DRAGON CON 2014 SETS ATTENDANCE AND FUNDRAISING RECORDS
Official Charity Atlanta Community Food Bank Receives more than $115,000 and over 500 Pounds Food Items;
Record Participation in Blood Drive Supports Critical Need
ATLANTA – October 1, 2014 – More than 62,000 fans, coming from every state in the nation and a few foreign countries, participated in the 28th annual Dragon Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy, sci-fi and gaming convention, setting a new attendance record.
The convention raised over $115,000 for the Atlanta Community Food Bank, collected 535 pounds of food which will provide 445 meals for the food bank, and set a new record in its blood drive efforts.
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- In email and text messages use your outlet name and your name.
- In email, we are able to respond quickest to emails that have the name and outlet as the subject, along with a word of two describing the issue. An example would be: “Seriously, Dan/Allison J. Swagger Registering additional reporters”
- In text a simple: This is Joe from The Wall Street Journal. Where do we get badges?”
- Emails about registration go to interviews@dragoncon.org; all other inquiries go to mediarelations@dragoncon.org
- Dragon Con is a volunteer activity, including the role of Media Relations Director. Dan and Samm both have full time jobs, but we are committed to responding without 1 business day of your contact.
This week, Dragon Con Director of Media Relations Dan Carroll stopped by to talk to Marc James on the Morning Show with 9.29 Sports Talk Atlanta. We talk about geeks and nerds, sports fans, jocks, and everything in between involving Dragon Con!
Download This Interview! (Right Click to Download!)
- Pick up your badges
- Contact Media the week of Dragon Con
- Parking
- Reporters Parade Corral
- Top Stars At Dragon Con Press Release
- Dragon Con Media Relations Podcast #5: Reporter Strike Back
- Past Updates
- Report Tours (Worth Repeating)
- The best way to reach Media Relations that week is a SMS message to 404-692-1958. Please include your name, outlet, and your question. Media relations will conducting a number of interviews but will get back to you when it is possible.
- Beginning 10AM on 8/28 you can reach us via the Hyatt Regency Atlanta by calling (404) 577-1234 and asking for The Greenbriar Room.
- Come see us in person during Dragon Con.
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8/24/14
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
8/25/14 |
Contact:Phone:
Email: URL: |
Greg Euston, Director, Public Relations404-775-0285
greg@mcgraweuston.com www.dragoncon.org
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Actors from Star Trek, X-Men, Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogy will be on hand, joined by the stars of Once Upon A Time, Arrow, True Blood, Falling Skies and Warehouse 13.
ATLANTA – August 25, 2013 – With more than 400 actors, authors, artists and other creators scheduled to appear, the stars are shining bright at Dragon Con 2014, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy, sci-fi and gaming convention.
Sir Patrick Stewart, Karl Urban, Ralph Macchio, Cary Elwes, Jeri Ryan, Walter Koenig and John Ratzenberger head an all-star guest list that covers television, movies, literature, comics, gaming and other realms.
James Gunn, writer and director of this summer’s box office hit Guardian of the Galaxy, and Terry Gilliam, writer and director of Brazil, The Fisher King, as well as a member of the Monty Python comedy troupe, will also be on hand this year.
Organizers expect more than 62,000 people will attend Dragon Con this year, filling downtown Atlanta over the four-day Labor Day weekend, August 29 to September 1, with activities across AmericasMart and five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree and Sheraton Atlanta.
“This year, we have made a special effort to attract top actors from some of today’s most interesting television programs, including Once Upon A Time, Arrow, True Blood and Falling Skies,” said convention co-chair Rachel Reeves. “It’s an exciting list and I believe our fans will really enjoy the chance to meet their new favorites.”
Main cast members from several popular broadcast network and cable shows such as ABC’s Once Upon A Time, TNT’s Falling Skies and even HBO’s hit series True Blood are among those who will be on hand. Other shows represented include Fox’s The Following, Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters, Syfy’s Being Human, Syfy’s Defiance and the Showcase series Lost Girl.
“We are particularly excited that, for the first time, the main cast of Warehouse 13 – Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek, and Alison Scagliotti – will appear together at the same convention. And we have Aaron Ashmore, who appeared in more than half of the episodes,” Reeves said.
