Comic-Con-A-Like
December 31, 2009 10:12 AM   Subscribe

What awesome conferences/conventions/hugehumanhangouts are there in the United States?

Besides Comic-Con, Burning Man, Renaissance fairs, Warped Tour, Coachella, American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, and Defcon, what are some awesome, open-to-the-public events?

Any and all interests need apply; books, movies, travel, gaming, food, etc.
posted by DeltaForce to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (15 answers total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
The Minnesota State Fair
posted by Think_Long at 10:14 AM on December 31, 2009 [1 favorite]


Times Sq. on New Year's Eve.

My guess is all states' State Fairs, though these aren't my thing. Others love them.

Fourth of July fireworks pretty much anywhere, though the ones in NYC can't be beat.
posted by dfriedman at 10:19 AM on December 31, 2009


PAX.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 10:22 AM on December 31, 2009 [1 favorite]


SXSW?
posted by functionequalsform at 10:34 AM on December 31, 2009 [2 favorites]


Dragon-con. The miami sailboat show is a blast, if you're into sailboats. Ditto for motorcycle shows like various bike weeks (Daytona being a big one) and the big Harley rally at sturgis.

Really depends on the definition of awesome I guess.
posted by anti social order at 10:37 AM on December 31, 2009


Sturgis.
posted by dfriedman at 10:38 AM on December 31, 2009


MaxFunCon.

I don't know if "open to the public" means free, but MaxFunCon is not free. Do not taunt MaxFunCon.
posted by mullacc at 10:39 AM on December 31, 2009 [1 favorite]


any major music festival (and some of the minor ones, too, i suppose).
posted by msconduct at 11:02 AM on December 31, 2009


I almost hate to mention it, since it's already getting (almost) too crowded to enjoy, but Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. Three days of free!! bluegrass and not bluegrass in Golden Gate Park, with performers from Emmy Lou Harris to Boz Scaggs to Elvis Costello to Ralph Stanley to Lyle Lovett to Bonnie Raitt and more.
posted by rtha at 11:38 AM on December 31, 2009


Here are two South-Eastern hacker conferences that I go to every year:
Phreaknic
Outerz0ne
posted by gregr at 11:48 AM on December 31, 2009


Presidential inaugurations, July 4th fireworks on the Mall, National Folklife Festival on the Mall, various "marches."
posted by jgirl at 1:15 PM on December 31, 2009


Lebowski Fest and BarCamps come to mind.
posted by harmfulray at 1:40 PM on December 31, 2009


The National NRA Convention is pretty special.
posted by ph00dz at 2:59 PM on December 31, 2009


The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas?

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Sturgis, South Dakota?

Annual Gathering of the Juggalos?
posted by ZenMasterThis at 3:17 PM on December 31, 2009


Rainbow Gathering
posted by anadem at 9:21 PM on December 31, 2009


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