For someone who resides in Australia, one would think that the balmy country would be considered home. Yet nothing quite matches the magnetism I have to Vancouver: the home of Supernatural. At least it will be for a few more months as its fifteenth and final season airs in October. This fact acted as a recurrent theme throughout Creation Entertainment’s Salute to Supernatural Vancouver convention on August 23-25.
A Shared Heart
The acknowledgment of the series ending dipped into Richard Speight Jr.’s boat cruise. Even he questioned the longevity of us out at sea and if it was a reasonable feat for us to make it back to the dock. After a wonderful night of sharing stories and feasting with family, we eventually returned — to the silence lingering between panels and the highly-anticipated Saturday Night Special. The concert sees the Supernatural cast take to the stage to sing a few songs with house band Louden Swain. A rare appearance was made by actor Jensen Ackles who, after singing a few tunes, stayed till the end to invite Supernatural crew members onstage to take a bow. As handheld lights swung in rhythm to the music and Richard gave a speech highlighting those unsung heroes, we knew as a fanbase that just as this was another finality, it was also a celebration.
Charitable Pursuits
It was a celebration of how a television show we all breathed life into changed the courses of our own personal journeys and charitable pursuits. Random Acts visited the convention tour again and had a table in the vendor room, collecting items for the Spirit of the Children Society. The non-profit organization’s mission was to help Aboriginal families in Burnaby, New Westminster, and the Tri-Cites area (Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody). While they provide support through a variety of resources and programs to the community, items were designated to their Housing First Youth and general Youth Programs. The items ranged from craft supplies and stationery to cooking books. As Executive Director Rachel Miner has touched upon, Supernatural will be known for being one of the most charitable fandoms.
Personal Experiences
Here is to the friendships we have made along the way. Seeing the Supernatural cohorts interact on stage is one of the many pleasures of experiencing a convention, but it is also a coming together and feeling of total belonging. During the midnight hours when waiting for autographs grew a little tough, a group of friends started a conga line to ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey. Having heard the music from where he was sitting, Jensen looked for the song on his phone and blasted it for everyone to hear. It is in those small moments where we are reminded that whilst an era is coming to an end, the time we have together will forever remain a crystalized memory.
