Get your nerd on with these comic cons, geek galas and horror-fests

FollowMyCal
Aug 25, 2017 · 3 min read
Image from London Comic Con on Wikimedia Commons

There’s no shortage of events for those who love to geek out.

From comic cons and collectible fairs to steampunk festivals and fright fests, there are several kinds of fairs for members of all fandoms.

Add these upcoming events to your calendar:

Join the crowd at Salt Lake Comic Con.

Roughly 167,000 people attended San Diego Comic-Con in 2015, and its numbers continue to grow. In 2016, New York Comic Con saw more than 180,000 people — many in costumes of all types and fandoms.

They’re not the only comic cons taking over North America, however.

More than 120,000 people attended Salt Lake Comic Con last year, and even more are expected to flock to the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Elijah Wood, Catherine Tate, Dick Van Dyke, Christopher Lloyd, John Cusack, Eliza Dushku, Val Kilmer, Jon Bernthal and Willa Holland are a few of the celebrity guests that attendees can meet, take a photo with or snag an autograph.

Take part in the convention’s panels, Artist Alley, Author Avenue, gaming lounge and cosplay meetups on Sept. 21–23, 2017. Learn more (and add it to your calendar) here.

Embrace your inner geek at Wizard World.

If you want to move beyond a comic con in your city (or beyond), look to Wizard World.

The event organization promises to bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, television, music, gaming, live entertainment, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, collectibles, original art and world-class programming in a one-of-a-kind comic con environment.”

Stan Lee, Alex Tate, Cobie Smulders, Michael Rooker, Alex Kingston, John Heder, Val Kilmer, Alan Tudyk and Nichelle Nicohls are just a few of the celebrity guests appearing in Wizard World’s shows across the United States.

Festivals are scheduled throughout September, October and November in Nashville, Tennessee; Madison, Wisconsin; Montgomery, Alabama; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Springfield, Missouri; Austin, Texas; and more.

Get scared at fall events.

If horror and gore is more your speed, trade in your superhero cape for something decidedly darker at one of several horror-themed cons coming up.

CreepyCon runs from Oct. 13–15 in Edmonton, Alberta, and promises horror lovers several speakers, a film contest and a trade show. RSVP and add it to your calendar here.

HollowCon offers plenty of scares and a double-feature, late-night picture show in East Ridge, Tennessee on Oct. 27–29.

Spooky Empire is also on Oct. 27–29, and takes place in Orlando, Florida. C.J. Graham, Richard Dreyfuss, Shannon Elizabeth, John Cusack, Joan Cusack and more will be there, signing autographs and meeting fans.

Fan of Hannibal Lecter, instead? Take part in Fannibal Fest on Nov. 2–4 in Toronto, Ontario. Attendees can meet guests from the show, take part in fan-led panels, see artwork inspired by the evil mind, and more. There are even bus tours which promise to let participants see where “Graham walked on his front porch in his underwear” and “stand where the murder husbands ended the Red Dragon.”

Wherever you decide to go, you might want to leave the lights on.

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