Tag Archive for: convention

DRAGON CON IS FOR FANS

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/28/22

More Than 60,000 Cosplayers, Gamers, and Pop Culture Enthusiasts Return to Atlanta for

Annual Celebration of Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Gaming

http://www.dragoncon.org/

Dragon Con, the internationally known science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention, returns to downtown Atlanta for Labor Day weekend, bringing with it some 60,000 pop culture fans.

Dragon Con 2022 runs from Thursday, Sept. 1 to Monday, Sept. 5 with events and activities across five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta – and AmericasMart Buildings Two and Three.

Dragon Con attracts fans from all 50 states and several foreign countries who come to Dragon Con to meet their favorite actors, artists, authors, creators, and experts, show off their latest cosplay, make new friends, and revel in the joy that is Dragon Con.

Guests – Two members of the original Star Trek television series, William Shatner and Walter Koenig, lead a long list of celebrity guests who will appear at this year’s convention. Joining them are Emmy-nominated actor Morena Baccarin; Once Upon a Time’s Jennifer Morrison; Lauren Ridloff, Tony-nominated deaf actress from Marvel’s Eternals; and David Ramsey and Emily Bett Rickards at the head of a long list of actors representing the Arrowverse.

Other top guests from television and movies include Charmed’s Holly Marie Combs; Stargate Atlantis’ Joe Flanigan and Rachel Luttrell; Encanto’s Diane Guerrero, Mauro Castillo, and Adassa; and The Boys’ Laz Alonso, Nathan Mitchell, and Tomer Capone; as well as voice actors Kaitlyn Robrock (Disney’s Minnie Mouse), Jim Cummings (Disney’s Winnie the Pooh), and Nolan North (Superman).

Joining Shatner and Koenig, Star Trek fans will have a chance to meet Anson Mount, Anthony Rapp, Michelle Hurd, and many other cast members from the latest installments of the beloved franchise, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Fans will also recognize guests from Georgia-filmed productions including Doom Patrol (Joivan Wade, Matthew Zuk, Riley Shanahan, and Mark Sheppard); Stargirl (Brec Bassinger, Yvette Monreal, Trae Romano, and Anjelika Washington), The Walking Dead (Chad Coleman, Laurie Holden, Katelyn Nacon, and Chandler Riggs), and Fear The Walking Dead (Lennie James and Danay Garcia).

For the MTV Generation, Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson from the cult classic movie, Flash Gordon, will be on hand. Jones played star quarterback Flash Gordon while Anderson played ally Dale Arden who helped save planet Earth from the wicked Ming the Merciless. 

Cosplay – Dragon Con is well known for the quality of its cosplay – or costume play – and that tradition will certainly continue. The nation’s top cosplayers will show off their best work during the show, participating in costume contests every night of the convention and promenading throughout the five host hotels and the streets of downtown Atlanta.

Cosplay competitions remain a mainstay of Dragon Con, including the queen of competitions, Dragon Con Masquerade, the oldest continuously-run competition in fandom, the craftsmanship-focused Friday Night Costume Contest, and the low-key and fan-voted Hallway Costume Contest.

Gaming – New this year,Dragon Con is moving a large part of its ‘round the clock gaming programming one block up and one block over, from AmericasMart Building One to Building Three.

While the move was necessary because of renovations to Building One, the new space is better laid out and quite roomy – offering nearly three acres of games and gaming, from the latest and most popular video games to rarely seen board games.

The popular Artemis Bridge Game, in which eight players man the bridge of a USS Enterprise-like starship through its galactic adventures, is also expanding. First offered in 2016, the Artemis will now have two dedicated installations to allow cooperation or head-to-head competition. 

Joystick Gamebar will once again offer a pop-up experience at 161 Peachtree Center, featuring dozens of classic American arcade games. No need for quarters, these games will be free to play for the full convention.  

Overall, Dragon Con is one of the largest gaming conventions in the nation. From the latest video games to the most popular tabletop games, plus Japanese and classic American arcade games, ‘round the clock gaming is free to Dragon Con members starting Thursday, Sept. 1 at 4 pm.

Parade – The always popular Dragon Con Parade steps off on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 10 am. After a year in which only badged Dragon Con members could attend, the parade is once again free and open to the public.

The parade route remains the same as in past years. Beginning at the intersection of Peachtree Street and Linden Avenue, the parade will head south on Peachtree, east (left) on Andrew Young International Boulevard and north (left) on Peachtree Center Avenue. It will end on Peachtree Center Avenue between John Portman Boulevard and Baker Street, in front of the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

The route is convenient to three MARTA stations – North Avenue, Civic Center, and Peachtree Center. Parking downtown is expected to be tight. Dragon Con encourages parade spectators to ride MARTA.

The 2022 parade will once again be televised and streamed live on Atlanta’s CW69 and our own DCTV. CW69’s live coverage will begin at 10 am and will remain on air through the entire parade, with a time-edited rebroadcast on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 11 p.m. 

There are a number of live streaming options. DCTV will broadcast the parade live on a closed circuit to the convention’s host hotels, with rebroadcasts throughout the weekend. Parade coverage will also be available through the Dragon Con Goes Virtual streaming app.

