What are some unofficial Dragon*Con related happenings?
August 22, 2011 9:52 AM Subscribe
Dragon*Con is coming up and I have never been. Are there unofficial events happening in Atlanta that weekend?
I have never been, and I may be able to afford to go for a day, but I am undecided. I would think that walking around the con would be fascinating, but is not much of a socializing event (but then again, I've never been), whereas a party or some other non-official gathering would be close to ideal.
I just moved to Atlanta, so this is my best idea for meeting people, local and visiting. I expect that there must be a lot of parties, meetups, or other events in town, put on by the attendees. If that is the case, how then does one find out about these events? Does anyone have any info regarding that?
I have never been, and I may be able to afford to go for a day, but I am undecided. I would think that walking around the con would be fascinating, but is not much of a socializing event (but then again, I've never been), whereas a party or some other non-official gathering would be close to ideal.
I just moved to Atlanta, so this is my best idea for meeting people, local and visiting. I expect that there must be a lot of parties, meetups, or other events in town, put on by the attendees. If that is the case, how then does one find out about these events? Does anyone have any info regarding that?
Best answer: DragonCon programming is divided into multiple tracks - if you look through the 'Fan Tracks Galore' listing on the official site, there's generally a website and/or email contact for the track director, so if you follow the links of the ones that interest, you can see which parties/events they're hosting. But, the pocket-schedule should be coming out any day now, once that's published you'll get a better idea of what's going on.
If you're not sure you want to pay for a day-pass this year and just want to scope things out & people-watch, there's the Saturday morning costume parade down Peachtree Street. And although there's an official 'DragonCon Night' at the Georgia Aquarium, there will be con-goers in costume at the aquarium throughout the weekend. And we pretty much take over the food court inside the mall complex that's attached to one of the hotels (Peachtree Center? something like that).
posted by oh yeah! at 11:28 AM on August 22, 2011
If you're not sure you want to pay for a day-pass this year and just want to scope things out & people-watch, there's the Saturday morning costume parade down Peachtree Street. And although there's an official 'DragonCon Night' at the Georgia Aquarium, there will be con-goers in costume at the aquarium throughout the weekend. And we pretty much take over the food court inside the mall complex that's attached to one of the hotels (Peachtree Center? something like that).
posted by oh yeah! at 11:28 AM on August 22, 2011
I would note that the downtown area where DragonCon actually takes place is otherwise pretty dead, so people tend to stick close to the hotels. I'd start by just going down there and hanging out if you can.
posted by tau_ceti at 11:55 AM on August 22, 2011
posted by tau_ceti at 11:55 AM on August 22, 2011
Best answer: Some information gets posted on the con LJ & if you are a facebooking type, some people post info on goings on over at the con facebook
There are also other groups that organize meetups on their own pages. For example, I heard reddit has a dragon con meetup planned and info is on the reddit meetups site. So if you are a (Insert Activity Here) person, check the community/webpage/twitter of that activity and you may see something for the con.
This year if you head down, especially in the evenings, you will want to be be badged. They have been getting more and more strict (due to crowding) and the scuttlebutt is at least after dark, without a badge or a hotel key, don't bet on getting into one of the 3 main hotels.
In my experience (I have been attending dragon con off and on for years) if you go to a track/signing/talk/etc at con and meet people, invites often follow to other events. YMMV but con can be as social or as solitary as you like.
posted by pointystick at 11:56 AM on August 22, 2011
There are also other groups that organize meetups on their own pages. For example, I heard reddit has a dragon con meetup planned and info is on the reddit meetups site. So if you are a (Insert Activity Here) person, check the community/webpage/twitter of that activity and you may see something for the con.
This year if you head down, especially in the evenings, you will want to be be badged. They have been getting more and more strict (due to crowding) and the scuttlebutt is at least after dark, without a badge or a hotel key, don't bet on getting into one of the 3 main hotels.
In my experience (I have been attending dragon con off and on for years) if you go to a track/signing/talk/etc at con and meet people, invites often follow to other events. YMMV but con can be as social or as solitary as you like.
posted by pointystick at 11:56 AM on August 22, 2011
Best answer: I disagree totally with tau_ceti - that area is alive and well! I'm down here nearly daily! There are tons of awesome places to eat, both close by and within good walking distance, and the Aquarium, and World of Coke are not that far a walk! MetaMail me if you want some advice on places to eat, and where to avoid.
There are tons of unofficial meetups as well - generally related to a group or theme. I know there is a brony meetup and a reddit meetup scheduled. Generally there's a metafilter meetup as well, but I haven't checked IRL to see this year (too busy).
But like pointystick says, if you go to a track for a number of events, you will meet people, and you will find your way to awesome parties, ranging from "lets go to a bar" to "omgwtfbbq all the people wow" in size.
posted by strixus at 12:19 PM on August 22, 2011
There are tons of unofficial meetups as well - generally related to a group or theme. I know there is a brony meetup and a reddit meetup scheduled. Generally there's a metafilter meetup as well, but I haven't checked IRL to see this year (too busy).
But like pointystick says, if you go to a track for a number of events, you will meet people, and you will find your way to awesome parties, ranging from "lets go to a bar" to "omgwtfbbq all the people wow" in size.
posted by strixus at 12:19 PM on August 22, 2011
I happened to be in town a few years ago for the Peachtree Street parade. It was one hell of a spectacle! Don't miss that.
posted by gurple at 12:49 PM on August 22, 2011
posted by gurple at 12:49 PM on August 22, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks folks, this is great info! I will post anything I find for reference as well.
posted by polywomp at 9:02 AM on August 23, 2011
posted by polywomp at 9:02 AM on August 23, 2011
Consider wearing a costume. It's a social lubricant that works nicely at D*Con!
posted by bprater at 12:14 PM on August 24, 2011
posted by bprater at 12:14 PM on August 24, 2011
Another information source are the various podcasts -- DragonconTV has the bumbers & skits that the DCTV crew run between panels and WhatTheCast is where they talk about general sf stuff. The DragonPod podcast has panel recordings from 2008 & 2009, but seems to have gone defunct. And I just stumbled onto The Unique Geek which has been doing a "50 Days of DragonCon" countdown and interviewing various track directors & con staff.
posted by oh yeah! at 4:57 AM on August 25, 2011
posted by oh yeah! at 4:57 AM on August 25, 2011
(bumpers, not bumbers, arg)
The free DragonCon schedule app is back up in the iTunes store, looks like it has the entire schedule in it.
posted by oh yeah! at 5:43 AM on August 26, 2011
The free DragonCon schedule app is back up in the iTunes store, looks like it has the entire schedule in it.
posted by oh yeah! at 5:43 AM on August 26, 2011
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posted by polywomp at 10:55 AM on August 22, 2011