component of the event, young people’s health – mental and physical – will also be an inclusion for the event.
This event is fully supervised and is a drug, alcohol, smoke and vape-free event. Ticketing for the event will be released at a later date.
