From ballrooms to workshops to live roleplays, DragonCon has it all. This five-day convention, which takes place in downtown Atlanta from late August to early September, is famous for drawing in thousands of attendees each year. Many of these participants come from out of state, and even from different countries. Its popularity comes from the huge variety of activities and events that it never fails to offer.

DragonCon’s events focus around various aspects of pop culture, including TV shows, science fiction, cartoons, comics, anime and video games. People with many different interests can dress up as their favorite characters and engage in conversations about their favorite shows or movies, sometimes even with people who worked on them. Among the several hundred guests that attended DragonCon this year were Caleb McLaughlin and Gaten Matarazzo, actors from the acclaimed Netflix series “Stranger Things.”

One of the things that makes DragonCon stand out from other conventions its parade, which it holds every year. Hundreds of people walk in the parade, and many companies join in. This includes cosplay groups, music groups, and more. Many people who attend DragonCon attend only for the parade.

A large and important part of DragonCon is cosplay. Cosplay is when somebody makes a costume of a character and dresses up as that character. At DragonCon, there are hundreds of people who cosplay, some who even do it professionally. Many others cosplay as a hobby, and see it as a fun activity that can show off at conventions. Sophomore Lacy Smith, who also attended DragonCon, is an avid cosplayer. “It’s one of my favorite art forms,” she said. “When I create something that just started off as a sketch, it’s the greatest feeling to wear it and show it off.”

Another reason that people attend DragonCon is to meet like-minded people. Fans of almost any genre can find others that enjoy the same things they do. Sophomore Claire Duerr, who has attended DragonCon, recounts this as one of her favorite things about conventions. “I love being able to meet people who are interested in the same kinds of entertainment that I am,” she said.

With more than 80,000 attendees in 2018, there’s no doubt that DragonCon is a extremely fun and popular event. People from all over the world can come together to enjoy the things they love, from movies to books to cosplay. And with a steadily growing following, fans can expect an even bigger and better event in 2019. If you’re looking for somewhere to nerd out and just have fun, DragonCon will be an event that you’ll hope will drag-on.