City sets the stage for San Diego Comic-Con Málaga by erecting huge overflow 'Village' for fans

The San Diego Comic-Con Málaga has already started to transform the outside area of the city's Palacio de Ferias y Congresos exhibition centre into the 'Village' - a large area that will house multiple spaces for activities and performances, including a large stage. The American convention dedicated to comics, cinema, animation, literature, board and video games will take up a total of 80,000 square metres in the capital of the Costa del Sol.

The period between 25 and 28 September marks the first time an even takes over the entire exhibition and conference space of the Fycma. Organisers of San Diego Comic-Con Málaga are expecting 100,000 attendees from more than 20 countries. Advance ticket sales show that the event will be bursting at the seams, which has prompted the use of outdoor spaces. After all, this is the first time in half a century of existence that San Diego Comic-Con has left the shores of the USA.

Right now, there is a lot of hustle and bustle inside and outside the event venue as machines and workers are tirelessly putting alll their efforts into creating the atmosphere that will greet the anticipated visitors. While planning the event, the organisers soon realised that the 60,000 square metres indoors would not be enough to house everybody and all the activities. This is why the have decided to build the San Diego Comic-Con Málaga Village, which combines the event atmosphere with theme park fun.

The first step was the installation of artificial grass, which makes the space more welcoming, followed by the setting up of gigantic tents. The latter will provide shaded areas for multiple activities and performances, serving as a space dedicated to leisure and entertainment.

There will be attractions and fairground rides that will make visitors "fly" - yes, just like superheroes. The most eye-catching of them all is, without a doubt, the large hot air balloon. All of this is at no additional cost, as those with access to these attractions will have already bought their entry ticket to the convention. The only thing that attendees will have to pay extra for is food, offered by several street food stalls.

The idea of the Village is to allow attendees to disconnect and take a break from the conferences, talks and workshops taking place inside. As for the convention's capacity, the main stage can fit 3,000 people, complemented by three other auditoriums with a capacity of 900, 600 and 200 people. The Ludic Plaza, with a capacity of 1,200 people, will be open all throughout the four days, offering visitors the opportunity to socialise, play board games and enjoy more than 34 hours of planned activities.

San Diego Comic-Con Málaga is an experience for those who have made pop culture their way of life. The event's first trip outside the US happens to land in Malaga thanks to the efforts of the regional government of Andalucía, Turismo Andaluz, the Agencia Digital Andaluza and Malaga city council. Taking place just before the California Comic-Con in November, the Malaga convention takes advantage of the Costa del Sol's warm climate and the excellent airport connections the destination offers.