Official Charity – Open Hand Atlanta is Dragon Con’s official charity for 2022. Through auctions and other charity events, plus a dollar-for-dollar match up to $100,000 from Dragon Con, the convention will raise money to support this important organization.

Since 2013, the convention has consistently raised more than $100,000 for each of its annual official charities. In 2021, Dragon raised more than $140,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta.

Open Hand’s mission is to help underserved individuals prevent or better manage chronic disease through tailored nutrition interventions, which include a variety of therapeutic meal plans as well as nutrition counseling and coaching delivered by an experienced team of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.  With the dedicated support of over 14,000 volunteers, they currently prepare, pack, and deliver over 5,500 meals per day in Metro Atlanta and rural Georgia.

In addition to fundraising, Dragon Con conducts the largest convention-based blood drive in the nation. In 2021, some 3,000 fans donated more than 6,000 units of blood and blood products in the annual Robert A. Heinlein “Pay It Forward” blood drive, benefiting LifeSouth, which serves more than 40 hospitals in the Atlanta area and 110 hospitals in the Southeast.

DRAGONCON 2022 ANNOUNCES STELLAR GUEST LIST

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/9/22

WILLIAM SHATNER, WALTER KOENIG, MORENA BACCARIN, TOM CAVANAGH,

DAVID RAMSEY AND DANIELLE PANABAKER BRING OUT THE STARS AT DRAGON CON

Thursday, 9/1 to Monday, 9/5

Cavanagh, Ramsey, Panabaker Lead a Large Cast of Arrowverse Stars; Flanigan and Luttrell Will Lead a Meet Up of Stargate Atlantis Fans; And Encanto Castmates Will Charm Con-goers

Two living members of the original Star Trek television series, William Shatner and Walter Koenig, lead a long list of celebrity guests headed to Dragon Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy, science fiction, and gaming convention, for Labor Day weekend.

Emmy-nominated actors Morena Baccarin and Tom Cavanagh, along with David Ramsey and Danielle Panabaker, will join Shatner and Koenig to meet fans, lead panel discussions and sign autographs.

Other top guests from television and movies including Charmed’s Holly Marie Combs; Stargate Atlantis’ Joe Flanigan and Rachel Luttrell; Encanto’s Diane Guerrero, Mauro Castillo, and Adassa; Stargirl’s Brec Bassinger, Yvette Monreal, Trae Romano, and Anjelika Washington; and Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD’s Brett Dalton, Jason O’Mara, and Briana Venskus; as well as voice actors Kaitlyn Robrock (Disney’s Minnie Mouse), Jim Cummings (Disney’s Winnie the Pooh), and Nolan North (Superman).

Several television shows filmed in Georgia will be represented including Doom Patrol, Stargirl, The Walking Dead, and Fear the Walking Dead, which recently moved production to Georgia after several seasons in Texas. Other media guests will represent Titans, Supernatural, Star Trek Picard, Star Trek Discovery, Stargate SG-1, The Magicians, Locke & Key, and The Expanse, as well as video game Red Dead Redemption.

An estimated 60,000 people are expected to attend Dragon Con over the five-day Labor Day Weekend – Sept. 1 to Sept. 5 – with events and activities across AmericasMart Buildings Two and Three and five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta.

Literary Guest of Honor Nnedi Okorafor, an award-winning science fiction novelist best known for Who Fears Death and the Binti trilogy, and Artist Guest of Honor Stephanie Law, a fantasy fine artist whose work explores mythology in next contexts, especially into the natural world.

For an older generation of fans, the convention also welcomes Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson from the 1980 cult classic film, Flash Gordon.

Shatner is a cultural icon and best remembered as Capt. James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek television series, the animated series, and seven motion pictures. He will be at the convention on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only.

He will be joined Koenig, who played Ensign Pavel Chekov, who brought teen idol good looks to the bridge of the USS Enterprise. Koenig also appeared all seven motion pictures featuring the original cast. Later in his career, Koenig had a featured role in the science fiction television series Babylon 5.

Baccarin has a wide following in pop culture, having had lead roles in television’s Gotham and The Flash, two Deadpool movies, television’s Firefly and its follow up film Serenity, and the 2009 television reboot of V.  Baccarin will be joined by Gotham castmate (and spouse) Ben McKenzie.

Cavanagh leads a strong showing of castmates from the Arrowverse, the CW franchise that includes several DC Comics-based shows including Arrow, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and several others.  Cavanagh is an original cast member of The Flash, appearing as Dr. Harrison Wells and Reverse Flash, with appearances in Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow, Supergirl, and Batwoman.  Cavanagh is also well known to television audiences from the shows Ed and Scrubs.

Ramsey plays the role of John Diggle (also known as Spartan or Green Arrow), initially on Arrow, which ran from 2012 to 2020, and continues in that role across the so-called Arrowverse programs, including The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, Superman and Lois, and Supergirl.

Panabaker, another The Flash original actor, played Caitlyn Snow (also known as Killer Frost) across the Arrowverse, also appearing in DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and Arrow.

Cavanagh, Ramsey and Panabaker will be joined by Danielle Nicolet (The Flash), Olivia Swann (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), and Arthur Darvill (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow).  Darvill is also well known in fandom as companion Rory Williams from the Doctor Who franchise.

