Dragon Con 2024: Five Days of Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Gaming Bliss

Nerd hearts were geeking-out over Labor Day weekend as Dragon Con 2024 wrapped up its most successful year yet! The internationally renowned pop culture, fantasy, sci-fi, and gaming convention drew a massive 72,000 attendees to Atlanta for five days of pure fandom bliss.

As a veteran Dragon Con-goer myself, I can attest that the energy was electric from day one. Cosplayers brought their A-game, transforming downtown Atlanta into a living, breathing comic book. From elaborate Mandalorian armor to countless Beetlejuices and a delightful number of Bridgerton cosplays, the creativity on display was next level.

Not All Heros Wear Capes

But Dragon Con isn’t just about waving your geek flag high with pride (though that’s certainly a perk). This year’s convention raised an impressive $210,000 for the Arthritis Foundation’s Georgia chapter! Over the past decade, Dragon Con has raised over $1.3 million for various charities, proving that fans can, in fact, change the world one convention at a time.

One of my favorite Dragon Con traditions, the Robert A. Heinlein “Pay It Forward” blood drive, saw over 3,950 donors this year. That’s enough to save countless lives across the Southeast. (And who says heroes only exist in comics?)

The Fandom

The star-studded guest list didn’t disappoint either. Comedy legend John Cleese received the Julie Award for his universal achievement across multiple genres. As a massive Monty Python fan, I may have squealed a bit when I saw him on stage. No shame in my game! 

This is in addition to the 25th anniversary of the beloved WB sci-fi drama Roswell, which (fun fact) was the origin of FanBolt back in the early 2000s!

Of course, no Dragon Con would be complete without the Dragon Awards. This year, John Scalzi’s “Starter Villain” took home the prize for Best Science Fiction Novel. And I’ve officially added it to my must-read list, you can check it as well here.

Dragon Con 2024 Wraps Up

As the convention doors closed and the last cosplayer packed away their foam sword, one thing was clear: Dragon Con 2024 was one for the history books! Whether you were a first-time attendee or a seasoned pro, this year’s con offered something for every flavor of fandom, and we’ll all be continuing to recover from our sleep-deprived days and nights for the next week! 

Mark your calendars, nerds! Dragon Con will return from August 28 to September 1, 2025, for another Labor Day weekend extravaganza. I, for one, am already planning my cosplay… I’m determined not to wait till the last second again next year!

Until next year – be sure to check out our other posts from Dragon Con 2024 (we still have more coming!) and drop us a comment below, letting us know what your favorite part of Con was!