Cosplay at RootsTech

When I told my daughter that RootsTech was like a ComicCon, I was trying to explain the scope of the event to her. Little did I know that there would be a few cosplayers at RootsTech that would make my analogy more accurate.

Before I show you want I’m talking about, you have to understand a few terms.

ComicCon – a convention where comics, movies, and science fiction fans can:

  1. Explore vendors selling items specifically to that group (niche)
  2. Meet the authors, actors, and writers that support the comic, movie, and sci-fi industry 
  3. Attend classes and workshops centered around the niche
  4. Dress up as their favorite fictional characters 

SpaceCity ComicCon 2016
SpaceCity ComicCon 2016… Two Lee Superheroes

I dressed up at Catwoman and went to a ‘con’ in Houston with my daughter, who was dressed as Ms. Marvel.

How is RootsTech similar?

RootsTech in Salt Lake City, Utah is a convention where genealogy lovers can:

  1. Explore vendors selling items specifically for family historians
  2. Meet the authors, educators, and writers that support genealogical research
  3. Attend classes and workshops centered around the niche
Those are the key features, but I soon discovered that there were folks who enjoyed cosplay.
What is cosplay? 
For ComicCons, cosplayers are individuals who dress up as a character from a movie, book, or video game! Just like my daughter and I in Houston. 
But I found some genealogy cosplayers!!!
The vendors of Heritage of Heros dressed up in period attire, and I just had to have my photos taken with them! 
Heritage of Heroes at RootsTech
Heritage of Heroes and Devon Noel Lee
RootsTech Poldark Fan
I got to try on a Tricorn hat, similar to what Ross Poldark wears!!!
(Have you watched the Masterpiece Theather Poldark Series?)
Heritage of Heroes creates family history highlight videos about grandparents or parents with a young child in mind. Viewing a sample video about a man and his horses and then asking a child which person in a group photo was their ancestor made tears well up in my eyes. If you don’t have photos to accompany the photo, no problem. The service will create stencil art to help tell the story. The service is lovely, and the costumes were great. (To learn more, visit their website at https://heritageofheroes.com)
Scott Fisher, your radio roots sleuth at ExtremeGenes family history radio dressed up this year as Abe Lincoln on Saturday!

Extreme Genes Scott Fisher
Extreme Gene Fisher gets his “Honest Abe” on!
(photo courtesy of Scott Fisher)
If you’ve never listened to Fisher’s radio broadcast, then head on over to his website http://extremegenes.com. You’ll be able to listen from your computer or find links to podcasts!
But the best cosplayer of all was the tree promoting RootsFinder!
RootsFinder cosplay tree at RootsTech
Rock on! RootsFinder tree and Devon Noel Lee!
RootsFinder is a service that integrates with FamilySearch but allows you to control your own tree. You can see hints from FamilySearch, Findmypast, and other partners. And is a great memory sharing site. To learn more about RootsFinder, visit

All the details of the cosplay costume
What makes the RootsFinder cosplayer so amazing was not only the creativity but the fact that the man in the tree knew what cosplaying means. When I shared how my daughter loved ComicCons and cosplaying, he gave me insight into the details of creating his costume using foam and PVC.

The attention to detail with foam sponge brushes

Built of PVC pipes

When I went home and showed the photos to my teenager, she was impressed with costume and told me more about just how long the tree man had worked on this project. I was amazed. Simply amazed.

And the branding on the back! Well done RootsFinder
True, you won’t find Cat Woman or Ms. Marvel at the 2018 RootsTech in Salt Lake City. But maybe we’ll find more ancestral costumes on vendors in the Expo Hall, or another amazing cosplayer helping to promote genealogy overall!

Devon Noel Lee is passionate about capturing and preserving family stories so no one alive today has to be researched, or forgotten, tomorrow. She has authored 6 how-to books, a memoir, two published family history biographies, and over 60 family scrapbooks. She's an enthusiastic speaker who energizes, encourages, and educates at the same time.

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