DRAGON CON ATTENDEES ARE INVITED TO COMPETE IN JIM HENSON’S CREATURE SHOP CHALLENGE LIVE!

Brian Henson, Kirk Thatcher, and Gigi Edgley Return for Unique Fan Contest Exclusively at Dragon Con 2018


ATLANTA, GA (July 16, 2018) – Dragon Con and The Jim Henson Company are proud to announce the first ever Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge Live! This unique panel event, exclusive to Dragon Con 2018, will reunite the series’ original judges Brian Henson (Labyrinth, Farscape) and Kirk Thatcher (Dinosaurs, Muppets Tonight). Gigi Edgley (Farscape) will return as host of the contest and Halle Stanford (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance), President of Television for The Jim Henson Company, will also join the judging panel.

Participants will be required to meet the guidelines of a creative brief that will be announced on August 6. Be sure to follow Dragon Con and The Jim Henson Company social media channels for details. Follow #CSCLIVE for all announcements! Contestants will have their creations pre-judged on Friday, August 31 at 2:30pm at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. At 4:00pm, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge Live will begin in the Marriott’s Atrium Ballroom.

“We hear from fans again and again how inspired they were by our series Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge,” said Brian Henson, Chairman of The Jim Henson Company. “The incredible level of artistry and talent in the costumes and creatures at Dragon Con got us excited to do this contest. It will be amazing to see participants bring out their best work in the spirit of a real challenge of creativity and skill.”

One winner will be invited to tour The Jim Henson Company in New York City or Los Angeles and will receive a travel stipend, courtesy of Dragon Con and The Jim Henson Company. If you can't make it to the live judging, you can watch the contest in your hotel room on DCTV or after the show at home at https://dragoncon.tv/.


More About Dragon Con

 
Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day in Atlanta (Aug. 30 – Sept. 3, 2018). Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,000 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

More About The Jim Henson Company

The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 60 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world-famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include Julie’s Greenroom (Netflix), Dot. (Sprout/Hulu), Splash and Bubbles (PBS), Word Party (Netflix), Doozers (Hulu/Sprout), and the Emmy®-nominated Sid the Science Kid (PBS), Dinosaur Train (PBS), and Pajanimals (Sprout). Television productions include Fraggle Rock, The Storyteller and the sci-fi cult series Farscape. Features include Disney’s Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, as well as The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, MirrorMask, and Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow. The Company is currently in production on the upcoming Netflix original series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Projects in development include the highly anticipated film Fraggle Rock.

With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities. The Company is home to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television, theme park and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry’s top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company’s Henson Alternative brand is currently touring Puppet-Up! – Uncensored, a live puppet improvisational show, and its feature The Happytime Murders, starring Melissa McCarthy, will be released in August 2018.


On The Web:
www.henson.com
www.facebook.com/hensoncompany
www.twitter.com/hensoncompany

DRAGON AWARDS WILL RECOGNIZE THE BEST IN IMAGINATIVE FICTION IN BOOKS, GAMES, COMICS AND FILMED ENTERTAINMENT

ATLANTA – August 16, 2016 – The inaugural Dragon Awards will be presented on Sunday, September 4th the Hyatt Regency Hotel, as part of Dragon Con, the internationally known pop culture, fantasy, sci-fi, and gaming convention.

These awards, introduced as part of Dragon Con’s 30th-anniversary celebration, recognize the best in imaginative fiction, books, games, comics and filmed entertainment as selected by the fans, who both nominate their favorite works and vote for the winners.

Voting at http://awards.dragoncon.org/ is open to anyone who registers. There is no cost or attendance requirement. Registering to vote ends this Sunday, August 28th at midnight. Voting for this year will end Wednesday, August 31st. Open nominations for the 2017 awards will begin in October of 2016.

Thousands of fans have already registered and voted. The finalists are chosen from nominations that are open to everyone who watches, reads or otherwise enjoys the imagination and excitement found in all types of Science Fiction and Fantasy.

“These awards are our way of recognizing the best writers, artists, directors and game designers who breathe life into the things we love,” says Pat Henry, president of Dragon Con, Inc.

