The Inner Coastal Podcast

Villains Con made its Beaufort, South Carolina debut over Halloween weekend 2026, a pop culture convention where the villains got to be the main characters. In Episode 149 of the Intracoastal Podcast, we talk with Emmy, creator of Villains Con and co-founder of the women-led gaming nonprofit Athena CLT, about bringing cosplay, gaming, wrestling, panels and trick-or-treating to The Foundry on Boundary Street in downtown Beaufort. Recorded just ahead of the convention, this conversation is for lifelong gamers, first-time cosplayers, and families looking for a Lowcountry Halloween tradition, and for anyone already thinking about next year. QUICK ANSWERS What is Villains Con? A two-day gaming and pop culture convention celebrating villains, produced by Athena CLT. It was born in South Carolina, with the tagline "celebrating villains, powered by goddesses." Where was it held in Beaufort? The Foundry on Boundary Street. A pub, a Mexican restaurant and a coffee shop sit a 2-3 minute walk away, and the nearest hotel is about five minutes on foot. What did tickets cost? Free for ages 12 and under. Students paid $10 for both days. Did you need a costume? No. Closet cosplay and store-bought costumes were welcome, and a free face painter was on site both days. Was it family-friendly? Yes. Indoor trick-or-treating, free photo backdrops, face painting and family game areas. WHAT WAS ON THE SCHEDULE • Meet and greets with Red Dead Redemption voice actors, including Steve J. Palmer • A Halloween cosplay contest (4-5 PM) with a $150 top prize, Limited Run Games prizes and a crowd-voted fan favorite • Live pro wrestling • A gaming zone with competitive and free play: Mario Kart, Fortnite, fighting games and tabletop favorites, including the Villainous board game • Panels, including "Black Vampires in Popular Culture and Comics" and a game-industry professor with 20 years of experience • A six-comic comedy show, trivia and live hip-hop from Sky Blue ALSO IN THIS EPISODE Emmy's path from playing Spyro at age five to organizing conventions. Athena CLT's Adopt an Introvert program and its hardship fund for women and non-binary people. Beaufort's favorite villains, from Cruella and Harley Quinn to Voldemort, the Sanderson Sisters and the IRS. Why the voice actors said Beaufort feels like Saint Denis from Red Dead Redemption. How to round out the weekend with local food and haunted history tours. LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR Emmy's goal is to build a lasting gaming and pop culture scene in the Lowcountry by showing up year after year, and we're hoping to welcome Villains Con back to Beaufort. Hear why Beaufort's marshes, walkable downtown and Halloween atmosphere make it a natural home for the convention. Follow Visit Beaufort Instagram: @visit_beaufortsc | Facebook: @BeaufortSC Visit Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands in South Carolina⁠ The Inner Coastal Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Daquan Mickens and the team at Visit Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands and produced by the team at Brand Revolt. Music is Inspirational Outlook by Scott Holmes. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit ⁠https://thedmpn.com/⁠. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email ⁠[email protected]⁠. CHAPTERS 00:00 Villains Con comes to Beaufort 01:05 Emmy's gaming origin story and the birth of Athena CLT 02:41 Spyro, Sonic and Super Nintendo: first-console memories 06:04 Bringing gaming to the Lowcountry 08:07 Casual vs. competitive gamers and the Red Dead voice actors 10:02 Inside Athena CLT, a women-led gaming nonprofit 11:32 Adopt an Introvert and the hardship fund 15:07 Why "Villains Con"? Complex villains, born in SC 16:47 Favorite villains and Beaufort's street survey 19:39 Villainous board game, wrestling and the Black vampires panel 21:55 Face painting, free kids' admission, $10 student tickets 22:51 Why Halloween weekend, and how Beaufort responded 25:48 Weekend walkthrough: meet and greets, gaming zone, trivia 27:58 The cosplay contest 30:02 First-time cosplay advice 32:02 Tips for parents 34:55 Making a weekend of it: food, walkability, ghost tours 37:38 Wrap-up

