Celebrating 40 Years of Dragon Con Part 1
Forty years ago, this little show we’ve come to know and love opened its doors for the first time. Named after a gaming computer, and attracting less than 2,000 people, the dream was alive. But there surely could have been no way to predict, in those very early days, just what the convention would eventually become. Whether we’ve been coming for decades, whether we were children dragged by our parents who grew to love this crazy place, or whether we’ve only just started, the road ahead feels infinite. And, for those of you arriving for the first time this year? Oh, the places you’ll go. We’re taking a trip down through the timeline, year by year. When I started writing this, I had thought it would be a simple bullet pointed list of years and major happenings, but it quickly grew beyond the scope of what I could have imagined. Join me then, a decade at a time, over the next four days.
The First 10 Years
Year 1 (1987)
The first Dragon Con opens not on Labor Day weekend, but on the first weekend of October at the Pierremont Plaza Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. Approximately 1,400 people attended and guests featured fantasy author Michael Moorcock and the co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons, Gary Gygax.
Year 2 (1988)
Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, and Larry Elmore, authors and artist of the Dragonlance series (this con goer’s personal introduction to high fantasy at the oh so tender age of 13), headline the convention. The population blooms to an estimated 1,700 attendees.
Year 3 (1989)
The growing population necessitates a move to the Omni Hotel and Convention center, with attendance peaking somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 guests (accounts vary). The headliner this year? Anne McCaffrey, acclaimed author of the Dragonriders of Pern series, for which the convention created Wryfest, a dedicated fan track that would become a staple of Dragon Con. The organizers also won the bid to host the 1990 Origins International Game Expo, solidifying their presence and putting Dragon Con on the map.
Year 4 (1990)
Due to the brief union with Origins, the convention makes the jump to July. The population once again doubles (or triples depending on the count) to around 6,900 guests. Due to the influx of people, the convention once again moves locations, finally coming to its final home, or at least one of them, the Atlanta Hilton & Towers, with the Atlanta Sheraton just down the street serving as overflow.
Year 5 (1991)
Robot Battles are here! Created by Kelly Lockhart, Robot Battles are considered the second oldest robot competition in the world, and they were born at Dragon Con. Robot Battles will be in the Hyatt Regency VI-VII Ballrooms this year on Monday from 11:00AM–3:30PM, with Micro Battles in the Hyatt International North-South ballrooms on Sunday from 10AM–2PM.
Year 6 (1992)
A stable year for Dragon Con, with attendance remaining steady and the guest list growing in popularity. Organizers successfully win a bid to host the 1995 North American Science Fiction Convention, further legitimizing Dragon Con in the convention space.
Year 7 (1993)
The population surges, rising to over 9,000 attendees, and the guest list brings on even bigger names in the fandom space, like George Takei, Will Eisner, and Ray Bradbury.
Year 8 (1994)
Magic the Gathering arrives and the world will never be the same. Attendance crosses the 5-figure mark, topping out at approximately 11,000 attendees. The growing population necessitates another expansion, bringing on the Westin Peachtree Plaza as a secondary host hotel and incorporating the Atlanta Civic Center for the massive main stage crowds.
Year 9 (1995)
A record breaking, but ultimately chaotic year. Three conventions join into one as Dragon Con hosts both The North American Science Fiction Convention and the STARFLEET International Conference. Despite record numbers and a star-studded guest list, the year is marked by confusion, heavy crowding, and an Art Show that was nearly impossible to navigate. Future years would tackle the growing crowds with more gusto and pre-planning.
Year 10 (1996)
Dragon Con turns 10! Due to the impending summer Olympics, Dragon Con moves from July to June. Mark Hamill makes a legendary appearance at the convention. This year also sees the origin of the “No costume is NO costume” rule, reminding guests they must be wearing at least enough clothing to not be considered indecent. Mayor Bill Campbell awards Dragon Con a Certificate of Acclamation for a decade of success in the city of Atlanta.
We came a long way in 10 years! From those humble beginnings, the convention grew to approximately 13,000 attendees. We’d made a name for ourselves in the convention space but also in the geek culture space, and it’s one we’ll continue to hold onto throughout the next decade.
For a complete list of sources, please click here.
