Fantasy Con hit Salt Lake City last weekend, July 3 – 5. Immediately upon entering The Salt Palace I was struck by the amount of space. I was able to easily maneuver the aisles without having to navigate the asteroid field (the odds of which are 3720 to 1), even with a stroller. Once the initial buzz of breathing and elbow room wore off I realized that having less people in attendance was a double edged sword, I was gaining a little extra personal space but at what cost? Would the convention have the attendance required to justify a follow up?
Apparently those running the event were employing some whovian-potteresque-poppins style tactics, allowing the proceedings to progress with more room than should have been physically possible because attendance wasn’t an issue. The numbers have been tallied and fans of fantasy and all things generally nerdy (read awesome) showed up to support this endeavor and it seems, at least at the moment, that Fantasy Con will be returning. Over 55,000 of you showed up and made an otherwise ordinary fourth of July weekend… fantastic.
Below is the official Fantasy Con press release discussing the successes of the inaugural convention as well as outlining plans for the future. Ready your burlap clothes and padded weaponry because if this year’s response is any indication (and obviously it is) Fantasy Con isn’t going away any time soon.
INAUGURAL FANTASYCON ATTRACTS MORE THAN 55,000 ATTENDEES
Convention organizers already looking at 2015 convention
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (July 7, 2014) – FantasyCon, the world’s most interactive fantasy convention, announced today that more than 55,000 guests visited the convention, which took place July 3-5 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. With this unprecedented response to an inaugural convention, plans are already underway for a second event in 2015.
“Considering that FantasyCon is a first year convention without an established brand behind it, the response was amazing,” said Josh Patel, founder of FantasyCon. “We had people travel from across the nation and around the world to immersive themselves in the FantasyCon adventure. Created right here in Utah, FantasyCon brought the most talented fantasy artisans from around the world to our doorstep. This is only the beginning; we’re already looking at ways we can improve on FantasyCon next year.”FantasyCon entertained convention guests at the Salt Palace by encouraging them to participate in a wide range of fantasy-themed activities. Guests were invited to learn how to become a Dragon Warrior, shoot a bow and arrow at the archery range or become part of a medieval army in the battle arena.
Others enjoyed viewing masterworks by world-renowned fantasy artists or watching glassblowers and blacksmiths demonstrate their timeless trades. Thousands of costumed characters offered a feast for the eyes as they wandered throughout the convention hall. And, celebrities such as Simon Pegg, Sean Astin, Sylvester McCoy and John Rhys-Davies competed for center stage with FantasyCon’s mystical creatures, which included a 15-foot animatronic rock monster named Rocky, two 30-foot sentinels and Volos, a three-story-tall dragon with a wing-span exceeding 63 feet.
Guests were also treated to thrilling aerial acrobatics, melodic performances by the Salt Lake Pops Orchestra, astounding magic by Las Vegas magician Jeff McBride and musical parodies by Talk Nerdy to In addition to guests visiting the Salt Palace July 3-5, FantasyCon also entertained more than 400 families with critically ill or special needs children during its “Night of Dreams” preview event on July 2. As well, FantasyCon attracted thousands of guests to associated events in downtown Salt Lake City, including a kick-off party on July 2 at The Complex that was deejayed by Elijah Wood, an Independence Day parade from The Gateway to The Salt Palace on July 4, and a street festival with world-class fireworks at The Gateway on July 5.
General interest in FantasyCon increased exponentially over the course of the convention. By the second day (July 4), FantasyCon received 27 million impressions from people around the world who were interested in the event.
About FantasyCon
The inaugural FantasyCon, the most interactive fantasy convention in the world, took place place July 3-5, 2014 at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah. During the convention the Salt Palace will transform into a magical realm where anything is possible. Guests had unprecedented opportunities to meet some of their favorite fantasy film celebrities, glimpse thrilling aerial acrobatics performances and join breathtaking melees in the live battle arena. An archery range, costume contests with prizes totaling $10,000, a 25-foot castle and an assortment of mythical creatures transported guests into familiar worlds of fantasy. Stunning art exhibits, fantastic films and a special children’s area also helped guests forge memories to last a lifetime.
For more information, visit www.fantasycon.com.