Beaufort, SC restaurant owner Pedro Solorio of El Don Mexican Grill & Cantina shares how washing dishes beside his dad became a family of Lowcountry restaurants. Daquan sits down with Pedro Solorio, owner of El Don Mexican Grill & Cantina and the PS Restaurant Group, which also includes Rancho Grande, Maria’s Mexican Kitchen, and Pedro’s Tacos. Pedro moved to Beaufort from Mexico as a kid, not speaking a word of English. He found his first friends on the soccer field and spent afternoons at La Hacienda, where his dad worked as a server, until he was old enough to start washing dishes there. After high school he came close to joining the Marines, but his mom asked him to give the family’s struggling Lady’s Island restaurant one year. He worked seven days a week to turn it around. Pedro talks about what he calls “Lowcountry Mex” and why it’s different from Tex-Mex, why birria has become one of his most popular dishes, and the new items coming to El Don, including birria ramen. He also explains why his restaurants offer a free meal to Marine graduates and discounts for military, veterans, and first responders, and why he thinks giving back doesn’t need to be advertised. Asked what he wants every guest to feel when they walk in, his answer is one word: home. ⁠Visit Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands in South Carolina⁠ The Inner Coastal Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Daquan Mickens and the team at Visit Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands and produced by the team at Brand Revolt. Music is Inspirational Outlook by Scott Holmes. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit ⁠https://thedmpn.com/⁠. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email ⁠[email protected]⁠. Chapters00:00 – Welcome and meet Pedro Solorio00:40 – What it’s like owning a business in Beaufort01:59 – Moving from Mexico and growing up in Beaufort04:13 – From his dad’s side at La Hacienda to washing dishes06:18 – Almost a Marine: turning around Rancho Grande on Lady’s Island10:01 – Running multiple restaurants11:40 – Hispanic heritage in Beaufort and how food connects people13:29 – Family recipes, tamales, and “Lowcountry Mex”21:27 – Watching Beaufort grow23:38 – What to order at El Don, and the rise of birria29:29 – One word: home32:45 – Free meals for Marine graduates and giving back36:53 – What’s next for El Don42:16 – Why Beaufort feels like home Find Pedro’s restaurantsEl Don Mexican Grill & Cantina, Rancho Grande Mexican Restaurant, and Maria’s Mexican Kitchen are open seven days a week, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Military, veterans, and first responders: ask about your discount. Follow Visit BeaufortInstagram: @visit_beaufortsc | Facebook: @BeaufortSC

Beaufort native Kirsten Ansley Stone, Miss Coastal Islands and founder of Play Like A Girl, joins Daquan to talk about hometown pride, pageants and empowering young female athletes in the Lowcountry. Kirsten shares what it meant to revive the Miss Beaufort title after nearly 30 years and take her hometown to the Miss South Carolina stage. She also talks about how Play Like A Girl brought more than 200 girls together for a day of sports with Beaufort Parks & Rec. Plus, her perfect Beaufort day: a smoothie at Well House Juicery and an afternoon at Hunting Island. Visit Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands in South Carolina⁠ The Inner Coastal Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Daquan Mickens and the team at Visit Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands and produced by the team at Brand Revolt. Music is Inspirational Outlook by Scott Holmes. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit ⁠https://thedmpn.com/⁠. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email ⁠[email protected]⁠.

 Daquan sits down with Ty Reichel and Ziggy Poplin, founders of Mahjong South, Beaufort's newest social gaming venture. What started as two empty nesters gathering friends around a mahjong table has turned into a growing community bringing lessons, open play, and events to the Lowcountry. Ty and Ziggy share how Mahjong South came together, why the game is having a moment across the South, and how newcomers and longtime locals alike can pull up a seat. ⁠Visit Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands in South Carolina⁠ The Inner Coastal Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Daquan Mickens and the team at Visit Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands and produced by the team at Brand Revolt. Music is Inspirational Outlook by Scott Holmes. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit ⁠https://thedmpn.com/⁠. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Daquan sits down with Dr. Stephen Wise, the longtime director of the Parris Island Museum and Cultural Resources Manager for Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, to explore four decades of uncovering the military history buried deep in the Lowcountry. From Civil War earthworks to the birth of Marine Corps training on Parris Island, Steve shares what 40+ years of scholarship has taught him about why Beaufort is one of the most historically significant places in America — and what he wants future generations to know about it. ⁠Visit Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands in South Carolina⁠ The Inner Coastal Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Daquan Mickens and the team at Visit Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands and produced by the team at Brand Revolt. Music is Inspirational Outlook by Scott Holmes. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit ⁠https://thedmpn.com/⁠. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email ⁠[email protected]⁠.