Website: Dragon Con – Largest Multi-genre and Pop Culture Convention

THE ODDITIES AND CURIOSITIES EXPO RETURNS TO ATLANTA

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 1/30/22

Enjoy a showcase of all things weird.

Saturday, February 19th!

AmericasMart

One-part horror convention and one-part dark arts – The Oddities and Curiosities Expo featuring over 150 local and national vendors and will visit Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart in Atlanta, GA on Saturday, February 19. Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased at https://odditiesandcuriositiesexpo.com/tickets

Attendees can expect to see vendors and small businesses showcasing taxidermy, preserved animal specimens, original horror and Halloween-inspired artwork, antiques, handcrafted oddities, quack medical devices, creepy clothing, odd jewelry, skulls, bones, and funeral collectibles.

“The Oddities and Curiosities Expo was created purely out of the excitement of bringing communities we care about together through events,” said Michelle Cozzaglio, who owns the expo with her husband, Tony. “Honestly, we had no idea it would turn into what it has today! Our goal has always been to uplift those around us while giving everyone, including ourselves, the opportunity to truly do what they love.”

The Cozzaglios have been taking The Oddities and Curiosities Expo on the road from coast to coast for the past five years after observing there was a market for this type of large scale event. Long-time collectors of oddities and obscure memorabilia themselves, the pair also own a record store and screen printing business, and operate punk festivals across the country.

In addition to visiting the showroom floor, guests of The Oddities and Curiosities Expo are able to purchase tickets to a day-long taxidermy class where they can learn to make their own two headed duckling mount. Participants will work with frozen animals to learn the basics of taxidermy.

The O&C Expo also hosts Rainy Day Revival and their Museum of Marvelous Mutations, a 1600 square foot carnival sideshow reminiscent of big top attractions of the early 1900’s. For an additional $7 ($5 advance), guests can experience “The World’s Largest Traveling Freak Show” and meet Simon the Cyclops Lamb and Beefcake the Bulldog Calf.

It is important to note: All animals in the taxidermy class and other parts of the show – like preserved specimens – are sourced ethically and died of natural causes.

EVENT INFO

The Oddities and Curiosities Expo will take place Saturday, Saturday, February 19, from 10am to 6pm at Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart – Building 3 at 250 Spring St NW, Atlanta, GA 30030. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door and children 12 and under are free. The event is all ages – however parents are advised to use their best judgment about if their children should attend.

Tickets can be purchased at https://odditiesandcuriositiesexpo.com/tickets

The Two Headed Duckling Taxidermy Class hosted by Heather Clark of Sleeping Sirens Art & Oddities will be held from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. with breaks built-in for lunch and exploring the expo. The class is $235, and is available to those aged 16 and up, or younger with parental approval. All materials and tools will be provided. Tickets for this class also include admission to the expo.

For additional information, follow The Oddities and Curiosities Expo on Facebook and Instagram.

THE FANDEMIC TOUR DEBUTS IN ATLANTA MARCH 18-20

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 1/27/22

Comic and TV Convention Brings the Ultimate Pop Culture Experience to the Peach State with Stacked Roster of Celebrity Guests Including Sebastian Stan, Norman Reedus, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, + More 

Friday, March 18 through Sunday, March 20, 2022
Georgia World Congress Center Building A
285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW, Atlanta, GA 30313

Making its Atlanta debut this spring, the illustrious Fandemic Tour will take over the Georgia World Congress Center March 18-20 for three days of exclusive, all-access fan experiences. Produced by former CEO of Wizard World, John Macaluso, the star-studded tour will bring together celebrities, producers, cosplayers and artists from across the pop culture multiverse to connect with their fanbases in the flesh. With more than 30 notable names and faces already announced on the weekend roster, the Fandemic Tour is a fan dream for more reasons than just the lineup.

“We’re incredibly excited to be combining our Fandemic Tour and Fandemic Dead brands for an all-encompassing fan experience in Atlanta,” said Macaluso, Fandemic Tour CEO. “By doing this, we’re able to bring in a wide array of celebrities spanning the realms of horror, sci-fi and pop culture. We’re counting down the days until we get to bring Atlanta one of the best comic and TV conventions to date.”

After incredibly successful runs in Houston, Texas and Sacramento, Calif., the Fandemic Tour in Atlanta will allow fans to experience their favorite genres like never before. Fan-favorite icons from across the nation will come together for once-in-a-lifetime Q&A sessions, discussion panels, autographs, photo ops, and more. See the full list of already-announced celebrities attending the Fandemic Tour below. LIST IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Sebastian Stan
Captain America: The Winter Soldier  

