Organizers say they're hoping for the largest crowd ever at Dragon Con, the pop culture convention underway this weekend in downtown Atlanta.

The convention began Friday, and event spokesman Dan Carroll projects that 57,000 people will visit by the time it concludes Monday. About 52,000 attended last year.

William Shatner and some stars from the Georgia-filmed TV series The Walking Dead are among 400 actors scheduled to make appearances. Several key scenes from the AMC show were filmed a few blocks from the five hotels hosting Dragon Con. One of the actors set to appear, Michael Rooker, was hand-cuffed to the rooftop of a nearby railroad building during the show's first season.

Dragon Con's free parade on Saturday morning also returns this year with a new route that's slightly longer.

Tags: dragon con, sci-fi, fantasy convention, pop culture