Dragon Con has announced plans for a virtual convention this Labor Day weekend.
The convention typically draws between 80,000 and 90,000 attendees to midtown Atlanta celebrating pop culture from TV, film, music, literature, comic books, artists and cosplay.
Here is the official press release:
DRAGON CON CANCELS 2020 CONVENTION AMID PANDEMIC
In Its Place, Organizers Launch a Virtual Convention That Will Be Free to The Universe
ATLANTA – July 6, 2020 – For the first time in 34 years, Dragon Con, the internationally known science fiction, fantasy, and pop culture convention, will not be held, a decision made in response to the ongoing pandemic facing the United States and the world.
In its place, Dragon Con will hold a live-streamed convention free to the universe and featuring classic panels and original programming for 2020. Details will be announced in the upcoming weeks.
Dragon Con will return in 2021 with an epic – and much deserved – five-day event from Thursday, Sept. 2 through Monday, Sept. 6.
This year’s convention, scheduled for Sept. 3 to Sept. 7, was originally projected to attract some 90,000 people to downtown Atlanta.
“After an exhaustive attempt to organize a much smaller, more focused, and socially distanced convention, it became apparent that we could not, in good faith, move forward with our 2020 event,” convention co-chair Rachel Reeves said. “We are heartbroken and did not make this decision lightly. Above all else, we want to thank our fans, our hotel partners, the ACVB, and the City of Atlanta for their support over these past few months.”
Fans who already purchased memberships for the 2020 convention will be able to exchange them for a 2021 membership or seek a refund. Both options are available at www.dragoncon.org.
The Dragon Awards, a fan’s choice awards program to recognize the very best in science fiction and fantasy literature, comics, gaming, and filmed entertainment, will continue as planned. To nominate a property and register for a 2020 ballot, please visit https://www.dragoncon.org/awards/.
About Dragon Con
Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day Weekend (September 2 - September 6, 2021) in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over five days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.