Written By: Levena
Lindahl
Photos By: Levena
Lindahl
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| Rumple, Once (TV Show) |
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Ned Stark, Game of Thrones
(Book and TV) |
ATLANTA, Ga. - The end
of August heralds not only the start of fall, but the arrival of tens of
thousands of sci-fi, gaming and anime fans into the heart of Atlanta. Hordes of people swarm between the hotels
that host the legendary convention, most in cosplay as an homage to their
favorite characters. It’s not uncommon
to see wookies, Master Chiefs, Deadpools of all kinds, groups of Spartans and various
costumed school girls all talking and laughing together. Dragon con is a massive event staffed by an
army of volunteers that ensure that all the con goers have an exciting and safe
weekend. Here are a few tips and tricks
to make sure everyone who attends Dragon con has fun.
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| Ladies of Louis XVI's court |
Costumes and cosplay
are both amazingly fun, not only to wear but to see on other people. There will be anything from very simple pins
to huge dragons or Space Marines. Here
is where the universal ‘Look, Don’t Touch’ really comes in to play. Never EVER touch a cosplayer without
their consent, no matter what they are wearing.
Always ask if photos are okay, never assume. People work hard on their outfits, be
respectful and courteous to fellow con goers.
It’s not uncommon to come up with ideas for cosplays for the next year
based on what is seen at the current con.
The only limit to a costume is imagination. Bear in mind that there are often families with younger children at the con, so be appropriate for young eyes until after
ten please.
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Welcome to Night Vale goup shot
(Podcast) |
August in Atlanta is hot.
August in Atlanta in massive crowds while wearing costumes is a recipe
for heat stroke. It is incredibly
important to drink water all day, especially if alcohol is on the menu for the
evening hours. There were multiple cases
of ambulances being called to the hotels to help people who fainted due to heat
and dehydration this year. Bring an
umbrella if you plan on going to popular panels, as lines outside and around
buildings are not uncommon. Waiting and
walking are part of the con experience!
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Wookie and Sith,
Star Wars |
Lines are a big part of
any convention. Be prepared to come up
to an hour early to really popular panels and even then there is the chance
there will be a line. A panel on world building
featuring authors like Jim Butcher was packed a full two hours before the event
started, prompting the start of a wait line. Don’t be discouraged, as there are
dozens of panels and multiple times that the most popular ones are held. A typical con goer will only ever see about a
fifth of a convention on average.
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Princess Batman,
via internet meme |
Having a good time is
always the goal of any con goer, but it is important to be aware as to what one
will encounter. If crowds and the
thought of packed to a stand-still skyways are upsetting or alarming to a
person, try a smaller event like Momo con or AWA first to ease into the idea of
having absolutely no personal space.
With large crowds also comes what is affectionately called the ‘con
crud’; a persistent sniffle or cough due to close quarters with so many
people. Drink juice, get plenty of sleep,
make sure to pack hand sanitizer and have fun!
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