The Press Release:
Flame Con, created by the LGBTQ non-profit Geeks OUT, is announcing its return to an in-person event on Saturday and Sunday, August 20-21. The convention moved online in August 2020 as a result of the pandemic and remained virtual as New York City began a partial-opening the following summer. After several years of record in-person attendance, Flame Con organizers look forward to gathering safely with fans and creators at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel this August.
“We’ve been so fortunate to have our community’s support and enthusiasm as we have navigated an unpredictable two years,” said Geeks OUT President, Nic Gitau. “Through this time of loss, we’ve seen people find new ways to maintain their joy and connections. I’m grateful Flame Con has played a part in keeping our community connected and I look forward to celebrating our creativity and resiliency at this year’s Flame Con.”
Throughout its 8 years, Flame Con has strived to be a safe and accessible event for all. Efforts to address this year’s health concerns are no different. In accordance with New York City guidelines, attendees ages 5 and older will be required to show proof of full vaccination upon entry. Everyone will be asked to remain masked while indoors. Organizers are also in close contact with staff at the Sheraton Times Square, staying up-to-date with the venue’s accommodations, including readily available hand sanitizer and the inclusion of CDC recommended MERV 13 filters in its air filtration system.
Amidst the new changes, Flame Con is excited to welcome back many of the Exhibitors who purchased tables for the postponed 2020 event. This year will feature over 200 creators exhibiting queer-positive comics, arts, crafts, clothes and entertainment.
“Flame Con is my favorite con I’ve ever attended or vended at. In the last two years, I have sorely missed the connection, support and camaraderie Flame Con provided to me since its inception,” says long-time exhibitor, Fyodor Pavlov. “The summer of 2015 was Flame Con’s very first year, and the year I started work on my deck, the Fyodor Pavlov Tarot. I am so thrilled to return in 2022 with the project completed, and bask in the joyfoul creativity of queer artists and the infectious enthusiasm of all who set foot on the Flame Con floor.”
Flame Con continues to be a 100% volunteer-run event, shaped by the fans who attend. That spirit of collaboration is what encouraged Whitney Leopard, Senior Editor at RH Graphic, to get involved as an Exhibitor Coordinator.
“Flame Con created a positive community experience, a safe place for people to enjoy comics and nerd culture. As someone who is part of the community, that means a lot to me,” said Whitney. “I feel that if you believe in something then it never hurts to try and get involved to show your support, after all, good things happen when people put their heads together. I saw a chance to volunteer for FlameCon and I’m truly grateful for the experience that I’ve had with this amazing team of people.”
Tickets for Flame Con are now available via Eventbrite, with full weekend and single day tickets for sale. The convention is open to all ages and will be free for all youth ages 21 and younger on Sunday, August 21. For more information on Flame Con, please visit www.flamecon.org and for more information on Geeks OUT, please visit www.geeksout.org (linked below).
About Geeks OUT:
Geeks OUT is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to rallying, empowering and promoting the queer geek community. Founded in 2010 with the goal of bringing a positive queer presence to local comic conventions, Geeks OUT now hosts events in five major cities, attends conventions across the nation and produces the world’s largest LGBTQ comic convention – Flame Con. Geeks OUT is also the publisher behind Power and the forthcoming Serving Pride: The Queer History Dinner Party Handbook. For more information please visit the links below.
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Piercing Ken Thoughts: Readers of the PiercingMetal.com website know just how much we love the convention scene and especially the comic and geek culture ones. Having attended the Flame Con a few times over the last couple of years (before the pandemic times of course), I can say that I am glad to see it returning as well since it offers up so much for the fans in the community. As a member of the media I’ve been fortunate to meet creatives from all walks of life and one thing that I enjoy about the Flame Con is how engaging so many of the talented participants are with each other. This is a convention that holds a bit of something for everyone and with it being much smaller in scale to the likes of the New York Comic Con, it’s very easy to enjoy and not find yourself getting lost in too much chaos. I am hoping to be there again this year for one of the days but right now its far too early to lock in my plans. Closing up I wonder what you readers think about this news. Have you attended the Flame Con before? Will you be investigating it this time around? Chime in down below in the comments since that let’s us know you are out there. Also please keep safe out there. While I know the cases are dropping along with many restrictions, I still think that we have a ways to go. See you next time.
Official: http://www.geeksout.org
Official: http://www.flamecon.org
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