The Got Sole Philly sneaker convention is coming. Here’s what you need to know.

Eleven years ago, brothers Joseph and Jonathan DiModica were sneakerhead enthusiasts looking for a way to make money as teenagers to support their shoe hobby. Jonathan, then just 14, and Joseph, 16 at the time, decided to put on their own sneakerhead event they called “Got Sole” at a church outside of Boston where other enthusiasts could buy, sell, and trade shoes.

The event turned out to be a success, bringing in about 200 people with 18 vendors, and, for the next five years, the brothers continued to generate a social media presence as the conventions began to grow larger and larger in the Boston area. Eventually, Got Sole expanded to New York in 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic halted conventions until 2021, but the pair wanted to expand around the country. They have made stops in 11 other cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Washington. More than anything, they want to make their events a memorable experience for those who attend and promote them primarily on social media.

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“We’ve always aimed to provide an experience to people where in five or 10 years from now, they’re not going to specifically remember what shoe they bought or sold, but they’ll remember the experience they had at the event, the people they met, the business connection they made, the celebrity that they saw at our show,” Jonathan, now 25, told The Inquirer. “Just the fun time that they had around this hobby that we all love. So that’s really what’s been the driving catalyst to bring [Got Sole] to these different cities.”

On Saturday, Got Sole is bringing its convention to the Philadelphia area for the first time. Here’s what to know before the event kicks off:

The event at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks begins at noon and ends at 6 p.m. and will feature local vendors, musical performances, members of the Philadelphia sneakerhead community, giveaways, and more. The event typically brings in 5,000-plus attendees.

Philly will be the 11th city Got Sole has visited. The pair hopes to make it a yearly stop.

“The vibrant culture that Philly has, being from Boston, I see actually a lot of synergy between the two [cities],” Jonathan said. “My great-grandfather lived in Philadelphia, so I’ve had a little bit of family roots tying back.

“When we were in New York, when we were in D.C., even people who traveled to Boston said, ‘You have to do this in Philly.’ We’ve looked at Philly for a long time, we’ve built everything all around it, and it only made all the sense in the world” to bring the event here.

Ticket prices vary, depending on how much access attendees want.

VIP tickets cost $35 and allow traders to bring up to five pairs of sneakerheads. VIP ticket holders also get early access to the event at 11 a.m.

General admission is $25 and traders can bring up to three pairs of sneakerheads. Businesses that want to set up vendor tables can buy a package for $250 that includes three admission passes. All tickets are available on the Got Sole website.

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For the most part, the day will be about sneakerheads and collectors who want to buy, sell, and trade for shoes they want or can’t get at local retailers. Got Sole has extended an invitation to many of the local streetwear and sneakerhead stores in Philly, as well as other retailers on the East Coast such as Top Shelf Kicks from New Jersey and Courtside Kicks from Massachusetts.

Musical performances will take place throughout the day, and customers can buy shoes and clothes from local and national retailers. Shoes can range from $50 to $3,000 or $4,000. Got Sole aims to bring out members of the local sneakerhead community when it brings the convention to a city.

“The biggest thing for, I think, the average consumer coming in is of course to buy, sell, and trade, but on top of that is really to just meet like-minded people,” Jonathan said. “We live in a world that everything has been forced, digitally, so much upon us, especially since COVID, [and now] we are provided actual experiences to go out and meet new people. And I think that’s something that people look forward to at our show, and really drawing a community, making a new friend, a new business connection, whatever it might be.”

Several viral moments have been created from Got Sole’s events. Former Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons forward Dennis Rodman showed up at an event in Chicago, Johnny Manziel in Phoenix, and rapper Rick Ross in Miami, to name a few. But the biggest visitor may have come last year in New York during Got Sole’s two-day event, when Meek Mill made an appearance.

The Philly rapper ended up haggling with vendors at the convention. One of his purchases included a pair of big yellow boots for $500.

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Got Sole says appearances like these come together the day before or the day of the conventions, but it helps generate buzz to its one million followers on Instagram.

“We’ve done the same with Lil’ Yachty in Atlanta, where fans had no idea he was coming and he just walked in and starts shopping around, buying stuff off the vendors, and taking pictures with fans,” Jonathan said. “So we really just want to create that shock factor for people. But on top of that, is also to showcase [what we do] online. I think that’s an important thing that Got Sole does, it spreads a really bright and wide spotlight on this hobby.”