Dragoncon Sets Records & Firsts For 30th Anniversary
Dragoncon shows no signs of slowing down 30 years on
The first Dragoncon was in 1987. It was a pretty humble affair. The convention took place at just one hotel, the Peidmont Plaza Hotel. With an attendance of 1,400 fans. For a con in the 80s just getting off the ground, that’s not bad at all.
The convention grew rapidly , more than doubling in attendance in the next few years. It continued to grow and grow. From 22,000 in 2007 to 57,000 in 2013. And in it’s in 30th anniversary in 2016, Dragoncon attendance reached new highs as over 77,000 fans from all over the world attended according to a press release.
This year also marked a lot of firsts for the convention. There was official Thursday programming, making it a true 6-day event. The first fan awards of the convention, the Dragon Awards, were also implemented. You can actually check out the 2016 winners right here. And already a massive convention held in 5 hotels, 215,000 more square feet were added this year with an addition to the AmericasMart Building 2.
Our 30th Anniversary convention was a spectacular success,” convention co-chair Rachael Reeves said. “We notched a number of firsts, and were able to offer our fans an experience that was worthy of this special anniversary.”
But it’s not all about fans dressing up and meeting celebrities and playing games. Dragoncon is also big on fundraising for charities and community service. Over $98,000 was raised for the Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency. That is a charity that helps homeless men and women become self-reliant and find independence.
Dragoncon also has an annual blood drive, the Robert A. Heinlein “Pay It Forward” blood drive. 3,000 attendees donated roughly 6,000 units of blood for Atlanta hospitals. It’s consistently ranked as the largest convention blood drive.
Next: Dragoncon 2017: You Should Be Planning Now
Dragoncon has been an amazing event the last two years I went. I have already made plans (and booked a downtown hotel) for next year. The convention will continue to grow and innovate and continue to be an incredible time for fans in my humble opinion. If you can go, you most definitely should.