When the lights go down in the Peach State’s capital city this Labor Day weekend, cosplayers, animé lovers, filk players and autograph seekers are just some of the folks that will be rolling into downtown for what is often affectionately described as a five-day Halloween party. But there’s nothing spooky going on, just a pop culture convention with a buzzing 21-and-up nightlife scene.
Over 70,000 people from across the globe will be flocking to downtown Atlanta this week for the biggest pop culture convention to ever grace the state. During the day, superstars ranging from “Breaking Bad” villain actor Giancarlo Esposito to “Monty Python” icon John Cleese mostly call the shots, as the convention’s family-friendly sunup offerings range from celebrity autograph signings to featured guest Q&A panels.
Credit: Jenni Girtman
Credit: Jenni Girtman
But if you’re looking for a more adults-only experience, Dragon Con’s after hours offerings might just have what you need — certainly what you never knew you wanted.
The Last Party on Alderaan
“It’s a labor of love,” Dragon Con’s “Star Wars” programming director Brandy Roatsey told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “You’ve got to do the things that make you happy and that can put some joy out in the world.”
Since 2006, the Atlanta lawyer has been hustling to bring “Star Wars’” biggest stars to town for the convention. From Jawa cosplayers to the iconic Carrie Fisher, Roatsey’s events have featured some of the biggest names and most creative costumers in the Star Wars fandom. Most notably, she hosts a themed dance party that draws in thousands: The Last Party on Alderaan.
“It’s always so rowdy and crazy, and it’s just a great time, honestly,” she said. “And that’s very organic,” speaking of the party’s impromptu lightsaber duels.
“People started hanging out and just trying it,” she added. “And it’s fun to witness. We get some of our safety people there to keep the crowd back, and it’s like a dance battle at the same time. It’s just fun in the dark with lightsabers.”
Hosted at the Hilton, doors will open at 10 p.m. Saturday and the party won’t stop until 2 a.m. Roatsey is expecting around 2,000 attendees to be fist pumping to featured performer DJ Nemesis’ tunes all night long.
But her galaxy-sized dance party is far, far away from being the only offering on tap this weekend.
Parties, parties and more parties at Dragon Con
Dragon Con is hosted by five downtown Atlanta hotels (Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree and Courtland Grand), and each one has something to offer when the sun goes down. There are 20 parties to fill attendees’ dance cards this year, with themes ranging from Playboy bunnies to the cult-hit science fiction series “Firefly.”
Aug. 29 through Sept. 1, the annual convention will have parties running all the way through the extended weekend.
| Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sixth Annual MSFM Onesie Party — 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Westin Peachtree Chastain DE | An Evening in Bree — 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. in the Hilton Atlanta Grand West | Cartoon Bebop Lounge — begins at 8:30 p.m. in the Hilton Atlanta Grand West | Yule Ball — 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Marriott Marquis Imperial Ballroom |
| Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Myths & Outlaws Fan Appreciation Party — 8 p.m. to10 p.m. in the Westin Peachtree Savannah Ballroom B/C | K-Pop Dance Party — 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. in the Marriott Marquis Imperial Ballroom | Spectrum: The Rainbow Flag Party — 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Hyatt Regency Atlanta VI-VII | Doctor Who Ball — 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Hilton Atlanta Grand Salon |
| 80s Prom Dance Party — 8 p.m. to10 p.m. in the Courtland Grand ballroom | Can’t Stop the Signal Dance — 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Westin Peachtree ballroom | Ten Forward Party — 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Marriott Marquis Imperial Ballroom | The Open Casket Party — 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Westin Peachtree ballroom |
| Bunny Hutch Party and Contest — 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Marriott Marquis A601-A602 | Zombie Prom: Your Brain Will Go On — 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Hilton Atlanta Grand Salon | The Heroes and Villains Ball — 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Westin Peachtree ballroom | The Temporal Formal: Rhapsody in Blue — 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Courtland Grand ballroom A-F |
| Year of the Dragon Dance Party — 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the Marriott Marquis Imperial Ballroom | The Last Party on Alderaan — 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Hilton Atlanta Grand Salon | ||
| 8-Bit Bash — 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Westin Peachtree ballroom | |||
| We Want Our 120 Minutes Dance Party — 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. in the Marriott Marquis A601-A602 |
While DJs will be dropping beats across the convention’s many parties, there will also be a music festival’s worth of live performers taking the stages throughout the weekend.
