Dragon Con 2026: Know Before You Go

It’s officially Dragon Con Week! Atlanta’s biggest celebration of all things geeky, nerdy, magical, and downright awesome is finally here! Dragon Con will take place September 3-7th, 2026 and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. More than 75,000 fans are expected to descend upon downtown Atlanta over Labor Day weekend and if you’ve never experienced the beautiful chaos that is Dragon Con, buckle up because you’re in for a wild ride.

From celebrity sightings and epic cosplay to gaming, parties, panels, concerts and shopping, Dragon Con is five glorious days of fandom heaven.

What to Expect

Celebrity panels, fan panels, cosplay, gaming, concerts, parties, workshops, vendors, art shows, autograph sessions, a blood drive, and approximately one million opportunities to say, “Oh my gosh, can I get a photo with you?”

Unlike most conventions that stay neatly tucked inside one building, Dragon Con takes over downtown Atlanta like a friendly nerd invasion. Events are spread across five host hotels:

• Hyatt Regency Atlanta
• Atlanta Marriott Marquis
• Hilton Atlanta
• Westin Peachtree Plaza
• Courtland Grand

Plus Americas Mart Buildings Two and Three.

Who’s Coming to Dragon Con?

The guest list this year is stacked harder than a wizard’s spellbook! Fans of Firefly can rejoice because Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk will be appearing for a crossover gathering featuring talent from Firefly, Castle, Resident Alien, and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil.

Other NGTV-favorite guests include:

Sean Astin (The Goonies, The Lord of the Rings)
Lena Headey (Game of Thrones)
Richard Dean Anderson (MacGyver, Stargate SG-1)
Tom Welling and Erica Durance (Smallville)
Evie Templeton and Isaac Ordonez (Wednesday)
Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome (Star Trek: Lower Decks)
The cast of Starship Troopers including Denise Richards, Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Jake Busey, and Michael Ironside
Dungeon Crawler Carl creator Matt Dinniman and narrator Jeff Hays

And that’s just a sneak peak. More than 300 authors, artists, engineers, game designers, and creative minds will appear across 38 programming tracks. Click here to see the list of featured guests.

In other words: you will definitely have CONflicts, and that’s okay. Plan your days accordingly.

The Dragon Con Parade

Even if you don’t have a Dragon Con badge, you can still enjoy one of the coolest events of the weekend.  The legendary Dragon Con Parade kicks off at 10am on Saturday, September 5, and it’s free and open to the public.

Expect superheroes, villains, stormtroopers, giant creatures, monsters, and a few characters you never knew existed but suddenly want to know everything about. It’s such a fun time!

Pro Tip: If you want a good viewing spot, arrive early. Like… earlier than you think you need to.

Can’t make it in person? No problem! The parade will air live on CBS Atlanta and Dragon Con TV.

Grab Your Badge and Let the Adventure Begin

Badge pickup is located at the Courtland Grand Hotel on the lower level.

Badge Pickup Hours:

• Thursday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Friday: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Saturday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sunday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Monday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Best Cosplay

Honestly, people-watching at Dragon Con deserves its own event category.  You absolutely don’t have to dress up, but thousands of attendees do, and the creativity is off the charts. One minute you’ll pass Batman, the next minute you’ll be standing next to a seven-foot-tall pink Chewbacca ordering a latte. You will find yourself having a lot of “Only at Dragon Con” unforgettable moments.

There are 10 official cosplay competitions this year, including:

• Friday Night Costume Contest
• Hallway Costume Contest
• Dragon Con Masquerade

But some of the best costumes you’ll see won’t even be on a stage. The hotel lobbies, skybridges, and hallways basically become one giant cosplay runway all weekend long so stay ready to take photos.

Walk of Fame, Art and Shopping

The Walk of Fame is where fans can meet celebrity guests and get autographs and selfies (usually for a fee for guests that allow it).

Walk of Fame Hours:

• Friday: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Saturday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sunday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Monday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Need merch? Looking for unique artwork? Want one more collectible you definitely don’t have room for?

The Vendor Hall, Comic & Pop Artist Alley, and Art Show are open:

• Friday through Sunday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Monday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Your wallet has been warned.

Dragon Con Charity

Dragon Con isn’t just about fandom. It also supports important causes throughout the Atlanta community. This year’s official charity is Hope Atlanta, a nonprofit dedicated to helping prevent and end homelessness.

Dragon Con raised an incredible $325,000 for NAMI Georgia in 2025 and has contributed more than $2 million to Atlanta-area charities since 2012.

The convention also hosts an annual Blood Drive, where thousands of fans donate blood over the course of the weekend.

Heroes wear capes and they also roll up their sleeves.

Dragon Con Tips for First-Timers

Let’s be honest: Dragon Con is huge and you won’t be able to see everything so it’s important to plan out your days.

Here are my survival tips:

• Download the Dragon Con app before you arrive.
• Attend a Newbie walking tour. They usually do tours on Thursday between 12pm-4pm and I highly recommend it for first timers
• Pick a few must-see panels each day, but leave room for spontaneous adventures.
• Wear comfortable shoes. Seriously. I average more than 20,000 steps per day during Dragon Con, and my feet would like a formal apology every year.
• Bring a portable phone charger (or two).
• Have a first aid kit and hand sanitizer on hand.
• Stay hydrated and bring a fan. Atlanta in September can be brutal.
• Give yourself extra travel time between hotels. Elevators, escalators, and skybridges become part of the Dragon Con experience, and sometimes that experience involves waiting.

Most importantly, embrace the chaos, take lots of photos, don’t be afraid to compliment someone’s cosplay, and have fun.

Lastly I am excited to be on two panels this year! Check out details below and I hope to see you there.

Saturday, September 5th, 5:30pm -UF Lit Lounge: Meet the Authors  (Westin, Chastain F)
Our panel of authors will discuss how they got started as writers, share a bit about their process, and tell you about their various works. And there will be giveaways!
Authors: Cate Baumer, Bob McGough, Becca Lynn Mathis, Jarod K. Anderson, Anne Schlea, and Lisa Harrison (Moderator).

Sunday, September 6th, 2:30pm – Family Matters: A Wednesday Fan Panel (Westin, Chastain 1-2)
A moderated fan-panel discussion over season 2 of the hit show, with primary focus on the second half of the season.
Presenters: Kevin Bachelder, Mari Mancusi, Sarah J. Sover, Lisa Harrison, Syren Valentine, Carol Malcolm(Moderator).

Make sure you follow my Dragon Con shenanigans on Instagram @LisaGetsLit and NiceGirlsTV. If you are cosplaying as a TV character, please tag us in your photos. We would love to see them! Enjoy the con and I’ll see you downtown, nerds.