Amazing Guest Stars Make Pensacon a Must-Attend

Pensacon in Pensacola, Florida, is one of our favorite conventions. While the last couple of years have been difficult with the pandemic, hurricanes, and family/personal illnesses, we are so excited to make the trip from New Orleans to Pensacola again this year. We can’t wait to return to Pensacon in 2024!

One of the main reasons we love Pensacon so much is the incredible guest stars they attract. This year’s lineup features stars from favorite shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Wire and films like Encino Man.

Pauly Shore is an icon and deserves his flowers. Yes, his movies are silly, but they always provide an escape from reality, making them more needed than ever. In addition to Pauly, Lou Ferrigno, famous for his role as The Hulk, will be there. Also attending will be Olivia D’abo from Star Wars Rebels (yes, we loved her on the Wonder Years, but this is a very Star Wars-centered nerd blog!) and Nicole Tompkins, voice actor from Resident Evil. I personally can’t wait to meet Seth Gilliam from The Wire. The wide range of guests from movies, TV shows, animation, and more makes Pensacon an incredibly unique convention.

Cosplay Fun for the Whole Family

Another huge reason we love Pensacon so much is that it’s a convention the whole family can enjoy. Our daughter loves any chance to put on a costume. This year, her costume choices will probably be Wednesday Adams or Audrey from The Descendants. Seriously, the girl knows every word of the Queen of Mean. One of our favorite parts is walking around the convention floor and seeing the incredible, creative outfits. Our little one loves asking people to take pictures, so if you are dressed as one of her favorites, she will want a picture!

Pensacon encourages and appreciates cosplay, which makes it especially great. So many conventions aimed at certain fandoms (comics, anime, sci-fi, etc.) attract amazing cosplayers, but Pensacon’s focus on pop culture broadly means you never know what obscure film, video game, or TV show you might see brought to life. We always leave with our cosplay to-do list for the next year getting even longer!

Support From Local Pensacola Businesses and Community

Pensacon stands out compared to other conventions we’ve attended because of how the entire city of Pensacola gets involved in the event. The local theater, restaurants, shops, and other businesses go out of their way to welcome the influx of con-goers every year. Special Pensacon-themed menus, decorations, and events show how the community has embraced this convention.

Although some major cities host similar conventions every year or even multiple in a year, they often fail to make that weekend about the convention. However, with Pensacon, even the airport gets involved, making it clear that the city is excited to welcome its guests. The friendly atmosphere and genuine enthusiasm in Pensacola make the drive from New Orleans completely worth it.

Usually, on Saturdays, when Pensacon sees its peak attendance levels, we take the opportunity to check out other parts of the city. One of our favorites is Fort Pickens, which boasts a rich history and beautiful beaches for a fun afternoon. As someone who teaches African-American history, I’m looking forward to visiting a few spots showcasing Pensacola’s African-American history.

Returning to Pensacon in 2024

With amazing star-power guests, enthusiasm for cosplay, and a supportive local community, a return to Pensacon in 2024 feels like coming home. After a long hiatus, we are excited to dive back into one of our favorite conventions and make new memories together as a family. Experiencing the nostalgia of meeting celebrities from our favorite childhood movies and shows is priceless. Letting our inner geeks loose to embrace cosplay and fandoms recharges our nerd batteries. Pensacola opening its arms so warmly to thousands of fans makes us feel right at home.

Pensacon occurs from February 23-25, 2024, in Pensacola, Florida. The premier destination is the Pensacola Bay Center, home to ticketing, celebrity autographs, photo ops, and the always popular vendor floor. Just a trolly ride or a short walk away, official venues like the historic Rex Theatre and lively Wright Place will host Pensacon events, panels, and more.

Pensacon has something for every pop culture fan, no matter your interests. We can’t wait to explore it all again this year and have already begun counting down the days. Get your tickets today, and see you there!

(You can read about our previous Pensacon blogs here.)

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