FAN:dom Con facts for kids

Quick facts for kids FANdom Con
FANdom Con logo
Status	Defunct
Genre	Multigenre
Venue	Emerald Coast Convention Center
Location(s)	Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Country	United States
Inaugurated	2010
Most recent	2016
Attendance	1,400 in 2015
Organized by	FANdom Conventions, Inc.

FANdom Con was a fun, yearly event that lasted three days. It took place in November at the Emerald Coast Convention Center in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. This convention was "multigenre," meaning it celebrated many different types of fandoms, like anime, science fiction, and video games.

What Happened at FANdom Con?

FANdom Con offered many exciting activities for its visitors. You could join in card game tournaments or compete in video game tournaments. There were also concerts and a special masquerade ball where people dressed up.

• Cosplay Contest: Many attendees loved to dress up as their favorite characters from movies, TV shows, or video games. This is called cosplay, and there was a big contest to show off their amazing costumes!
• Panels and Workshops: Experts and creators would host talks (panels) where they shared their knowledge. You could also learn new skills in workshops, like how to draw or make costumes.
• Vendors: A large area was set up for vendors. Here, you could buy cool merchandise, artwork, and collectibles related to your favorite fandoms.
• Rave: For those who loved music and dancing, there was often a rave event.
• Blood Drive: In 2015, FANdom Con even hosted a blood drive. This allowed attendees to help others by donating blood.

The Story of FANdom Con

FANdom Con started because students at the University of West Florida noticed there wasn't a big anime convention nearby. They decided to create a student group called Con-Quest. Their main goal was to organize a new convention.

They wanted FANdom Con to be for many different interests, not just anime. It would include science fiction and video games too. The organizers thought about 200 to 300 people might come to the first event. But they were surprised when 752 people showed up! The very first convention had a small budget of only $300. Students from the University of West Florida could even attend for free.

As the convention grew bigger, it needed more space. So, in 2014, FANdom Con moved to the Emerald Coast Convention Center in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. However, in 2016, the convention faced some challenges. Not as many people attended as hoped, and there were issues with their website's payment system. Because of these problems, FANdom Con ended up being $15,000 short of its budget. Due to these and other difficulties, the convention stopped operating in 2017.

Past Events and Guests

FANdom Con took place every year from 2010 to 2016. Here's a look at where and when it happened, and how many people attended. Many special guests, including voice actors, artists, and creators, joined the fun each year.