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65,000 Stormtroopers, monsters and pop culture fans attend Dragon Con 2022
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Atlanta's largest pop culture celebration, Dragon Con, returned this year with 65,000 coming to Atlanta's downtown hotel district to celebrate their love of all things sci fi, fantasy, film and media.
This was the convention's second year back after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event to go "digital only" in 2020.
At its pre-pandemic peak, Dragon Con had 85,000 attendees in 2019.
In 2021, Dragon Con spokesperson Dan Caroll spoke to GPB News about how the cultural impact of Dragon Con in Atlanta endured through COVID-19 and its importance for those who attend.
"I think the thing that really struck me most was that people needed to come because they missed their friends and their connections," he said. "I've already talked to people who have come as far as Maryland and Ohio, practicing the safety of their masks, but still coming here to see their friends and enjoy what Dragon has to offer."
Last year's event required proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for admission to the convention.
“We were delighted to bring our fans together for another terrific convention, where they celebrated the things they love, connected with friends, and forgot about the outside world for a few days,” convention co-chair Rachel Reeves said.
Rachel Wood traveled to Atlanta from Detroit to attend the event. She said this was her 14th year attending the convention with her family.
"Every year this has been a part of who we are as a family and as people who love the media we grew up with," she said. "I am so glad things are starting to seem normal again."
The convention also raised $190,000 in charity donations for Open Hand Atlanta, which provides meals and other services to food-insecure individuals with medically directed diets. It broke 2021's previous record of $142,000.
“We are incredibly impressed with fans’ generosity and their willingness to support Open Hand Atlanta, which does great work to meet an important community need," Reeves said.
Dragon Con will return in 2023 for the five-day Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31 to Sept. 4.
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