Events & Appearances
2007 Dragon*Con
When: Aug 31 - Sep 3, 2007
Where: Hyatt Regency Hotel, Atlanta, GA.
Dragon*Con stakes its claim as America's largest multimedia popular arts convention
focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature,
art, music, and film. For more information, visit
http://www.dragoncon.org.
While in attendance, Eldon will be participating in the
following autograph session:
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
1:00 PM
Imperial Ballroom [Marriott]
Terry Brooks, Jim O’Rear, Benjamin Radford, Patti
Starr, Eldon Thompson
NOTE: Events and
participants are subject to change. Please remember to check your
official programming guide for scheduling details.
Recap
Eldon had the following to say about this year's appearance at
Dragon*Con:
"I'll admit, when I heard Dragon*Con hailed as 'America's largest
multimedia popular arts convention,' I had my doubts. Although I'm
not entirely sure how they measure these things, I couldn't imagine
this gathering being any larger or more boisterous than San Diego's
Comic-Con. Well, I humbly stand corrected. Dragon*Con turned
downtown Atlanta into a giant three-ring circus—with
the ring leader gone missing and the animals, clowns, and acrobats
turned loose. Comic-Con included, I don't think I've ever seen so
many costumed fans in one place (if you consider a
multiple-square-block area and three major hotels to be 'one
place'). They were on the trains, in the restaurants... everywhere.
Characters from movies, novels, comics, television—any source you
can think of, and some I'll bet you can't. All in all, an
overwhelming display.
The same could be said of the
convention itself. There's no earthly way a person could begin to
see and participate in every event offered. So I didn't try. I just
walked around in a mild stupor, impressed by almost everything I saw
and feeling as if, no matter what I did, I'd be missing out on
something else. I spent Saturday in the hotel room watching
the first full weekend of college football, leaving only to hit the gym and have dinner at the
nearest Waffle House (which, by the way, is the greatest chain of
greasy-spoon breakfast diners ever—don't leave the South without
visiting one). Sunday, the gym came early (next time, remind me to
check opening hours prior to rising before the roosters) so
that I could spend the day with my friends Jack and Tracy Smith at
the convention. Mostly, we followed Terry and Judine Brooks around,
making sure Terry did few panels heckler-free. But Jack and I also
spent several hours escorting Tracy about on our own, getting a kick
out of her wide-eyed responses to pop culture fandom in all its
glory. By the evening, following a terrific dinner (Ray's seafood
this time, not Waffle House), we were spent. And since I had no
convention obligations for the following day, the Smiths and I made
our break, ditching my hotel in favor of their majestic home, where
we upheld the Labor Day picnic tradition at a neighbor's house the next
day. My contribution was to eat lots of food.
Big thanks go out obviously to Jack
and Tracy and Terry and Judine, but also to the fans and the
convention organizers for having me. And a big apology to those I
had hoped to see (including several darling cousins) but didn't. I
guess next time I'll have to convince them to schlep on down to the
con. Hey, if nothing else, it's a great place to test out your
Halloween costume."
Images from Dragon*Con, 2007
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