Atlanta Dragon Con draws 75,000 attendees, raises $320K for charity
Dragon Con raises over $320K for homeless charity
Dragon Con raised over $320,000 for local nonprofit Hope Atlanta during its five-day convention in downtown Atlanta.
ATLANTA - Dragon Con brought 75,000 pop culture fans to downtown Atlanta for its 40th anniversary celebration over Labor Day weekend.
What we know:
The five-day convention featured 3,500 hours of comics, film, gaming, costuming and art.
Fans met celebrities including Edward James Olmos, Sean Astin, Richard Dean Anderson, Lena Headey, Katee Sackhoff, Evie Templeton, Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk.
Through auctions, merchandise and a dollar-for-dollar match up to $150,000, the event raised more than $320,000 for Hope Atlanta.
Attendees also donated more than 5,000 books to the Fulton County Library System and Georgia Public Library Service, while LifeSouth set a record with over 4,000 blood donors.
Matt Dinniman won the fan-voted Dragon Award for Best Science Fiction Novel for his book "Operation Bounce House."
Game designer and astronaut Richard "Lord British" Garriott received the Julie Award for lifetime achievement.
RELATED: Dragon Con 2026 kicks off in downtown Atlanta
What they're saying:
"Dragon Con matches dollar for dollar up to 150,000, so we wanted to definitely hit that and see how far we could go past it," Garland said.
Organizers selected Hope Atlanta as this year's official charity partner because of its mission to provide support and housing assistance for those facing homelessness.
"Hope Atlanta is focused on the health and wellness of those who are homeless and helping them get resettled and set up," Garland said. "We felt it made the most sense to dive in with our neighbors and our community."
While the convention celebrates pop culture and fandom—spanning science fiction, television, and pop culture—organizers emphasize that giving back is an essential part of the event's identity.
"To have this extra component felt natural when you have this many fans together and a purpose we really seem to bond," Garland said.
In addition to financial donations, event organizers asked attendees to donate literature this year. Fans contributed more than 5,000 books for people in need across the region.
"They will be distributed throughout the greater metro area with the intention of reaching those who can't get access themselves," Garland said.
Organizers expressed gratitude for the opportunity to support the surrounding community during the annual event.
"We want to make sure Atlanta feels as loved as we love being in Atlanta," Garland said.
What we don't know:
Organizers have not yet announced the full celebrity lineup or guest of honor details for next year's event.
The convention will return to downtown Atlanta from Sept. 2 to Sept. 6, 2027.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a Dragon Con press release issued by Director of Media Engagement Dan Carroll.