Shepparton youth ready to geek out!
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
BY LERISSE SMITH
Trekkies, Whovians and pop culture fans of all stripes are set to descend on Salvos North East Youth Services’ NerdMania next month as the event returns to Shepparton bigger than ever.
After a six-year hiatus, 2026 marks the long-awaited return of the popular regional pop culture event on Saturday 29 August, with NerdMania set to deliver a day of entertainment featuring Star Wars, Pokémon, and LEGO events, as well as Cosplay (Costume Play).
The event is being presented by The Salvation Army North East Youth Services in partnership with Greater Shepparton City Council and VicHealth.
“It will be a great opportunity for people of all abilities to come together and celebrate pop culture,” says Jim Gow, Youth Participation Worker at Salvation Army North East Youth Services.
“We will be engaging with the local special school as well as mainstream schools, as well as NDIS providers. We have been working towards this outcome for a few years now, so to say that it is finally happening is amazing.
“We were asked monthly, if not weekly, when it would come back, with comments such as ‘Oh, I wish that would come back, it was incredible’ and so on, so this announcement will make a lot of people very happy. I’m one of them!”
Welcoming community members from all walks of life, the event will be held at the Shepparton Showgrounds’ Multipurpose Pavilion from 10am to 4pm with food trucks on site.
With NerdMania back in full swing, the Cosplay community finally has its stage set and the countdown to costumes, creativity and character builds is officially on. Defined as ‘costume play,’ Cosplay sees fans of television shows, animation, cartoons and movies dress as characters they admire.
“It is often a very creative outlet that assists neurodiverse people and people who have mental health challenges to funnel their issues into something creative and soothing,” he says.
“They produce amazing and creative costumes of all sorts – from the weird to the wonderful!”
Beyond the pop culture celebration, a wide range of services supporting young people will also be present on the day. Crucially, young people’s health, both mental and physical, will also feature at the event, with details being finalised.
Funding for the event has been secured due to a partnership with the Greater Shepparton City Council and VicHealth.
“The partnership will be hugely beneficial for the community,” says Jim. “Without the seed funding provided by the Greater Shepparton City Council and VicHealth, this wouldn’t be happening, make no mistake. This is very much thanks to them, and I feel they recognise the value this event brings to the community and wish to support it.”
Nerdmania will be a fun-filled day of entertainment for the local community ranging from young people dressed in colourful costumes to pop culture celebrations and activities of all sorts for families. Photos courtesy of Pexels.com
Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor, Cr Shane Sali, said the council was proud to support the return of NerdMania in 2026.
“This event is a great example of what can be achieved through strong partnerships,” he says. “The council is pleased to support its return, building on previous success as a welcoming and positive event for young people across Greater Shepparton.”
Funds raised on the day through entry fees and stallholder fees will be banked to ensure the event can remain on the events calendar for years to come.
“We are aiming at making this event an annual event that occurs every year,” says Jim.
“So, we are hoping for a cost-neutral event at the very least. We know there is strong demand for this family-friendly event, so we think that the community will get around it and support it so it can continue moving forward.”
NerdMania is fully supervised and is a drug, alcohol, smoke and vape-free event. Entry will be via prepaid ticket or entry fees on the day. Car parking entry is via Gate 5, with a $2 parking fee going to a local services club. For tickets, email Jim Gow: jim.Gow@salvationarmy.org.au
