Fans return for in-person Dragon Con in Atlanta

It was cancelled last year and replaced with a special virtual event, but like the superheroes it celebrates, pop culture convention Dragon Con is soaring again this weekend — and bringing with it a full lineup of events and celebrity appearances.

Dragon Con launched Thursday and continues through Labor Day, taking over five downtown Atlanta host hotels and filling them with sci-fi, fantasy and pop culture fans, cosplayers, and celebrities.  Organizers announced an in-person return for the event back in May, and later announced that the popular Dragon Con parade would be "modified and scaled back" to allow only those with a Dragon Con membership to view it in person.  Last month, organizers announced anyone picking up their badges to attend must show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative test taken within 72 hours prior to arriving.

Other changes include required masks inside all venues and limited room capacities, and a continuation of virtual offerings for fans more comfortable with that option.

All that said, Dragon Con fans are still arriving in town with plenty of enthusiasm for the five-day event, which celebrates the worlds of science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, music, TV and more.  

This morning on Good Day Atlanta, we got a solid sampling of this year’s offerings, from chatting with writer Greg Burnham and illustrator Marcus Williams (creators of "Tuskegee Heirs") about the cultural impact of Black Panther to meeting voice actors Rob Paulsen and Maurice La Marche, better known to audiences as Pinky and the Brain!

For more information on this year’s Dragon Con, click here — and click the video player in this article for a peek at our morning in the center of the action.

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