[C2Queen]

So... people on my Facebook were talking about this con, posted some amazing pictures and seemed to have an absolutely unforgettable time at this convention. I had never heard of it until this year. It's held labor day weekend every year. From what I've heard it had over 40,000 people in attendance this year. There are several giant hotels even bigger than the Hyatt Regency O'hare that it's held at. Its a 4 day convention and from everything I've seen about it -- it seems like there's a lot more cool props, costumes, more comic book/sci fi/fantasy related cosplayers than anime ones. They even had people showing off their comic book tricked out vehicles like an old bat mobile and had giant groups of cosplayers from series parading the streets with signs of what their cosplays were. It seems like a very lively convention and I get a kick out of a Snake cosplayer who attends every year with his group and makes videos of his adventures at Dragon*con. I heard the hotels sell out twice as fast as Anime Central's, even though its quite a ways from Chicago, has anyone ever been or want to go?

Click here -- Seeing this will make you want to go.


Dragon*con looks like what I hope ACEN will turn into (Meaning more attendance of people, more interesting people gathering to this area and bringing really cool cars, props, and more people making videos of ACEN) Not that Acen isn't at all bad! Anime Central is amazing! Dragon*con for some reason though seems like its a little more fun. It's also a lot more adult oriented for the most part (as I've seen people drinking during the con on the main hotel floors in videos, etc) but I have seen a few kids in some videos hugging cosplayers and such. For those of you who have actually been please share your experience at the con! I know its a bit more expensive than Acen but it totally looks like its worth attending eventually in my life =]


Dragon*con website.


The con will be held next year, 2012, August 31st - September 3rd.

This post has been edited by C2Queen: 16 October 2011 - 11:38 PM

[-JUNK-]

Well that video didnt look too bad. Looks interesting as well. hmmm maybe next year.... maybe next year

[Stormy-chan]

I have known of this con for a few years now, but it would cost my twice as much to go Maybe someday, but if I did go then I would most likely miss out on Acen for that same year to be able to afford it... sigh I would love to go eventually though

[princemercury1]

I will be going this year! And yes its costs 120 dollars at the door...but I heard its worth it. Plus their events are 24 hours for all three days, so you never sleep for three days. *_*

[MBluesummers]

Here is a link to the full documentary on PBS! http://video.pba.org/video/2065738625/

I have gone to Dragoncon two years now and am now approaching my third. This con. I swear it's hard to describe the warm fuzzy feelings this convention gives to me. It's easy for me to say that if there was only one con I could go to every year, it would be this one.

To friends who have never been, I describe the environment as having the energy of an anime convention but being composed of a mostly mature crowd! I think one of the biggest breaths of fresh air is not being hounded for free hugs or glomps every place I step.
It's a party convention. If you you hang out on the various Dragoncon web boards, people advertise their kickin' room parties all year long. Room parties that have dwarfed any I have been to at any anime convention. D*con has gained a reputation of "Drunk-con, sobriety optional". All five of the host hotels are very open to this and I have never run into a single rude staffer from the convention or Hotels! On the other side too, I have had very few issues with crazy attendees. Every year the Atlanta Aquarium has a Dragoncon night where you can go and drink while looking at all their fishies. It was wild to go to the aquarium in the middle of the night and watch whale sharks swim past the glass!

On the other side of the convention ((during daylight hours)), it is filled with content. Being able to see big name stars, learn costuming from professionals who work in the movie industry, talk to comic artists in their alley, and most of all be able to hang out with them after hour is amazing. Last year at a workshop, my friend got to learn first hand how to use copper thread for holding electrical currents for lighting on a costume. On Saturdays, D*con has a full sized parade down peachtree street you can sign up for. I was part of that last year and it was so AWESOME. Non-attendees came out that morning to watch it by the thousands and it's great to see the happy faces of kids as a storm trooper, jedi, or klingon walk past!

I will throw out that this is a con for everyone, so if you are more into anime than general sci-fi, books, or fantasy, they have an entire anime track that has as much programming as a full three days of some complete anime conventions. Last year I remember my group and I wanted to get into the "Dub your Own Hentai" panel. The line went around the hyatt. We've never been, but according to others in line, it was one of the funniest panels they have ever been to in the past.

Some other programming tracks include the Brit-track, Costuming Track, Horror, Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Science, Robotics and Armory. There are more but I don't want to go and list all of them. You guys can go to the webby and look yourself. As you have probably guessed, within each specific track of programming there are panels that pertain to the subject. And like the anime & manga track, most tracks have as much content as a single convention who's focus is that subject!

With 46+k attendees it is a convention composed of lines for panels and events you want to go to. But it's very well run and every panel I have been to has run on time ((or very nearly)).

As you can see, I am passionate about this convention. It's expensive, but getting things paid for in advance such as the badge and hotel help along the way. As they say in the documentary, it's a convention for fans by fans and not run by the media companies like SDCC is. This attitude shows and is what will keep me coming back.

For those of you who are going, and it's your first year, someone made a very helpful FAQ website just for this con: http://www.squidoo.c...-survival-guide ((There are others, but this is my favorite))

This post has been edited by MBluesummers: 26 March 2012 - 05:16 PM