Dragon Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy, sci-fi, and gaming convention, attracted 70,000 attendees for the five-day celebration.
Initially estimated at 65,000 people, fan attendance reached 70,000 and sold out all five days. Fans traveled from all 50 states and a handful foreign countries, including Canada, Brazil, Australia, and several European nations.
Once again records were set, memories made, and friendships begun. Though this year was not without its challenges. The SAG-AFTRA strike loomed over the panels and Walk of Fame, but everyone made the best of it, moving guests to tracks that weren’t affiliated with struck studios or productions, and Dragon Con provided photos for autographs. Actors also worked around the limitations during panels.
Some of the more popular guests were Sean Astin and Elijah Wood (Frodo and Samwise from Lord of the Rings) as well as Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, Andor, Star Wars sequel trilogy) made the most of his one-day appearance by having long lines for photos, autographs, and a panel.
As anticipated, Barbie was a popular costume this year, with plenty of Kens also in attendance. Salutations of “Hi Barbie!” could be heard everywhere, from elevators to the vendor hall and all places in between.
With monies still being collected, the convention’s charity efforts have raised at least $200,000 for CURE Childhood Cancer, which works to advance promising research, lobby for important legislation, and provided tangible support to thousands of childhood cancer patients and their families in the Atlanta metro area and across Georgia. The final total will likely surpass the previous record of $206,000 raised in 2022 for Open Hand Atlanta.
Over the past decade, Dragon Con has raised more than $1.23 million for its annual official charities. Funds are raised through convention-based auctions, special merchandise sales, special events, and a dollar-for-dollar match from the convention up to an additional $125,000.
Dragon Con will return in 2024 for the five-day Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 29 to Sept. 2.
“This year’s convention was just joyful. Our fans, like Americans everywhere, have made the most of post-COVID travel worries and brought the best of themselves to Atlanta,” convention co-chair Rachel Reeves said. “They brought all their awesomeness – great attitudes, enormous generosity, and spectacular cosplays – to help make this year’s Dragon Con one of the best in recent memory.”
LifeSouth, which celebrated its 20th annual Robert A. Heinlein “Pay It Forward” blood drive at Dragon Con, attracted more than 3,700 donors donated to the drive – including its 50,000th donor – resulting in about 10,000 blood components. The annual drive, consistently ranked as the largest convention-based blood drive, benefits LifeSouth, which serves more than 25 hospitals in the Atlanta area and 125 hospitals in the Southeast.