Dragon Con is a multigenre fan convention held every Labor Day weekend in downtown Atlanta since 1987. Spanning five hotels near Centennial Olympic Park, it draws more than 80,000 attendees for science fiction, fantasy, comics, gaming, and costuming programming, run largely by a 1,500-member volunteer staff under a for-profit corporate structure.
Its massive cosplay culture and public parade make it Eventisimus-relevant despite convention format.
Dragon Con started in 1987 as a project of a local gaming and science fiction club, drawing 1,400 fans to its debut at the Pierremont Plaza Hotel with guests including Michael Moorcock and Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax
It has since hosted the 1990 Origins Game Fair and the 1995 North American Science Fiction Convention, and introduced the long-running Miss Klingon Empire Beauty Pageant in 1999
Its scale is unusual among fan conventions: thousands of programming hours run simultaneously across five Peachtree Center hotels, alongside a costumed parade through downtown Atlanta that has become one of the convention's signature public spectacles
The convention traces its name to a Dragon Computer bulletin board system that served as an early hub for its founding gaming and role-playing club
Its costumed Saturday parade
Robot Battles competition dating to 1991
and Miss Klingon Empire pageant have become recurring fixtures that distinguish Dragon Con from other multigenre conventions
Dates TBA · Usually August
MARTA to downtown is useful.
Elaborate costumes are the norm and warmly encouraged, from handmade armor to simple fandom t-shirts; comfortable shoes matter most given the miles of walking between hotel towers. Early...
Keep valuables light, set a meeting point, and give processions room to move.
Downtown Atlanta
Many carnival moments are public, but confirm paid areas or stands before travel.
USD
unknown
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Dragon Con is listed for August · Summer. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.
The festival is listed in Atlanta, United States. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.
Summer is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.
Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.
Atlanta, GA
Medium: 80000
This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.
Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.
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