Dragon Con, one of the largest major conventions holding out for an in-person event in 2020, has announced that it won’t hold a physical convention this year, and will instead go virtual in 2020.
The convention has been held annually in Atlanta, Georgia over Labor Day weekend since 1987, and features a sprawling programming track that covers everything from science fiction and fantasy literature, films, television, gaming, cosplay, and more. While most conventions have been canceled this year because of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, an initial wave of reopenings prompted some cons to postpone until later this year, or wait and see if the pandemic would subside.
But sharp spikes in the pandemic since that initial wave of reopenings has shown that the virus is still a major concern. The convention’s organizers say that they’ve been trying to find a way to hold the event this year, but “it has become apparent that we cannot, in good faith, move forward with our 2020 event.”
After an exhaustive attempt to consider and uncover every possible option to hosting a safe and much-needed #DragonCon this year, it has become apparent that we cannot, in good faith, move forward with our 2020 event. pic.twitter.com/U9Vv0BHLvE
— 💐🌼Dragon Con 🌹🌺 (@DragonCon) July 6, 2020
Those who planned to attend will automatically have their memberships rolled over to the 2021 convention on August 15th. Those who don’t want to attend will have until August 1st to request a refund.
In its place, Dragon Con says that it will hold a virtual convention, which will take place the same weekend. The con says that it will be releasing details about programming in the “coming weeks.”
h/t John Scalzi
