Festive holiday weekend in metro Atlanta includes Dragon Con, Black Pride

The holiday weekend offers festive fun for metro Atlantans.

Among the annual traditions are Dragon Con, the five-day convention for science-fiction, fantasy, comics and other geeky fans, and Black Pride to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture.

Thousands are expect to attend Dragon Con, during which a highlight is the parade of ghoulish, galactic and other beings on Saturday morning. Events and attendees will be spread out among the host hotels Hyatt Regency Atlanta, the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, the Hilton Atlanta, Courtland Grand Hotel (formerly Sheraton Atlanta Hotel) and the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel. Celebrities at this year’s convention include “Monty Python” legend John Cleese, original “Star Trek” regular Walter Koenig and stars from later “Star Trek” spinoffs and former “Doctor Who” Jodie Whittaker.

While the five-day conventions draws visitors downtown, Black Pride also will draw crowds into the city, including separate festivals on Saturday and Sunday at Piedmont Park. This year, Atlanta’s gathering expects to make an even bigger splash as the city becomes the first in the U.S. selected to host Global Black Pride.

» Andrew Aydin, co-author with late Congressman John Lewis, brings politics to Dragon Con

» Mental health to be part of offerings at Black gay pride celebrations

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