75,000 DRAGON CON FANS HELPED MAKE LABOR DAY ATLANTA’S FAVORITE HOLIDAY
ATLANTA – September 1, 2025 – Dragon Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy, sci-fi, and gaming convention, attracted 75,000 attendees for this year’s five-day celebration and raised more than $320,000 for its official charity, mental health advocate NAMI Georgia.
In 2026, Dragon Con will celebrate 40 years of making Labor Day Atlanta’s favorite holiday. Next year’s convention is set for the five-day Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3 to Sept. 7.
“Dragon Con gives fans a chance to turn off the outside noise and immerse themselves in a world where they can explore their favorite fandoms, show off their cosplays, make new friends, and catch up with old ones,” convention co-chair Rachel Reeves said. “Year after year, Dragon Con delivers.”
Some 75,000 fans came from across the globe, representing all 50 states, several foreign countries, and six of the seven continents. Fans had the chance to meet Hollywood legends William Shatner, Simon Pegg, John Boyega, Christopher Lloyd, and a host of leading actors from across the most popular television, movie, and video game franchises.
With monies still being collected, the convention’s charity efforts raised at least $320,000 for NAMI Georgia, a leading voice on mental health in the state, working to raise awareness, provide support, and advocate for those affected by mental illness. NAMI empowers more than 18 local affiliates to offer advocacy, education and support to individuals and families dealing with mental health challenges.
Since adopting a single official charity in 2012, Dragon Con has raised over $2 million for Atlanta-based charities through convention-based auctions, special merchandise sales, unique events, and matching contributions from the convention itself.
In the 10th annual Dragon Awards, the only fan’s choice award in fandom, The Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman won in the Best Science Fiction Novel category, the first of 11 categories of fiction, comics, art, gaming, and filmed entertainment recognized by the awards program.
Muppeteer David Goelz, best known for performing Gonzo the Great, Dr. Benson Honeydew, and other beloved Muppet characters, was recognized with the Julie Award, which recognizes universal achievement across multiple genres. Goelz won an Emmy Award for The Muppet Show and two Grammy Awards, one each for The Muppet Show and The Muppet Movie.
LifeSouth, which conducted the annual Robert A. Heinlein “Pay It Forward” Blood Drive at Dragon Con, attracted more than 3,950 donors, resulting in about 10,600 blood components. The annual drive, consistently ranked as the largest convention-based blood drive, benefits LifeSouth, which serves more than 25 hospitals in the Atlanta area and 125 hospitals in the Southeast.
About Dragon Con
Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day Weekend (Aug. 28 – Sept. 1, 2025) in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org