“The first tall tales were told around fires in camps and caves,” Henry said. “Fire was perhaps the original invention that began man’s climb to civilization. The Flame has always been a symbol of imagination and progress and so each Dragon Award contains a unique, sculpted flame.”

The Dragon Awards fifteen categories are designed to recognize the authors, writers, and creators behind the very best in genre fiction. Like the hundreds of events at Dragon Con, the Dragon Awards reflect the diversity of interests shared by those who enjoy science fiction.

Finalists for each category can be found on the Dragon Awards websitehttp://awards.dragoncon.org/. The 2016 categories are:

Best science fiction novel
Best fantasy novel (including paranormal)
Best young adult / middle-grade novel
Best military science fiction or fantasy novel
Best alternate history novel
Best apocalyptic novel
Best horror novel
Best comic book
Best graphic novel
Best episode in a continuing science fiction or fantasy series, TV or internet
Best science fiction or fantasy movie
Best science fiction or fantasy PC / console game
Best science fiction or fantasy mobile game
Best science fiction or fantasy board game
Best science fiction or fantasy miniatures / collectible card / role-playing game

Further details are available on the awards website http://awards.dragoncon.org. Please direct all inquiries to dcawards@dragoncon.org or mail them to Dragon Awards, PO Box 16459, Atlanta, GA 30321-0459 USA

501ST LEGION ANNOUNCES COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONAL MAKE-A-WISHTM ENDOWMENT FUND

Atlanta, Georgia, September 3, 2016 – The 501st Legion announces today their commitment to a first-of-its kind international endowment in a unique partnership with Make-A-WishTM. The 501st Legion Make-A-Wish Endowment Fund will allow Make-A-Wish America and Make-A-Wish International to grant more Star Wars-related wishes to children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions. This endowment fund will allow Make-A-Wish to grant wishes, alternating between the United States and international locations every other year – a first for an endowment of this kind.

The 501st Legion Make-A-Wish Endowment Fund will rely on contributions from its membership, as well as the public. The Legion does not charge for its appearances, but has always accepted donations to charities that are supported by its members. Together, raising $150,000 by September 2021 will unlock the first step into granting wishes to children for many years to come. Once the minimum gift is achieved, the Endowment fund will grant wishes from the interest accrued; as the fund continues to grow, so will the number of wishes granted by the endowment.

For over ten years, the 501st Legion has raised thousands for varied Make-A-Wish chapters, all over the globe. The 501st Legion Make-A-Wish Endowment Fund allows the organization, touting over 9500 members in over 60 countries, to band together for a greater global impact.

MORE ABOUT DRAGON CON

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day in Atlanta. Organized for fans by fans, Dragon Con features more than about 3,000 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

MORE ABOUT THE 501ST LEGION

The 501st Legion is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to bringing beloved Star Wars characters to life. Founded in 1997, the 501st Legion seeks to promote interest in Star Wars fandom, through the building and wearing of quality costumes. The group facilitates the use of these costumes for Star Wars-related events, as well as contributions to the local community through costumed charity and volunteer work.

MORE ABOUT MAKE-A-WISH

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true has positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illness, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Headquartered in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 28,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 35 minutes. It has granted more than 270,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 14,800 in 2015 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at www.wish.org to learn more.

A press conference will be held at Dragon Con, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary and is known as the “birthplace of the 501st Legion.”

The Hangin' With Web Show set for DragonCon 2016 (Atlanta)!

RECORD CROWDS EXPECTED IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA FOR DRAGON CON 2016

Cosplayers, Gamers, and Pop Culture Fans Return for Annual Fantasy, Sci Fi, & Gaming Convention: More than 400 Actors, Artists, Authors, and Creators Will Give Talks and Meet Fans.

ATLANTA – August 16, 2016 – More than 75,000 people are expected to pack downtown Atlanta over the Labor Day weekend as Dragon Con, the internationally known pop culture, sci fi, fantasy, and gaming convention, celebrates its 30th Anniversary.