Norman Reedus
The Walking Dead, Boondock Saints

Jeffrey Dean Morgan   
The Walking Dead, Supernatural  

Michael Rooker
The Walking Dead, Guardians of the Galaxy

Scott Patterson 
Gilmore Girls, Saw 

Tom Payne
The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead

Stephen Amell 
Arrow  

Melissa McBride 
The Walking Dead, The Mist 

Michael Cudlitz
The Walking Dead, Southland

David Morrissey  
The Walking Dead, Doctor Who  

Bruce Campbell
Evil Dead

Jon Bernthal
The Walking Dead, Punisher

Chandler Riggs  
The Walking Dead, A Million Little Things  

Michael James Shaw
The Walking Dead, Avengers: Endgame

Cassady McClincy
The Walking Dead, Ozark

Cooper Andrews 
The Walking Dead, Halt and Catch Fire 

Nadia Hilker
The Walking Dead, Allegiant  

Ryan Hurst
The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy

Sean Patrick Flanery 
Boondock Saints, Saw 

Seth Gillam
The Walking Dead, The Wire, Teen Wolf

Sarah Wayne Callies
The Walking Dead, Prison Break

Jenna Elfman 
Fear the Walking Dead 

David Della Rocco
Boondock Saints

Greg Nicotero
The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead

Cailey Fleming 
The Walking Dead, Star Wars, Loki 

James Marsters
Buffy the Vampire Slayer     

Dean Cain                                                                   
Superman, Lois and Clark, The Platform  

Alexa Mansour
The Walking Dead: World Beyond 

Austin Amelio              
The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead    

Ross Marquand  
The Walking Dead, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: End Game                     

John Barrowman 
Doctor Who, Torchwood, Arrow, Flash, Legends of Tomorrow

…and more to be announced.

Tickets for the Fandemic Tour vary in price. See below for more details.

General Admission tickets are available at the following price points: 
$40 – Friday Pass (Hours 3:00 to 8:00 p.m.)
$60 – Saturday Pass (Hours 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
$50 – Sunday Pass (Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
$86 – Full Weekend Pass (admission for all three days)

Fandemic Fanatic VIP – $175 – 3-day pass, early admission, fast pass for photo ops/autographs (behind Celebrity VIP pass holders), swag bag and VIP reserve seating at panels.

The Fandemic Tour is also accepting volunteers, ages 18 and over, to assist with the convention. Applicants must be able to work a minimum of two shifts on two different days, one of which must be Saturday. Volunteers will not be paid but will be able to enjoy the show before and after their shifts and receive exclusive fan merchandise. For more information, please view the Volunteers section of the website.

Exhibitors, Guest Artists and Cosplayers can now apply to be a part of the Fandemic Tour by visiting the convention’s Exhibitor or Contact page.

AMERICA’S FAVORITE TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE SHOW RETURNS TO ATLANTA

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 9/17/21

Explore Hundreds of Vacation Destinations Open for Travel Now, 
Meet With Travel Experts to Plan Your Next Trip, and More
Saturday, October 16 and Sunday, October 17, 2021 at Georgia World Congress Center
The nationally acclaimed Travel & Adventure Show is returning to Atlanta this fall at Georgia World Congress Center on Saturday, October 16 and Sunday, October 17, 2021.  Attendees will have an opportunity to discover over 200+ vacation options that are open for travel now, plus meet with the destination experts who are on-hand to answer questions, customize itineraries, and answer questions on travel safety. They will also attend dozens of educational seminars with renowned experts who have been traveling over the past year, designed to give the audience real-time travel advice on navigating the new travel environment.
Featuring three theaters, including the Travel Theater, Destination Theater, and Savvy Traveler, guests will have the opportunity to meet travel celebrities, including Samantha Brown, host of PBS’s “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love”; Peter Greenberg, Emmy award-winning investigative reporter; award-winning travel writer, actor and director, Andrew McCarthy, and many more.
Advance sale tickets are available starting at $11 for a one-day pass and $18 for a two-day pass. Children ages 16 and under can attend free.  Active men and women in the U.S. armed forces are invited to present a military identification prior to the event or at Will Call for free admission for up to four members of their family. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit travelshows.com/shows/atlanta/.

A LITTLE DIFFERENT BUT STILL A LOT OF FUN, DRAGON CON RETURNS TO DOWNTOWN ATLANTA

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/24/21

Dragon Con, the internationally known science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention, returns to downtown Atlanta for Labor Day weekend, balancing the awesome joy of a large pop culture gathering with significant efforts to reduce the spread of COVID.

Fans wearing the latest cosplay will be seen in downtown Atlanta for the first time since 2019. Cultural icon William Shatner, Oscar nominees Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell, and a host of other celebrities from the worlds of television, movies, comics, literature, and gaming will be on hand to greet fans, lead discussions, and sign autographs during this year’s convention.

An estimated 40,000 people are expected to attend Dragon Con, now in its 35th year, over the five-day Labor Day Weekend – Sept. 2 to Sept. 6 – with events and activities across AmericasMart Buildings One and Two and five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta.

Still, Dragon Con has implemented a series of protocols to help reduce the spread of COVID, including a requirement that all attendees show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of arriving at the convention in order to pick up their badges.

Only badge-holding Dragon Con members will be allowed to watch this year’s Dragon Con Parade from city sidewalks along the parade route.  Instead, we encourage people to stay home and watch the parade on CW69 or YouTube.

Other changes include requiring all fans to wear a mask while inside a convention venue and a 50 percent reduction in the number of memberships sold for this year’s convention.

No badges will be sold on site. If badges are available, they will be available through www.Growtix.com.

For fans who are not comfortable attending a live convention, Dragon Con Goes Virtual is a live-streamed version of the convention with live convention coverage as well as exclusive pre-recorded content and highlights from past conventions that fans can enjoy from the comfort of their own home in the company of close friends and family.  A Dragon Con Goes Virtual subscription is $10.

