Countdown Begins: Dragon Con returns to Atlanta in 30 days
ATLANTA - Dragon Con, one of the country’s biggest pop culture conventions, is officially one month away from taking over downtown Atlanta. The five-day fan celebration will run Labor Day weekend from Aug. 28 through Sept. 1, bringing together sci-fi stars, comic book creators, gamers, cosplayers, and more.
What we know:
This year’s guest lineup already includes dozens of familiar faces from iconic franchises, including:
- Christopher Lloyd, Tom Wilson, and Claudia Wells from Back to the Future (marking the film’s 40th anniversary)
- Brent Spiner, Gates McFadden, and John de Lancie from Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Peter Macon from The Orville
- Max Huang from Mortal Kombat
- Anne Winters from Zac & Mia
- Erin Gray from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
The event has been an Atlanta tradition since 1987, when it was founded by members of the Dragon Alliance of Gamers and Role‑Players. From its modest debut with 1,400 attendees, Dragon Con has grown into a massive, multi-hotel experience that now attracts more than 80,000 fans each year.
The backstory:
Over the decades, Dragon Con has added fan-favorite attractions like Robot Battles, the Miss Klingon Empire Beauty Pageant, and TrekTrak panels, as well as thousands of hours of programming across genres like science fiction, fantasy, comics, gaming, animation, and art.
One of Dragon Con’s most beloved traditions is the free-to-watch parade through downtown Atlanta, set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30. Fans in elaborate costumes will line the streets to show off their creations in a celebration of fandom and creativity.
Tickets, called "memberships," are now on sale starting at $175 for all five days. A lifetime eternal membership is also available for $4,500. For more information or to purchase passes, visit dragoncon.org.