Dragon Con fans will travel from every state in the nation and a few foreign countries to participate in the four-day convention, where they can meet their favorite actors, artists, authors, and creators, and talk about the stuff they love.

Guests – More than 400 guests, from the worlds of movies, television, comics, literature and other universes, will lead panel discussions and meet with fans. Some of this year’s top guests include William Shatner and Alexander Siddig, who will help mark 50 years of Star Trek plus Alex Kingston, Gillian Anderson, Jack Gleeson, Alan Tudyk, and Charlie Cox.

Brian Henson, master puppeteer and son of the late Jim Henson, will be on hand to talk about the 30th anniversary of Labyrinth. And puppeteers Brian Herring and Dave Chapman will talk about their work as the hands behind BB-8, the ball-shaped droid from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

“We are delighted to have so many guests from so many of today’s most popular or, in the case of classic science fiction, best loved shows and movies to join us for our 30th Anniversary celebration,” convention co-chair Rachel Reeves said. “Overall, we will have some 400 guests – actors, authors, artists and other creators and experts – from across science, science fiction, and fantasy worlds, in whatever medium.”

Parade – For the first time, the annual Dragon Con Parade will be broadcast live on television by Atlanta’s CW69 on Saturday, Sept. 5 beginning at 10 a.m., with a rebroadcast during primetime.

The parade route remains the same as last year. Beginning at the intersection of Peachtree Street and Linden Avenue, the parade will head south on Peachtree, east (left) on Andrew Young International Boulevard and north (left) on Peachtree Center Avenue. It will end on Peachtree Center Avenue between John Portman Boulevard and Baker Street, in front of the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

The route is convenient to three MARTA stations – North Avenue, Civic Center and Peachtree Center. Parking downtown is expected to be tight, and Dragon Con encourages parade spectators to consider taking MARTA.

Gaming – Already one of the largest gaming conventions in the nation, Dragon Con has expanded its gaming space by more than 60 percent for its 30th Anniversary convention. This year, Dragon Con’s gaming programming will move to the Westin Peachtree Plaza and the adjacent AmericasMart Building One, where it will take up a combined 140,000 square feet. Panels, contests, and parties will be held in the Westin while free gaming, paid tournaments, and similar events will be held in AmericasMart. As always gaming will be open to all Dragon Con members 24x7 for the convention.

“The strength of gaming has been a pillar at Dragon Con since our first convention in 1987. Just as the convention continues to grow, our ability to offer programming and gameplay does too,” convention co-chair Dave Cody said. “We are able to offer our fans more games, more gameplay, and more and better opportunities to talk with voice actors, game designers, and other guests from the worlds of table top and video gaming.”

Cosplay – Dragon Con is well known for the quality of its cosplay – or costume play – and that tradition will certainly continue. The nation’s top cosplayers will show off their best work during the show, participating in costume contests every night of the convention and promenading throughout the five host hotels and the streets of downtown Atlanta.

Cosplay competitions remain a mainstay of Dragon Con, including the queen of competitions, Dragon Con Masquerade, which is both the oldest continuously run competition in fandom as well as one of the largest in the world. The Chôsen, which premiered last year at Dragon Con Night at the Aquarium to a sold out crowd, returns again this year for a second annual appearance.

Official Charity – Earlier this year, Dragon Con selected the Atlanta Center for Self-Sufficiency as its official charity for 2016. Through auctions and other charity events, plus a dollar-for-dollar match up to $50,000 from Dragon Con, the convention will raise money to support this important community organization.

In 2015, the convention raised over $100,000 for its official charity, the Lymphoma Research Foundation – Georgia Market. Through the Superheroes community service program, Dragon Con fans contributed more than 900 hours of community service.

Dragon Con also conducts the largest convention-based blood drive in the nation. Some 3,000 fans donated more than 6,000 units of blood and blood products in the annual Robert A. Heinlein “Pay It Forward” blood drive, benefiting LifeSouth, which serves more than 40 hospital in the Atlanta area and 110 hospitals in the Southeast.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than about 3,000 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.