Guests – In addition to Star Trek’s Shatner and Battlestar Galactica’s Olmos and McDonnell, Doctor Who’s Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper, Star Trek Discovery’s Sonequa Martin Green and Mary Wiseman, and a brace of Supermen – Smallville’s Tom Welling and Superman and Lois’ Taylor Hoechlin – lead a parade of stars from some of the best-known television and movies of the last 40 years.

More than 200 guests – actors, authors, artists, and creators of all kinds – will lead panel discussions and meet with fans, who will recognize guests from Shazam!, The Boys, American Gods, The Walking Dead, the Harry Potter franchise, and Supernatural, as well as voice actors from animated series The Animaniacs, Star Wars the Clone Wars, and Steven Universe, and video games Overwatch, Duke Nukem, and Mass Effect.

For an older generation of fans, the convention also welcomes Kathy Coleman and Wesley Eure from the Sid & Marty Krofft-produced Saturday morning television series Land of the Lost.

Hall of Fame professional wrestler Diamond Dallas Page will appear at Thursday Night Wrestling and meet with fans during the convention.

Gaming – One of the largest gaming conventions in the nation, Dragon Con offers a basement full of games, from the latest and most popular video games to rarely seen board games, along with discussions with the game designers responsible for the games people love to play.

Overall, Dragon Con offers more than 140,000 square feet of gaming, featuring the full array of gaming including PC and console games, board games, miniatures gaming, role-playing games, collectable card games, and even LARP games. ‘Round the clock gaming is free to Dragon Con members starting Thursday, Sept. 2 at 4 pm.

In addition to all the gaming in Americas Mart Building One and Westin Peachtree Hotel, Joystick Game Bar will hold an American arcade experience with tons of favorite – and free to play for Dragon Con members – cabinet games at 161 Peachtree Center Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. each day.  A $10 cover is required for non-members.

Cosplay – Dragon Con is well known for the quality of its cosplay – or costume play – and that tradition will certainly continue. The nation’s top cosplayers will show off their best work during the show, participating in costume contests every night of the convention and promenading throughout the five host hotels and the streets of downtown Atlanta.

Cosplay competitions remain a mainstay of Dragon Con, including the queen of competitions, Dragon Con Masquerade, the oldest continuously-run competition in fandom, as well as the craftsmanship-focused Friday Night Costume Contest and the low-key and fan-voted Hallway Costume Contest, which will also have a virtual component for those fans joining the convention from home.

Parade – The world-famous Dragon Con Parade will be broadcast live on CW69 (WUPA-TV) and YouTube beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4.

Only badge-holding Dragon Con members can watch this year’s Dragon Con parade from route, a health and safety measure adopted to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Official Charity – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta is the official charity for 2021.

Since 2013, the convention has consistently raised more than $100,000 for each of its annual official charities, including a dollar-for-dollar match from the convention up to an additional $100,000.  Funds are raised through convention-based auctions, special merchandise sales, special events, and the convention match.

In addition to fundraising, Dragon Con conducts the largest convention-based blood drive in the nation. In 2019, some 3,000 fans donated more than 6,000 units of blood and blood products in the annual Robert A. Heinlein “Pay It Forward” blood drive, benefiting LifeSouth, which serves more than 40 hospitals in the Atlanta area and 110 hospitals in the Southeast.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 2 -Sept. 6, 2021) in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

WILLIAM SHATNER, EDWARD JAMES OLMOS, MARY MCDONNELL, AND DAVID RAMSEY LEAD AN ALL-STAR CAST OF HEROES AND VILLAINS AT 35th ANNUAL DRAGON CON

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/11/21

Olmos, McDonnell Lead a Meet-up of Colonists and Cylons; Superman Tom Welling Squares Off with

Lex Luthor Michael Rosenbaum in Smallville Reunion; Sonequa Martin-Green

Captains The Star Trek Discovery Into Atlanta

 

William Shatner and Oscar-nominated actors Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell, plus David Ramsey, Alex Kingston, and Zachary Levi lead a long list of celebrity guests headed to Dragon Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy, science fiction, and gaming convention, for Labor Day weekend.

Other top guests from television and movies including Doctor Who’s Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper; Smallville’s Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, and Laura Vandervoort; Star Trek Discovery’s Sonequa Martin-Green, Mary Wiseman, and Anthony Rapp; The Walking Dead’s Ross Marquand, Dan Fogler, and Nadia Hilker; Bonnie Wright and Matthew Lewis from the Harry Potter franchise; and Hall of Fame professional wrestler Diamond Dallas Page.

An estimated 42,000 people are expected to attend Dragon Con, now in its 35th year, over the five-day Labor Day Weekend – Sept. 2 to Sept. 6 – with events and activities across AmericasMart Buildings One and Two and five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta.

While there will be far fewer people at this year’s convention, the footprint remains the same, creating opportunities to reduce crowding and implement other changes and health & safety related protocols. A complete list of the changes can be found here: https://www.dragoncon.org/updates/

Literary Guest of Honor John Scalzi, an award-winning science fiction novelist best known for his Old Man’s War series and his popular Whatever blog, and Artist Guest of Honor William Stout, an artist of exceptional breadth responsible for production design work on 30 feature films, including Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and two Conan films, round out a guest list of more than 200 actors, artists, authors, and other creatives and experts who will meet with fans during the five day convention.