A music festival’s worth of live performances
The Georgia Philharmonic Orchestra will perform symphonic versions of iconic film scores and video game music in the Hyatt Regency Centennial Ballroom on Saturday. Perennial performers Cruxshadows will be lighting up the stage again this year. The band’s founder, Rouge, spoke with the AJC last year on what makes the convention such a unique musical experience.
“Other conventions are not so built on music as Dragon Con is,” he said. “There is nightlife to other conventions for sure, but Dragon Con makes it a part of the convention. In some regards, it’s really a music festival contained within the broader spectrum of a convention. There’s dancing. There’s raves. There are musical artists from so many different genres. It’s a lot like its own music festival held inside hotels.”
Credit: Dragon Con Photography (c) Dragon Con, Inc.
Credit: Dragon Con Photography (c) Dragon Con, Inc.
Each of the five hosting hotel’s grand ballrooms will feature performances from dozens of bands across a wide spectrum of genres, including filk — music common at conventions that features a science fiction or high-fantasy twist.
The near 50 artists listed for this year can be found at dragoncon.org/people-to-see-2/performers.
Something for everyone
The 20 parties and dozens of concerts are just the beginning, of course. The Late Night Puppet Slam — which had nearly 900 attendees in 2019 — is an 18-and-up event hosted by “Mass Effect” actor and longtime Dragon Con guest Mark Meer. That kicks off late Sunday night in the Westin Peachtree Ballroom.
According to the prolific video game voice actor, it’s unique events like this that set Dragon Con’s nightlife apart from other conventions.
“You are already home when you’re at Dragon Con,” Meer told the AJC back in 2022. “I think that contributes to, essentially, the party atmosphere that Dragon Con has. It’s been compared to a five-day-long Halloween party, essentially. Because again, the percentage of people in cosplay is noticeably higher than at a typical convention. In general, even big cons, they don’t quite have the same sort of nightlife and party atmosphere and, let’s face it, family atmosphere that Dragon Con has.”
Then there’s Dragon Con’s Pin-Ups by the Pool Party, which will be hosted in the Courtland Grand Hotel pool and courtyard on Friday. Burlesque dancing, cosplaying and modeling triple threat May Hemmer will helm the event alongside her “bevy of bathing beauties.” It’s an opportunity for guests to cool off and win prizes in what Hemmer described as a relaxed and safe environment, something the burlesque producer believes is a crucial element to Dragon Con’s nightlife success.
Credit: Georgia Aquarium
Credit: Georgia Aquarium
“I think it’s how inclusive it is for the adults, for the 21 plus stuff,” she told the AJC back in 2022. “I feel like, yes, we can rage. We can party, but we can be in costume without it having to be Halloween. We can pick the parties that fit our nuances and still be adults, but nerd out and geek out at the same time. And I think it’s because the top tier level of professionals and artists and performers that they bring in … I feel like Dragon Con’s nightlife is one of the best nightlife(s) that I’ve been to because of just how big they make it. It’s an experience where people feel welcome and they feel safe.”
Hemmer’s grandest ensemble goes down Sunday in the Courtland Grand ballroom — Dragon Con Burlesque: A Glamour Geek Revue.
“So we’re doing nerdlesque … which is nerdy burlesque,” Hemmer said. “We like to take different pop culture characters and bring them to the stage … I did Lando Calrissian, like what else would I be other than Billy Dee with a bottle of Colt 45 trying to seduce the front row, you know?”
“Burlesque is about the art form and about the art of the tease and watching someone who’s putting an entire act together,” she added. “So when you take that character aspect on the nerdy level, some people are going to be really excited to see … people are seeing different references for the mature audience that they can appreciate. So, yes, it’s sexy. It’s central. It’s a tease.”
Even the Georgia Aquarium will be making a splash come Saturday. Dragon Con Night at the Aquarium is a perennial favorite for fans of the deep blue sea. Featuring ambient music, food and drinks, it’s an after-hours opportunity to see the aquarium’s galleries in a unique environment. VIPs get to sip from an open bar in a private ballroom with “upgraded décor.”
Saucy puppets, nerdy erotic dancing, lightsaber duels, pool pinups and so many bands — what are you waiting for? The Dragon Con party is just getting started.
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