Fandemic, a new “Walking Dead” convention originally scheduled for next month, has been postponed until March 2022 due to concerns about the spreading COVID-19 variant.
“While this decision was not made lightly, it was made in an effort to help keep our community safe,” the organizers said in a press statement. “The health and safety of fans, panelists, exhibitors, artists and staff is their top priority.”
The original weekend at the Georgia World Congress Center was Sept. 17-19. It will now be on March 18-20.
Previously purchased tickets will be honored for the new 2022 dates. Inquiries can be directed to FandemicDead@CaConventions.com.
John Maculso, the Fandemic Tour CEO, said all guests originally scheduled for next month’s convention will be able to come in March. That includes Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan), Steven Yeun (Glenn Rhee), Michael Rooker (Merle), Melissa McBride (Carol Peletier) and Tom Payne (Jesus). (See the entire list here.)
The vaccines have shown a strong ability to prevent people from getting COVID-19 and greatly reduces death and hospitalizations among those who do get it. But only 39 percent of Georgians are currently fully vaccinated. The delta variant has caused a major increase in cases and deaths in recent weeks, almost all among those who are unvaccinated.
Dragon Con, the city’s largest sci-fi convention which happens in Atlanta Labor Day Weekend, is requiring masks and strongly encourages vaccination among attendees but is not requiring it. Music Midtown, a two-day music festival which is set at Piedmont Park during the same weekend as Fandemic’s original weekend, will require either vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test.
Fandemic is not at all affiliated with Walker Stalker, a “Walking Dead”-themed convention that happened annually for many years in Atlanta but ended after the organizers faced major financial problems.
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