Several actors from Joss Whedon creations Marvel’s Agents of Shield, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dollhouse and Firefly will be on hand. (more…)
In preparation for Dragon Con, Dan Carroll–Media Relations Director for Dragon Con, called into WNJC in Phiiadelphia to thank the folk of Philly for Freedom and to invite them down to Atlanta for Dragon Con. Here is the raw un-edited feed!
Download This Interview! (Right Click to Download!)
During the last year, DragonCon, the writing community, and the science fiction and fantasy communities lost 2 of our own. Aaron Allston and Ann (A.C.) Crispin worked tirelessly to mentor, teach, and protect the new generations of writers, not only at DragonCon, but in each and every day of their lives. Both were constant fixtures at DragonCon-often in bright colors, or aloha shirts, who imparted their wisdom, shared their insights, and greeted their enthusiastic fans with an equal amount of excitement, whether at a Q&A panel or at one of their many workshops. Always genuine and gracious, they both will be missed greatly this year, as we begin to experience DragonCon without our “crazy aunt” and “crazy uncle” popping in to say hello. To honor them, Star Wars at DragonCon, with the help of Michael Stackpole, Kevin J. Anderson, Timothy Zahn, and Silence in the Library Publishing’s Janine Spendlove and Bryan Young will be holding a panel Sunday, August 31st, at 5:30pm in the Hyatt International North. Please stop by and join us as we celebrate the lives of these wonderful authors who contributed so much, both in and outside of the world of literature. In addition, if you ever had any contact with AC or Aaron, read their books, sat in on their workshops, etc., join us in wearing vibrant, bright colors, and/or Hawaiian/Aloha Shirts on Sunday as we celebrate these members of our family who were taken away from us too soon.
Recently Dan Carroll, Media Relations Director for Dragon Con talked on the air with BK of 1450 WBHF. Here is the RAW feed of that interviews!
Download This Interview! (Right Click to Download!)
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Dragon Con Media Relations Director Dan Carroll talks to three reporters with different backgrounds about reporting at Dragon Con.
- Ann Hoevel, founder of CNN geek out and currently a correspondent for DailyDot.com
- Wes Carroll, host of the Dragon Con Pre-Game Show and host of the morning news show on WDAK, Columbus GA
- Jen Pawley, fan media report and co-founder of The Geek Forge
Together the four of them discuss the joys and pitfalls of reporting from Dragon Con and Dan adds administrative notes along the way.
This is the last pre-convention podcast.
Download This Podcast! (Right Click to Download!)
To our 2014 Reporters and Photojournalists:
On behalf of our attendees, guests, staff, and volunteers, thank you putting Dragon Con on your events Calendar! We are excited about each and everyone one of you coming to Dragon Con this year. These updates will be sent out every Monday from now to August 25!
DRAGON CON IS SINGLE DIGITS AWAY.
NOTE: You are getting this MASS MAILING because you have been approved for Media Access. If you are getting this and do not have an email stating you are approved, please let me know by sending me an email with your name and outlet in the SUBJECT.
This update covers a number of topics and I will try to be as brief as possible.
- Contact Media the week of Dragon Con
- Dragon Con Press Release
- Dragon Con Media Relations Podcast #4:Meet the Co-Chairs
- Past Updates
- Report Tours (Worth Repeating)
- Comedy, Ad Hominem Attacks, And Media Access
Contact Media Relations the Week of Dragon Con
The week of Dragon Con is a busy week for all of us. Dragon Con Media Relations will be leaving our office on 8/27 and heading to Dragon Con, where the Greenbriar Registration Room in the Hyatt Regency will open 2PM on Thursday, 8/28.
Emails and phone calls will be addressed when possible during this time.
- The best way to reach Media Relations that week is a SMS message to 404-692-1958. Please include your name, outlet, and your question. Media relations will conducting a number of interviews but will get back to you when it is possible.
- Beginning 10AM on 8/28 you can reach us via the Hyatt Regency Atlanta by calling (404) 577-1234 and asking for The Greenbriar Room.
- Come see us in person during Dragon Con.
For new reporters, cellular service degrades horribly during Dragon Con, we recommend everyone go directly to the Greenbriar room for questions during Dragon Con.
Request an onsite Interview W/Media Relations Representative
We have scheduled two blocks of interviews with Dan Carroll, Media relations representative. If you are interesting in being including in those blocks for an interview, please complete this form.
mediarelations.dragoncon.org/request-interview-with-dragon-con-director/
At this time we are not processing requests to interview directors, because on site they will be doing their job, but we will be passing your requests on for follow up interviews.
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