USA Sonic Fan Events or Places 4

Sometimes Sonic Fan Events turn normal places into Sonic Places. There are some good examples of both here, so if you couldn't make it to a cool event, or to see a Sonic place, check out the photos and descriptions here--reported by Sonic fans! (most of the time) This page is only for modern events or places. See page 1 for some older / classic ones! They're all fun & interesting.

Sonic Gear Main Page * Sonic Fan Events 2 * Sonic Fan Events 1 * Sonic Fan Events 3 * Sonic Fan Events 5 *

Since the event itself wasn't Boom only...this game demo appears here as an event. This is Sega's booth to show off Sonic Boom Fire & Ice at Anime Expo 2016. The booth has a big backdrop with the villain, logo, ice & Sonic running forward. The TVs on the wall show what's going on at the DS screens. Since the game is DS only, there needs to be a way for more than just the player to see what the game looks like. The counter there (at left) is Boom decorated with characters & the button/instructions so you can understand the game. The DSs are attached to the counter. You can see a Sega staff member (in t-shirt) is there to help people. The booth had no prizes, just free demos of the game. Photos by CrystalSonicFan

This car isn't really a Sonic place...but it was created to attend events in California and promote Sonic. In this case, it's reported to have been ad SanDiego Comic Con. It is a Honda Civic car with special wheels themed like Sonic's shoes (red with white) & and all-over wrap design of classic Sonic running through some Green Hill-like scenery.

At SDCC in 2016 a presentation was put on to announce another Sanrio & Sonic collaberation. With a fun life size Green Hill zone backdrop, the projector screen shows both logos & some rings. On the stage, the hosts present 2 mascot characters: Sonic & Hello Kitty. What are they announcing? The SDCC toy exclusive (it's common for companies to sell a toy exclusive to the event) for 2016 which is the classic Super Sonic-dressed Hello Kitty plush. (Use the link to view it here on Gear) Photo by Surferbrg

At SDCC there must have been some sort of Sonic 'swag' as well (look at the string-bag at the bottom of the picture, it's clearly Sonic themed) Here, the crowd gathers in a Sega area (note the backdrop) to see the presentation. A modern Sonic mascot appears on stage. (There are likely no classic mascot suits in use any more...even though classic Sonic is getting a bigger focus with new games like Mania. Notice also that the Hello Kitty exclusive Sonic plush is classically dressed...but a modern mascot is all they have.) Photo by Surferbrg

Here's the loot bag from the SanDiego ComicCon 2016! This was given out to attendees and all the items were contained in the blue drawstring bag with Sonic wing ring/logo on it. It includes the Tomy little-big-heads Eggman plush, a DropDead clothing line ad card (you can see their patches jacket in it), a 25th Anniversary black ballcap with white embroidery, the Sonic Archie Comic there with special exclusive cover (only for this event) a Flash Drive with Sega & Sonic logos (1 per side, it's the blue square there) a Totinos hat (has nothing to do with Sonic, they make 'pizza rolls' snacks--who knows why/how it got in there but. And a

event card (white rectangle) of some kind. The Drop Dead ad card has been autographed by Sonic Boom voice actors--but that's optional, it doesn't come that way. AND it came with the special 25th Anniversary commemorative coin in the collector tin box. Because it's limited edition already, only 1000 were available at the SDCC. The coin can be seen in detail with it's box on Japan Random 6. Photo & owned by SurferBRG

Here's a scene from E3 2017! With 2 new Sonic games in 1 year (Mania & Forces) you could be sure that the E3 convention would have a Sonic place to visit. It was extra special because this E3 was the first open to the public/anyone could get a ticket. Here, you can see 2 colorful banners advertising which booth to go to, to see the game demos as well as a checkered edge thing with modern logo & tall Forces character banner in the background. The floor banners tell you which booth to go to to play demos & also "grab a golden ring for a chance to win".To attract attention to it all is a mascot suit! This modern suit is looking good here, with plastic shoes, well formed head/face & cool pose. Area photo by SurferBRG

Here's a very Sonic photo! This is at E3 2017. The background is full of Sonic banners, the Mascot suit is being cool & the Sonic fan has a Sonic tee & Sonic bag ready to go. This E3 looked like a real fun time with playable looks at 2 new Sonic games & a contest in the booth. This better look at the suit shows that it's slightly fuzzy for the head & more spandex/type for the belly dot & arms. The shoes & socks look good, as do the gloves. The quality of mascot suits for the USA seems to finally be cemented in good/cool looks by 2017. Nothing really beats a great looking mascot at a convention like this to provide really great and memorable photo ops for fans. Photo by SurferBRG At the booth, you could 'be in the game' (via a projector) and jump on a trampoline to catch a ring for a chance to win $1,000.

This mascot suit is wind powered! No...not by one of those giant new eco windmills, but by a small fast fan in a hair-dryer like device. It's much like those holiday time 'inflatable' (but not really) wind powered yard ornaments, except a person can be inside the suit. The air makes it keep its shape, so it's much easier/lighter and simpler than a cloth suit.

