Pigeon
Forge, TN – December 2014 / Newsmaker Alert / An event like
none other in the one-year history of the LeConte
Center at Pigeon Forge will attract a crowd of fans of anime, Japanese
culture, comics, video games, science fiction, tabletop games and fantasy
Dec. 5-7.
|
 It
is Yama-Con a homegrown gathering
that its organizers say is for “all nerds, gamers, geeks and otaku.” (For
the uninitiated, “otaku” are devoted anime fans.) It drew 1,600 participants
last year in a smaller venue.
“This is only our third year,
and we’re moving into one of the biggest venues in Tennessee,” said event
chairman Nick Carr. “Even we are amazed at the fan reaction.”
Previous bookings at the
city-owned LeConte Event Center have included tradeshows, concerts, denominational
youth rallies and gymnastic competitions.
“Yama-Con is quite a departure
from previous groups, and it really shows the versatility of our space,”
said Phil Campbell, facility manager.
Yama-Con’s theme is “Third
Time’s the Charm,” Carr said, noting that “Yama-Con” is the combination
of the Japanese word for “mountain” and an abbreviation of “convention.”
“We are here in the shadow
of the mountains and are attracting some of the biggest talents in animation,
comics and more. That’s why we say all nerds, gamers, geeks and otaku are
welcome,” Carr said.
Among the participants are
anime and video game voice actors Johnny Yong Bosch, Linda Ballantyne,
Toby Proctor, Katie Griffin, Susan Roman and Erica Mendez.
Also on the lineup are Sonya
Thompson and Larry Mainland, zombies from television’s “The Walking Dead,”
and comic artists Tom Nguyen (DC Comics) and James Lyle (Zenoscope).
Yama-Con will use much of
the LeConte Event Center’s main space, the 100,500-square-foot LeConte
Hall, and numerous breakout rooms.
The schedule calls for costume
contests, panels, game rooms, exhibits, concerts, dances and workshops.
A replica section will have interactive displays including a tardis and
dalek from the long-running “Doctor Who” show and working robotic droids
from “Star Wars.”
According to Carr, Yama-Con
drew 1,150 fans to the Smoky Mountain Convention Center in 2012 and 1,600
last year, both times at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center.
“We simply outgrew that space,
and it’s very important that we keep our event in my hometown of Pigeon
Forge. The LeConte Event Center gives us unlimited possibilities,”
Carr said.
Full event details, including
online registration and lodging information, are at YamaCon.org.
Information about visiting
Pigeon Forge is available online at MyPigeonForge.com
or by calling toll-free to 800-251-9100.
|
Media Contact:
Tom
Adkinson, APR
for Pigeon Forge Department
of Tourism
615-341-8796 |
