How to Keep Cool in the Crowd during SD Comic Con

Downtown is buzzing.  Can you hear the gentle hum of the sleeping giant we know as San Diego Comic-Con waking?   Wednesday is always Preview Night when lucky 4-day pass holders get a free sneak peak at the mammoth convention’s offering for the rest of the week.  Soon, the Gaslamp (and much of the greater downtown area) will be covered in lanyard-wearing, free-swag-hunting, fan-of-whatever fanatic convention-goers rushing to and from the hub of excitement, the San Diego Convention Center. 

If you are one of the lucky thousands who get to join in this wonderful annual San Diego event, the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, as energy partners with San Diego Gas and Electric, would like to offer you some advice about keeping cool in the crazy crowds.

 
1. Keep hydrated:  As a comic-con attendee myself, I have seen many triumphs and failures through my many years of attendance, including the occasional fainting spell from hours standing in line in the hot sun.  Though you can buy over-priced water at the convention center, having your own water bottle is better for the environment plus, you can definitely find one on the sales floor with your favorite character!  Another plus is that you do not have to spend precious dollars on water.
   
2. Fan off the heat:  Let’s talk reality.  One of the biggest draws and lames truths about comic-con is that you will collect more free stuff than you can stuff into those three-foot-long Fox bags.  An easy and energy-conscious way to beat the heat is to make paper fans!  Check out our blog post about creating your own custom fan!
   
3. Screen the sun:  Though your handy-dandy, home-made fans will be an excellent tool for blocking the sun, it is best to plan ahead and bring a sun screen to the convention. Dermatologists recommend a sun screen with at least an SPF of 30 or above.   My current favorite is SunBum with SPF 50.  And remember, your choices are always sun screen now, or burn cream later!  (Can you name that commercial?)
   
4. Cool Zones:  Lines and crowds are unavoidable this time of year.  Trust me, I am right there with you.  If you can’t take any more heat but are tired of the crowds on the sales floor, look for SDG&E Cool Zones.  Cool Zones offer a place for people to escape the mid-day summer heat and are established all around San Diego County.   Many restaurants and shops are official cool zones but if you don’t mind the crowds, the sales floor at the convention center is also a great escape from the heat outside.
5. Keep charged:  Keeping cool is not just about controlling your body heat!  Many comic-con attendees can easily lose their cool when their hand-held devices die out on them.  Remember to charge your devices before heading to the convention center and save yourself a heated moment.  SDG&E has a Reduce Your Use program where they will send out text messages or emails about days you can save electricity and save money when you don’t use electricity between 11am through 6pm.  The best time to charge your electronics is between 6pm and 6am, so remember to plug in after the convention.

Hope you liked those helpful tips for keeping cool in the crowd, and remember that the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum is another great place to escape the heat, especially our serene and beautiful koi pond and meditation garden! Don't' have time to see the whole museum?  That's ok!  Stop by the museum where we'll have a booth outside with fun, free activities!

As SDG&E Partners in spreading the word about energy-conservation, SDCHM encourages all our followers to do their part to conserve energy.  For tips on saving energy, check out SDG&E's website at http://www.sdge.com.