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Dragon Con 2023

August 31-September 4, 2023 at Courtland Grand Hotel

Dragon Con 2018 Parade Steve Eberhardt (10 Of 44)

Photo credit: STEVE EBERHARDT

Geeks will descend to Atlanta for Dragon Con 2023

By CL Events Staff Thursday August 31, 2023 12:00 PM EDT

Dragon Con is the largest multi-media, pop culture convention focusing on science fiction & fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe – and the best place to celebrate all of these things with fellow fans on Labor Day Weekend.

Memberships

2023 Membership (5-Day) (Fri.—Mon.) — $175

2023 Dragon Con Membership (5-Day) grants you admission to our 2023 Convention beginning on Thursday, August 31st through Monday, September 4th, 2023. You may pick up your badge at the Courtland Grand Hotel (formerly Sheraton Atlanta), 165 Courtland St NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, beginning Thursday, August 31st, 2023.

You’ll also be eligible a member discount of 25% on all official Dragon Con merchandise sold at our Dragon Con stores at the convention and online. Membership also grants you access to other exclusive membership benefits with our partners and you’re eligible to subscribe to our member newsletter.

2023 Membership (THURSDAY ONLY) - $35

2023 Membership (FRIDAY ONLY) - $55

2023 Membership (SATURDAY ONLY) - $75

2023 Membership (SUNDAY ONLY) - $65

2023 Membership (MONDAY ONLY) - $35

Eternal Membership — $4,500

This membership grants you access to every Dragon Con from now until it no longer exists. Membership Badges are picked up in VIP Badge Pickup. Eternal members have a party on Thursday night before the show in the Guest Hospitality suite.

Events

Author Signings

When: Entire conference
Where: Westin Overlook

Each year, Dragon Con assembles many of its willing guests for scheduled autographs (signings) in one area. Not every guest is willing – or able – to sign items, but we do inquire as to each guest’s willingness to do so.

Some guests, usually screen media guests, charge for autographs in our Walk of Fame, but autographs staged in our Autograph Area are always free. Limitations on number and type of items may be made, generally at the request of the signer, and sometimes due to time considerations.

Dragon Con Burlesque: A Glamour Geek Revue

When: Sunday, Sep 3, 2023, 12 am (Midnight)
Where: Courtland Grand Hotel, Grand Ballroom

Be sure to mark this on your must-do list for the weekend, because it’s just so dang fun! The internationally known burlesque dancer and producer May Hemmer is so excited to continue this legacy and she is proud to introduce some of the finest performers and artists that this country has to offer. This show is just dripping with the most glamorous geeks you can possibly imagine! The infamous Cocoa Barbie from New Orleans, May Hemmer, shall be your mistress of nerdery at the fabulous Courtland Grand Hotel!

All you need is your badge to attend this event!

Dragon Con Night at the Aquarium

When: Saturday, September 2, 2023, 7pm – 11pm

It’s baaaccccck! Channel your inner fantasy and join us for the return of Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium. Here, you can experience exclusive after-hours views of the Aquarium galleries, with ambient music and food and drinks available for purchase with a General Admission ticket. To take your experience to the next level, consider the VIP experience which includes food and open bar located in a private ballroom with upgraded décor. Don’t miss this mystical and magical experience as you journey through 11 million gallons of wondrous water. We can’t wait to see your creativity in all things Dragon Con on this special night.

Purchase Tickets Here!

Live Performances & DJs

We will again offer late-night DJ’d dances Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, beginning after the last concert and lasting until dawn, so you vampires can dance until the sun comes up!

Traditional SF convention filk-singing will take place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, late-night. Filking will begin at midnight and will continue to the light of day.

Reading Sessions

Where: Various Locations – Hyatt

Offering readings by authors from their own works (and usually some discussion with the audience afterward), our past readers have included T.W. Miller, Janny Wurtz, Kevin J. Anderson, Jana Oliver, Karen McCollough, Tracy Hickman, Laura Curtis, and Caitlin Kiernan. Check the schedule closer to the convention for the latest on who will be reading for you this year!

Wrestling

When: Thursday, September 1st, 2022, 7pm
Where: Hyatt Centennial Ballroom II-III

Well, DCW fans, here we go again! This is the 19th year of DCW and we plan to make it a blowout. What better way to start out your Dragon Con adventure than watching these crazy wrestlers beat the crap out of each other? The DCW Hooligans will of course be there to insult the wrestlers as they do every year. You don’t want to miss this show – we have some great action planned and of course there are always surprises for the fans!

Featured Guests

Dragon Con brings together a wide range of creative individuals, including actors, authors, voice actors, comic book artists, and other creative professionals such as Omid Abtahi, Russ Adams, Kevin J. Anderson, Dino Andrade, Andrew Aydin, Carlo Barberi, Julie Bell, Joe Benitez, and many others. The list features well-known names from various fields, providing attendees with the opportunity to meet and interact with their favorite personalities.

Workshops

Dragon Con offers a variety of workshops for attendees to participate in. Some of the workshops include: Creature Fur Workshop with Russ Adams, Practical Self-Defense with Keith R.A. DeCandido, Swordplay and Stage Combat with Robert Chapin, Voice Acting: Master Class, and Writer’s Workshops.

Contests

Many will enter, few will win. During Dragon Con, members can participate in a variety of contests listed below where you can win cash, prizes, and bragging rights.

Dragon Con hosts a variety of contests during their five days. The contests include the Animation/Anime Costuming Contest, Friday Night Costuming Contest, Hallway Costume Contest, Masquerade Costume Contest, Miss Star Trek Universe Pageant, and Robot Battles™.

Dragon Con Parade

Each year, we present a parade that is talked about for at least the next twelve months. You’ll see everything you can possibly imagine – and lots more that you couldn’t before you stepped out onto Peachtree Street that morning.

Art Show

Dragon Con is proud to display the work of some of the most incredibly talented artists in fandom. Meet living legends and emerging artists to find the perfect thing for your walls – or just enjoy the show.

We are excited to announce that the ever-growing and adapting Art Show will this year, be host to a contingent of Anime Artists in our new “Anime District”. These artists will have the opportunity to showcase some of their best art as well as participate in Anime Programming with our Anmie Department. Come visit and help us welcome the Anime District to the Art Show that is held in the Hyatt Grand Hall!

Artist Alley

Comic & Pop Artist Alley offers an eclectic array of creators from comic, animation, pop surrealism, lowbrow, and art toy design. Attendees have the opportunity to meet their favorite creators, get autographs, purchase comic and art, and attend fan panels over the course of four fantastic days. We’re also offering several “how to draw” workshops for both kids and adults, as well as a ton of other engaging material you won’t want to miss.