Other television guests will represent The Boys, American Gods, and Supernatural as well as voice actors from animated series The Animaniacs, Star Wars the Clone Wars, and Steven Universe, and video games Overwatch, Duke Nukem, and Mass Effect.

For an older generation of fans, the convention also welcomes Kathy Coleman, Philip Paley, and Wesley Eure from the Sid & Marty Krofft-produced Saturday morning television series Land of the Lost.

Shatner is a cultural icon and best remembered as Capt. James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek television series, the animated series, and seven motion pictures. He will be at the convention on Friday and Saturday only.

Olmos played Adm. William Adama in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica television series. Olmos is one of the best-known actors on television, appearing on Miami Vice, Dexter, and currently, Mayans M.C. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1988 for Stand and Deliver.

McDonnell portrayed President Laura Roslin in Battlestar Galactica. She is a two-time Oscar nominee, for Dances with Wolves (1990) and Passion Fish (1992).  Olmos and McDonnell will be joined by Tricia Helfer (Number Six), James Callis (Lee “Apollo” Adama), Jamie Bamber (Dr. Gaius Baltar), and Michael Trucco (Samuel Anders) in a reunion of Battlestar Galactica castmates.

Ramsey plays the role of John Diggle (also known as Spartan or Green Arrow), initially on Arrow, which ran from 2012 to 2020, and continues in that role across the so-called Arrowverse programs, including The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, Superman and Lois, and Supergirl.  He will be joined by Juliana Harkavy, who played the role of Black Canary across the Arrowverse.

Perhaps best known for her 17-year run on hospital drama ER, Dragon Con fans recognize Kingston as Riversong from the long-running BBC television series Doctor Who. She will be joined by Eccleston, who played the ninth incarnation of the time-travelling title character, and Piper, who played companion Rose Tyler during Eccleston’s run. Kingston and Piper will appear on Sunday and Monday, Eccleston will only appear on Sunday.

Levi is beloved by fans for his portrayal of the title character in the 2019 feature film Shazam! as well as an upcoming sequel, and his five-year run as the nerd next door Chuck Bartowski in the television series Chuck. Levi will be joined by Shazam! castmates Angel Asher and Jack Grazer, who also appeared in both It movies.

Smallville will be well-represented with a four-guest reunion of players from the Superman-based television series that ran for 10 years, including Welling, Rosenbaum, Vandervoort (Kara Zor-El/Supergirl), and Sam Witwer (Davis Bloome). Welling will appear Friday to Sunday and Rosenbaum will be available on Saturday and Sunday, while the remaining cast will be at the full convention.

From Star Trek Discovery, the latest installment in the 55-year-old science fiction franchise, Martin-Green, whose character was recently promoted to the captain’s chair, will be joined by Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Rekha Sharma (Cmdr. Landry), and Noah Averbach-Katz (Ryn).

The Walking Dead returns to Dragon Con with Ross Marquand, Nadia Hilker, and Dan Fogler. Marquand, who plays Aaron and joined the cast in 2005, and Hilker, who joined in 2010, have become mainstays of the series as it wraps up its 13-year run in 2022.  Fogler, a recurring character since 2018, is also well known for his role in two Fantastic Beasts movies, with a third in production.

Speaking of the Wizarding World, the Harry Potter franchise will be well represented by Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley, and Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom, both in all eight films.  Both will appear on Friday through Sunday at the convention.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 2 -Sept. 6, 2021) in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

DRAGON CON PARADE RETURNS IN 2021 WITH SIGNIFICANT COVID-RELATED CHANGES

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/7/21

Traditionally Open to the Public, This Year’s Parade Will Not Allow Spectators; Only Dragon Con Badge Holders Will Be Allowed on the Parade Route.

Dragon Con Encourages Fans to Tune-In to the Live Broadcast on

CW69, YouTube, and Other Social Media Platforms

 

The famous Dragon Con Parade, perhaps the best-known event at the annual five-day pop culture, fantasy, sci-fi, and gaming convention, will return to Peachtree Street in 2021, but with significant changes made necessary by the current Covid pandemic.

Now in its 35th year, Dragon Con 2021 runs from Thursday, Sept. 2 to Monday, Sept. 6 with events and activities across five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta – and AmericasMart Buildings #1 and #2.

Traditionally free and open to the public, the annual Dragon Con Parade usually offers the spectacle of thousands of cosplayers, young and old, dressed as their favorite pop culture characters marching down Peachtree Street. The Dragon Con Parade attracts as many as 75,000 spectators in some years.

This year, however, the Dragon Con Parade will be modified and scaled back. Not only will it be smaller than in past years, with fewer marching participants, spectators will not be allowed on the route.  Only Dragon Con badge holders will be allowed to watch the parade in person.

Instead, CW69 will broadcast the parade (live at 10 a.m., with a rebroadcast ?) with additional feeds available on YouTube and other social media platforms. Fans who purchase a Dragon Con Goes Virtual membership ($10) will also have access to the parade through their subscription platform.

“It was important to bring back the tradition of the Dragon Con Parade as quickly as we could. It’s important to us and our fans, and to the whole city,” said Rachel Reeves, convention co-chair. “But, in the interest of public health, and in consultation with the City of Atlanta, we simply couldn’t allow the kinds of crowds we typically see.”

