I figured that The Greatest Showman Sing Along panel in the Hilton Grand West Ballroom Friday afternoon would pretty much be what it says on the tin: a group of nerds in a room together singing their favorite songs from the movie. What I wasn’t expecting was the energy of the crowd and the microphones at the front of the room, where anyone and everyone was welcome to come up, take center stage, and belt out the tunes.

The event was kicked off by moderator Doctor Q from the Alternate and Historical Fiction track. He said they started this sing-along last year as a whim, and the feedback was so overwhelmingly positive that they were able to move it to a larger ballroom this year. It’s a good thing they did because the room was full to bursting with fans of all ages. There was a stunning amount of intricate cosplay on display as well, including several people dressed as PT Barnum and a nearly screen-perfect Bearded Lady.

At first, the group seemed a little hesitant to get up to the microphones and start singing, but once the first few brave volunteers broke the ice, then for each song a new flood of people would run to the front. During the song “From Now On,” I looked around, and it seemed like everyone in the room was on their feet and dancing while providing back-up vocals.

The sing-along ended with the anthem “This is Me,” which I couldn’t help running up to the microphone to belt out myself. Of course, I wasn’t alone. In addition to the other 10-15 people crowding around the mics, the whole room was again on their feet. The room echoed with our boisterous singing, and it was one of the best times I’ve ever had at Dragon Con. Here’s hoping the event has to be moved to an even bigger room next year after all the positive vibes from this year.