Some components of mascots like this can be 'plush' or 'stuffed' where it's practical, like shoes or gloves or small 'chambers' where fan-air might not reach. As you can see, the effect here is pretty good. The suit looks lively, the details are decent & it is easy to use. The proportions are rather "Classic" Sonic looking, though it has green eyes. But look at the eyes...the black pupil part is off center.Sega is generally really particular about such things being perfectly on-model, so it may have something to do with visibility inside the suit. This one appears frequently to gather attention at a Game Works (one of the few remaining arcade & bar / dining establishments) Here it is at the Sonic 26th Anniversary party which was on June 23rd through 25th in California. Photo by SurferBRG

Sonic Forces gets an Event in the USA! This Rip & Win poster can only be seen at Chuck E Cheese locations in the US. To celebrate the release of Sonic Forces, Chuck has created a "Rip it. Win it. Play It!" campaign on their soda cups. EVERY cup is a winner (fun!) but certain special (random) cups win prizes like play pass cards, Fandango movie tickets, Game Systems & copies of Sonic Forces for the Xbox. They are giving away 27$ million in prizes (as stated here), but it's really cool to have Sonic Forces headlining their give-away. It makes sense though, because CEC clearly likes featuring Sonic games. So, in Fall 2017, get in to your local Chuck's place for a chance to win. Photo by: CrystalSonicFan

The modern Sonic float did appear in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2018. It's always fantastic to see this really well-made float fly along the parade route. The giant Sonic is a dramatic statement any year it appears, and encourages any fan that sees it. But, how do they get it ready? When helium is added, it has to be held down at the ground so this big net is used. It's very likely that all floats are prepared this way, and then when the parade starts, the net is removed & the handlers control it with their cables. You can see one of the points of a Macy's star (probably) there in the foreground. Seeing the people around it with it at ground level helps to illustrate how big the Sonic really is. Photo discovered by Taaron

An advertisment art for an event...counts for this page. In this case, it's an art from 1993. The art was made for what is probably a full color newspaper ad for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for that year. This probably would have been seen at the start of November or so. The fact that it's art (and not photos of a previous year) is neat, and then of course, including Sonic parade balloon float is neat too. They only had room for very few things and they chose him! Despite Sonic being so new to the world stage. You can see the Pink Panther (who was more popular the further back in time you go), Garfield (who is so vanilla he's always there), of course the famous Macy's Star balloon because it is their parade, a random ice-cream, and the non-balloon Tom the Turkey Pilgrim who is VERY old, a float & has a somewhat animated/blinking face. The Toy Soldier & marching band (Generic) are also big classics. These are being listed here because

They are extremely standard, very old, highly traditional, and quite expected. For Sonic to be amongst historical things like this is important to know about / be seen. The dinosaur in the back there is Rex from the slightly creepy "We're Back: Dinosaur Story" movie from Don Bleuth that was supposed to be huge that year. (So, that one kind of represents 'passing fad' even though it wasn't meant at the time, but there's a reason he's last in line) They put Santa in front although usually he's the last item of the parade because he represents ushering in the Christmas season as he passes. With the Sonic balloon float, this parade really was a Sonic event, and likely one of the earlier ones. The ad is interesting to see.

Now here's something interesting to see but hard to spot. This is a photo during a Formula 1 Car Race in probably 1993 or so...so it's VERY early in Sonic history. It's not exaaaactly a "Sonic Event", but it's also kind of not a "Sonic Item" per-se...either. As you can see, the car has a 'hole' in the side painted on with Sonic's legs and shoes as if you could see through the side to where he is sitting driving the car. Because he was unrecognized at the time, they write "SEGA" logo on his leg to announce visually what's going on. Cars like these are always covered in sponsors, pictures and words so it fits right in. But, in 1993, less people would think much to look for him. Cars like this though, are often remade/re-labeled so it is doubtful that this decor still exists unless it was peel-off-able somehow. The car's name could be Ayrton Senna, either that or it is the driver's name of it during that race. It could probably use a bit of clarification.

Sega sponsored the Donnington Park Race that was the 1993 European Grand PRix as well as this car. You can read more about the race at 1993 European Grand Prix Wikipedia page to see how it went. But, the page doesn't seem to mention Sonic...

The National Video Games Museum of Texas? Well, that's sure to be an at least partially-Sonic place. At a more recent point, probably in the 2015 ish times, they re did their statue that greets visitors in the front. At left is how it used to be, 1 fiberglass/resin statue of super Mario. Later on though, they had the whole thing redone to modernize (and also classic-ize) it to better represent more eras of gaming. Of course Sonic will be first choice! He stands beside Mario in the front as the 2 stars of the...statue base? There's also Pac Man holding his white dot, Megaman, and Donkey Kong with his barrel

(It's good DK from the games, not when he was a foe) then, Pikachu is on top of the barrel. The barrel has the name of the museum as letters NVGMT. Sonic looks...a little perplexed? These fiberglass things are likely hand sculpted so it was up to whatever artist to make everyone. It's curious how he's taller than Mario too, when he's generally depicted as shorter. (Movie throws confusion bone at everything) Still, this is neat to see (as are those jumbo SNES controllers behind it) and would be a fun photo op for anyone who visits it.