“We know it will be strange to have the Dragon Con Parade without thousands of kids lining the sidewalks, but the past two years have seen a lot of sensible-yet-disappointing decisions that prioritize public health over sentiment,” Reeves said. “This is just another one of those decisions.”

In addition to a scaled back parade, there will be no Saturday-only badge sales before the convention or during it.  Saturday is always the convention’s busiest day.  In addition, the hours immediately before and immediately after the parade have been the most popular times to purchase Saturday-only memberships, with the effect of swelling convention attendance to its largest numbers of the weekend.

Finally, all five host hotels plus AmericasMart will have stepped up security at all hours to ensure only Dragon Con badge holders will have access to the convention.

DRAGON CON ADOPTS HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/1/21

Changes Create a Convention That is Both Fun and Helps Prevent Spread of COVID

 

Masks Are Required for All Fans, Attendance Will Be Capped, Panel Room Capacities Will Be Reduced, and Venues Will Follow Stepped Up Cleaning Protocols

UPDATED: Vaccine Card or Negative Covid Test now required.

 

Updated: Dragon Con, the internationally known science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention, will require that everyone who attend the live convention show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test before entering the convention.

In order to pick up their badges, all attendees will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of arriving at the convention. The new guidelines arrive as the Delta variant is causing more COVID-19 cases worldwide, including “breakthrough” infections of vaccinated individuals.

Dragon Con, the internationally known science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention, has adopted a number of health & safety protocols designed to help reduce the spread of COVID while making the convention fun and memorable for all returning fans.

Now in its 35th year, Dragon Con runs from Thursday, Sept. 2 to Monday, Sept. 6 with events and activities across five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta – and AmericasMart Buildings One and Two.

“We are excited to welcome fans back to Atlanta for this milestone convention,” said convention co-chair Rachel Reeves. “While the health and safety of our fans is always a priority, we have worked hard this year to balance the need to protect our fans’ health with our tradition of throwing an awesome convention that fans will remember.”

The protocols include a requirement that all fans wear a mask while indoors in a convention venue, reduced attendance during the convention by reducing the number of memberships available for sale before the convention, reduced room capacities in ballrooms, panel rooms, and other programming spaces, and increased cleaning and sanitation throughout the venues.

Other changes are designed to reduce congestion, improve traffic flow, and increase personal spacing within the convention venues.

In addition, Dragon Con encourages all fans to get a vaccination as it has been shown to offer the most personal protection from illness related to this pandemic. It also encourages fans to stay home if they do not feel well, or have been recently exposed to somebody with COVID.

To help spread the joy that is Dragon Con to fans who are not comfortable with attending a live convention (or who are blocked by international travel restrictions), Dragon Con Goes Virtual, a live-streamed version of the convention, will be available for fans to enjoy from the comfort of their own home in the company of close friends and family.  A Dragon Con Goes Virtual subscription is $10.

The protocols and convention changes are listed below and will be available on the convention’s website: https://www.dragoncon.org/updates/

 

Face masks and reduced attendance

  • Appropriate face masks will be required at all times inside convention venues regardless of vaccination status, in keeping with updated CDC guidelines (link to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html) and City of Atlanta requirements (link to https://www.atlantaga.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/52010).
  • In 2021, Dragon Con will have reduced capacity from prior years. We have worked closely with our hotels and AmericasMart to determine how many people are permitted in the buildings each day and at a given time and taken further steps to reduce capacity to allow for personal spacing.
  • There will be no Saturday-only membership sales before or during the convention. One-day badges will only be available for Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Monday.
  • Related to that, there will be no onsite membership sales to reduce congestion, increase social distance, and improve traffic at badge pickup in the Sheraton. If memberships are available for purchase, they will only be available online through Growtix.

Room capacity, including Walk of Fame

  • All panel rooms and other programming venues will have a reduced 2/3rds maximum capacity at all times.
  • In the Walk of Fame, we will have approximately 50 percent fewer guests signing to provide for better spacing, personal distancing, traffic flow, and line management. There will be a one-way flow enforced throughout the room and limited capacity at all times. Additional safety precautions may be enforced, including temperature checks.

Traffic flow, congestion, and personal distancing

  • Badge checks will be expanded across the show to support the capped attendance and spacing.  If you don’t have a membership for Dragon Con, we ask that you participate in some of our awesome virtual elements highlighted below, as the hotels will be closed to badge-holding members only.
  • Lines for events and panel programming will be closed once we reach the 2/3rds reduced room capacity to reduce the number of people congregating in an area and to improve traffic flow. As always, ballrooms will be cleared between panels and the existing line policy, #18 described here (https://www.dragoncon.org/about/dragon-con-policies/) remains in effect and will be strictly enforced.
  • Other specific changes to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion include.

o   The Concourse Stages will have longer breaks between each performance, rotating between both locations with fewer bands and performances overall.

o   Fan tables will not be openly available for 2021 to reduce lobby congestion and improve traffic flow.

o   Our traditional arcade partner, Joystick Game Bar will move from AmericasMart to a unique pop-up experience located at 161 Peachtree Center Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, with activities going on from 10a – 4a daily.  Dragon Con members get in free.

o   The Chosen Costume Contest, hosted annually at Dragon Con Night at the Georgia Aquarium, will take a hiatus to prevent crowding.

