COVINGTON — For more than 35 years, the Dragon Con convention has tapped into the varied interests of its ever-growing constituency, hosting events ranging in subject matter from science and technology to anime to costuming and alternate realities.
Referred to as “the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music and film in the universe,” Dragon Con — which is held each Labor Day weekend in Atlanta — began humbly with some 1,500 attendees in 1987 and now is a present-day cultural behemoth, welcoming more than 70,000 people with five different downtown hotels offering activities.
And while many in attendance have a definite taste for the bizarre, one aspect of the event that cannot be denied is that the Dragon Con crowd is much like a family. Families do what they can to help others, and Dragon Con is no different as an annual auction during the five-day convention brings in thousands of dollars for selected charities.
In 2019, the American Heart Association was the beneficiary of the auction. Since then, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Project Open Hand and Cure Childhood Cancer have received donations from Dragon Con. For the last five years, Dragon Con has raised more than $500,000 for its designated charities. All money raised at the auction is matched by Dragon Con.
This year’s beneficiary is the Arthritis Foundation.
Items that have sold at previous Dragon Con auctions include collectibles, books, comics, artwork, signed photos, toys, games, gift cards and movie props. One of the more popular auction items of the last five years have been queen-sized quilts made in Covington, Georgia.
Credit: Melissa J. Walter Feuer
Credit: Melissa J. Walter Feuer
Melissa J. Walter Feuer is the quilter whose one-of-a-kind creations always draw interest at the auction. She takes scraps mailed to her from costumers and creators and sews them together each year to create a unique memento of the convention.
“I ask for 6-inch by 6-inch scraps and people are really nice,” said Feuer, a Memphis native who has lived in Covington with her husband Sam for 15 years. “They send boxes of pieces of things they worked on during the year. And I cut them up and make a quilt. It’s totally different every year and it’s super-fun because it’s a nice situation. When I bring it to Dragon Con, they put it up and people will say, ‘That’s my scrap.’”
A freelance graphic designer, illustrator and photographer, Feuer said she got interested in quilting quite a while ago.
“I started quilting about 15 years ago,” she said, adding that her husband has been a longtime volunteer at Dragon Con. “I wanted to try a new hobby and took a class in Conyers. It kind of snowballed, and I got addicted to it.”
She said she’s enjoyed her association with Dragon Con and hopes to continue to create quilts for the foreseeable future.
Credit: Melissa J. Walter Feuer
Credit: Melissa J. Walter Feuer
“It’s been a really nice experience,” said Feuer, who this year will host a panel on “Don’t Be Afraid of the Sewing Machine” at Dragon Con. “You get to do something nice and have fun at the same time. It’s a win-win — I get to do something nice, help people and make friends.”
Credit: The Citizens
Credit: The Citizens
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