Comic books, Pokémon cards, Funko Pop figures and creative cosplays were front and center Saturday morning at Cradle-Con, an annual convention at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Uniondale. 

Seamus Keane, the museum's director of special events, said more than 2,000 people were expected to attend the convention Saturday — the first of a two-day event featuring dozens of vendors, artists, competitions and games.

"It's our celebration of all things comic and pop culture and everything else," Keane said. "The convention scene is the backbone of the social network of this culture."

The museum's atrium and cafe were packed with tables covered in comics, handmade jewelry, action figures and retro games. On the second floor, local artists showcased their work near an exhibit of video arcade cabinets ranging from Pac-Man to Pong.

Tes Choudri, owner of the Lynbrook-based LI Comic Shop, said he grew up loving comics and became a collector as he grew older. He eventually left his corporate job to pursue his passion and opened the shop last year.

At Cradle-Con, now in its sixth year, some hunt expensive collectible books, while others search for prints related to specific characters, he said.

"There's really no wrong way to do it," Choudri said, adding that he loves seeing younger generations continue the appreciation of the comic book scene.

Ron Kestel, 53, of Bethpage, and his son, Liam, 13, are both fans of Star Wars and came to the convention to dive into their passion for the franchise.

"I get to share it with him,"the elderKestel said. "It's something we get to do together."

Brittany Pleasant, 37, of Central Islip, known as "TheArtisan'sNook" on social media, makes amigurumi — small crocheted dolls — and was one of the sellers at the convention.

"The vibes here are super high, this is one of my favorite events," Pleasant said. "The community is very welcoming."

Cosplayers broke out their best costumes for the convention, swinging lightsabers and donning superhero outfits. Others came to connect withdecades-old games they grew up playing.

Some of those games have gained increased popularity and cost in recent years, especially when the pandemic forced many indoors.

Evan Richards, 38, of Lindenhurst, and Matthew Vittorio, 37, of Lake Grove, had a table of old-school video games from the 1980s and 1990s.

"People in their 30s and 40s are reliving their childhood, loving this old Nintendo stuff and re-buying their collections," Richards said. "As time goes on, stuff in the '90s, there are fewer and fewer of them available, and as there are fewer and fewer available, value goes up."

Clutching a tape of "Spiderman: The Video Game," Patrick Attio, 39, of Brooklyn, said Cradle-Con is a way to remember a different time. "It's just good ol' nostalgic, no-pressure fun," he said.

Attio said the convention also made him realize he might've lost his edge at arcade games.

"I'm not as good as I used to be," he quipped with a laugh.