Venue cleaning

  • Our venues have adopted enhanced cleaning protocols and are committed to delivering above and beyond the sanitation standards established.  If you would like details, we encourage you to check with each property individually.
  • All panel rooms and programming spaces will be closed twice a day for deep cleaning – once during the day and once overnight. These closures will happen on a rolling basis, with specific times indicated in the app, so there will ALWAYS be lots of programming options to choose from.
  • Gaming in AmericasMart Building 1 will have limited hours to meet our cleaning commitments and other enhanced safety measures. The building will be closed from 2 am – 8 am daily.  Open gaming will be available in the Savannah Ballroom will be available 24 hours a day, except during daily cleaning periods.

Other changes

 

  • Because children under 12 years old are not recommended for the COVID vaccine, the Kids Track will not host the Kids’ Character Encounter or Family-Friendly Dance.
  • We are excited to again partner with Epic Photo Ops, who has adjusted their policies with the safety and wellbeing of our guests and fans in mind, including limiting the number of individuals in a photo op.  For a detailed listing of additional protocols, visit https://epicphotoops.com/covid-19.
  • We have received our parade permit and at this time will host a modified and scaled back parade. A Dragon Con membership is required to view the parade live and in person for 2021. All others can watch the parade on CW69, our broadcast partner, or on line at YouTube and other social media platforms.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 2 -Sept. 6, 2021) in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

THE FANDEMIC DEAD WALKS INTO ATLANTA SEPTEMBER 17-19 *POSTPONED TO 2022*

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/26/21

Comic-Con Brings “The Walking Dead” Celebrities, Cosplayers and Fans
Together for a Weekend of Excitement
WHAT:
Fandemic Dead
WHEN:
Friday, Sept. 17 through Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021

WHERE:
Georgia World Congress Center Building A
285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW
Atlanta, GA 30313

TICKETS:
Three-day General Admission Passes, as well as individual day passes, are currently for sale here. Fans can also purchase VIP Admission, Autograph and Photo Op tickets.

Making its debut this September, the Fandemic Dead tour is bringing “The Walking Dead” to life where it all began in downtown Atlanta. Produced by former CEO of Wizard World, John Macaluso, Fandemic Dead is a three-day event where fans will have the opportunity to meet their favorite celebrity cast members, producers, cosplayers, and artists, as well as learn more about pop culture as a whole. With more than 20 notable names and faces already announced on the weekend roster, Fandemic Dead is a fan dream for more reasons than just the lineup.

“Atlanta is the birthplace of ‘The Walking Dead’ series, so it only feels right to experience this here. I can’t wait to gather all of the cast members, creators and fans together in such a meaningful place,” said Macaluso, Fandemic Tour CEO. “Following Dragon Con, we’re excited to be one of the first, larger, in-person events back on the books for Atlanta. We can already feel the support especially from diehard fans who have already helped spread the word about our convention.”

After 11 seasons, four spinoff series and the announcement of a spin-off film, Fandemic Dead will bring current and former cast members of “The Walking Dead” back together for Q&A sessions, photo ops, autographs, and discussion panels to give fans an exclusive insight into “The Walking Dead” Universe. See the full list of already-announced celebrities attending Fandemic Dead below.

Norman Reedus
The Walking Dead, Boondock Saints  

Jeffrey Dean Morgan
The Walking Dead, Super Natural

Steven Yeun
The Walking Dead, Voltron

Michael Rooker
The Walking Dead, Guardians of the Galaxy

Tom Payne
The Walking Dead, Fear of the Walking Dead

Melissa McBride
The Walking Dead, The Mist

Michael Cudlitz
The Walking Dead, Southland

David Morrissey
The Walking Dead, Doctor Who

Bruce Campbell
Evil Dead

Jon Bernthal
The Walking Dead, Punisher

Chandler Riggs
The Walking Dead, A Million Little Things

Cooper Andrews
The Walking Dead, Halt and Catch Fire

Cassady McClincy
The Walking Dead, Ozark

Nadia Hilker
The Walking Dead, Allegiant 

Ryan Hurst
The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy

Sean Patrick Flanery
Boondock Saints, Saw

David Della Rocco 
Boondock Saints

Greg Nicotero
The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead

…and more to be announced.

Tickets for Fandemic Dead vary in price. See below for more details.

General Admission tickets are available at the following price points:
$40 — Friday Pass (Hours 3:00 to 8:00 p.m.)
$60 — Saturday Pass (Hours 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
$50 — Sunday Pass (Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
$86 — Full Weekend Pass (admission for all three days)

Fandemic Fanatic VIP — $175 — (3-day pass, early admission, fast pass for photo ops/autographs (behind Celebrity VIP passholders), swag bag and VIP reserve seating at panels).

Fandemic Dead is also accepting volunteers, ages 18 and over, to assist with the convention. Applicants must be able to work a minimum of two shifts on two different days, one of which must be Saturday. Volunteers will not be paid but will be able to enjoy the show before and after their shifts and receive exclusive fan merchandise. For more information, please view the Volunteers section of the website.