Dragon Con 2016: Everything You Need to Know

ATLANTA, GA — Dragon Con, the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day in Atlanta, celebrates its 30th annual convention in a few days.

Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,300 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music and gaming over four days. Dragon Con is the largest multi-media convention focused on fantasy, science fiction, gaming, comics, literature, art, music and film.

The event runs from Sept. 2-5 over several downtown Atlanta hotels -- the Hyatt Regency, Marriott Marquis, Atlanta Hilton, Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, Westin Peachtree Plaza, and AmericasMart buildings 1 and 2.

Registration will be located at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel.

More than 70,000 fans, dealers, artists, guests, and volunteers attended Dragon Con in 2015. Dragon Con 2016 is expected to draw more than 75,000 unique visitors.

Prices for four-day memberships $130 but are only available on-site. One day memberships are also available, and can be purchased on-site at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel only.

This year’s official charity is the Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency. In its fundraising efforts in 2015, Dragon Con raised about $100,000 for the Lymphoma Research Foundation Georgia Market through convention-based auctions, special merchandise sales, special events and a dollar for dollar match, up to $50,000, of any money raised for its official charity.

Since 2005, Dragon Con has raised more $526,000 for its official charities, which change each year.

Dragon Con’s annual Robert A. Heinlein “Pay It Forward” blood drive regularly attracts record turnout, with some 3,000 people donating more than 6,000 units of blood and blood products each year. The annual drive – consistently ranked as the largest convention-based blood drive – benefits LifeSouth, which serves more than 40 hospitals in the Atlanta area and 110 hospitals in the Southeast.

Major events include our Annual Parade down Peachtree Street, the inaugural Dragon Awards for fantasy and science fiction literature, Guest of Honor Awards Banquet, Masquerade, and Dragon Con Night at the Georgia Aquarium.

In 2016, Karl Urban, William Shatner, Alex Kingston, James Marsters, Charlie Cox, Jack Gleeson, and Robin Lord Taylor will be among the all-star guest list that covers television, movies, literature, comics, gaming and other realms.

Attendees have the chance to meet their favorites in the Walk of Fame and elsewhere at the convention.
Members and guests can also participate in panels, workshops, and contests hosted by more than 35 different fandoms covering everything from science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, science, literature, puppetry and film. Workshops give attendees a chance to work closely with experts on writing, art, acting, costuming, and astronomy.

The inaugural Dragon Awards will be presented on Sunday, September 4th the Hyatt Regency Hotel, as part of Dragon Con, the internationally known pop culture, fantasy, sci fi and gaming convention.

These awards, introduced as part of Dragon Con’s 30th anniversary celebration, recognize the best in imaginative fiction, books, games, comics and filmed entertainment as selected by the fans, who both nominate their favorite works and vote for the winners.

Images: Dragon Con Photography