Members of the Golden Gate Garrison in attendance...
Salinas Valley Comic Con was a first of its’ kind event for Salinas. Organizers were not sure how the event would be received, but the event was well attended by locals. There were thick crowds (~2,000 est.), particularly for the first four hours, despite bad weather and competing events, (such as the opening ceremonies of the Olympics.) In addition to the 501st | Golden Gate Garrison, others advertised “draws†for the event included a replica of the Time Machine DeLorean from Back to the Future, book signings by two authors, and numerous comic book vendors.