Every year Dragon Con welcomes over 80,000 attendees to discuss science fiction and fantasy, meet their favorite stars and writers, and be who they truly want to be for five days.  One of the hallmarks of Dragon Con is that late-night nerd party scene.  We have compiled a list of the scheduled parties at Dragon Con for you to help in planning your Dragon Con reporting (and enjoyment) for 2019.

Thursday:

• Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Black Hat Ball
• Endgame Neon Party
• Bunny Hutch
• Stranger Things Prom
• 8-bit Bash

Friday:

• Temporal Formal Dance, A Silver Screen Soiree
• K-pop Dance Party
• Zombie Prom
• Evening in Bree
• Toon Age Sock Hop
• Can’t Stop the Signal Dance Party (Firefly)

Saturday:

• Spectrum Party: Celebrating LGBTQ Geeks & Allies
• Bond & Cocktails: Shaken Not Stirred
• 10 Forward Party
• The Last Party on Alderaan
• The North Remembers How to Party
• Heroes and Villains Ball (VGT)

Sunday:

• Costuming 15 Anniversary Party
• Yule Ball
• Doctor Who Ball
• Mechanical Masquerade: Revolution!

Sometimes there are questions about the Dragon Con Media Relations email policy after the convention.  When you accept your badge from Dragon Con, you agree to a number of criteria (no impromptu guest interviews, no photography in the walk of fame, etc.), and one of those things you  agree to is to received emails from Dragon Con Media Relations for up to 1 year.  For instance if you were an approved reporter at Dragon Con 2017, we would remove you from our mailing list at the start of Dragon Con 2018.

When you pick up your badge for Dragon Con 2019, you will initial that you understand that Dragon Con will email you for one year, with the emails ending Labor Day Weekend 2020.  Normally we send out 7-10 emails to previous approved reporters.  They will focus on logging your most recent Dragon Con coverage and applying for Dragon Con in the upcoming year.  You should expect 2-3 emails in the autumn, 1 in February and up to 2 in March.  Then for reporters who have not applied for the next year, you will get 2 emails during the summer reminding you to apply. The summer emails only go to reporters who have not yet applied for the next year.

We send these emails for three reasons:

• To remind you to log your coverage so you will be able to be approved for the next year
• To remind you that registration opens March 15 each year and give you a chance to apply early
• To remind  you to apply for media access before it closes because onsite registration is available only local media and does require a trip to another hotel (we are trying to save you time and energy!)

We appreciate all of our reporters efforts, and these emails are a way to main a relationship with you.

The Dragon Con Media Relations Podcast continues as Dan Carroll, Dragon Con Media Engagement Director, introduces Mary Lou Who, Dragon Con’s Media Engagement Assistant Director. He delves further in Dragon Con Tracks with a provacative and engaging talk about Dragon Con with Dragon Con’s Space and Science Track Directors.

Mary and Dan talk about the tours available to reporters, the parade, the Greenbriar Room, Information Services and a few other topics.

Download the podcast.

Dr. Stephen Granade, Director of the Science Track,  and Rain Glynn, Director of the Space Track, share exciting developments about their tracks at Dragon Con and explain why the “Reality Tracks” at Dragon Con tie in so well to the fantasy and Science Fiction Tracks at Dragon Con.

Links for this episode:

• Request to Interview A Dragon Con Representative
• New Reporter Walking Tour
• Request Podcast Space
• Dragon Con Space Track
• Dragon Con Science Track

The Dragon Con Progress Report is an annual publication that provides information about Dragon Con guests, performers, vendors, tracks, special events, contests, workshops, gaming, and so much more.

It is an excellent source of information about Dragon Con 2019 and is available now for your review.

Download Your Copy of the Dragon Con Progress Report!

Introduction

This is the second Dragon Con Update/Digest for Summer of 2019.  We will continue to gather and share useful information with approved reporters for Dragon Con 2019.

If there is anything you believe we should focus on, please let us know!

• To speak to a Dragon Con Representative or to ask about what to do, see, or cover at Dragon Con, Contact Dan Carroll (dancarroll@dragoncon.org).
• For anything related to processing and managing your media access, please contact Samm Douglas (mediarelations@dragoncon.org) .
• Any question or comment related to guest interviews, your contact is Erin Behnke (interviews@dragoncon.org).

These updates are sent to approved reporters and the stored on the website for easy access.

Featured Tracks:

Recently we focused on a number of Dragon Con fan tracks that are reality driven, rather than media driven. Our fan tracks at Dragon Con cover a broad spectrum of interests.

• Featured Tracks: Digital Media & Electronic Frontiers Forums 2019
• Featured Track: Robotics & Maker 2019
• Featured Tracks: Science, Skeptic, & Space 2019

New Podcast:

Out 3^rd Podcast focuses on proscribed activities for approved media at Dragon Con as well as a delightful conversation with two of our directors about activities for Kids!

DCMR Podcast 3 2019: Dragon Con Media Relations Policies/YA Lit and Kids Tracks

And all of our older podcasts are archived here. (more…)

Welcome to this our 3rd Dragon Con Media Relations Podcast for 2019. This edition we cover two topics, one serious and one a whole lot of fun. The first portion of the podcast will cover those policies at Dragon Con that prohibit some activities for the greater good of the convention. The second portion of the podcast covers what is cool for kids to enjoy at Dragon Con.

Download audio copy of this podcast.

With the number of reporters that cover dragon con and the growth of the convention, we sit down each year and ask ourselves what is appropriate and what inappropriate behavior for media covering Dragon Con. We need to set standards to protect the convention goers, and we need to share those standards so that reporters know what is allowed and not allowed. Today we are running down the primary activities that could violate Dragon Con policies and which would most likely result in your badge being pulled.

Next we will be sharing with you all an interview we recently conducted with Dragon Con Kids Track Director Jill Madox and dragon Con young adult literature  track director Melissa Pichetto.  These tracks provide informative and entertaining panels, events, dances, and workshops for younger Dragon Con attendees.

Click through for links referenced in the show.

Registration and Interview Links

• Dragon Con Media Access Application
• Interview Request for Walk of Fame Guests (invitation only)
• Interview Request for Other Dragon Con Guests
• Interview Request form for Dragon Con Spokesperson/Directors

Dragon Con Policies

• Dragon Con Policies
• Dragon Con Media Relations Prohibited Activities

Dragon Con Young Adult Literature

• https://www.facebook.com/dcyalit/ 
• http://dragoncon.org/yalit/
• https://twitter.com/dcyalit

Dragon Con Kids Track

https://www.facebook.com/groups/DragonConKidsTrack/

The Official Agreements for 2018, may have changed in specifics for  2019

To receive your badge for media access for 2019, you will need to agree that you understand and comply with the following requirements:

• By agreement with agents, guest interviews are by invitation only and are scheduled prior to Dragon Con 2019. Do not solicit interviews with guests.
• Reporting or photography must not create unsafe conditions or impede traffic flow, especially in the connecting tunnels between hotels or other hallways
• Photography and video recording are not allowed in the Walk of Fame, Dealer’s Room, the Artist Alley, or the Comic and Pop Art Alley.
• Reporters agree to receive emails for one year concerning Dragon Con
• Reporters must respect the fans, guests and the Dragon Con volunteers.
• Reporters agree to follow the instructions of Dragon Con volunteers and Dragon Con Security.
• Reporters agree to provide copies of your reporting
• All Dragon Con attendees, including reporters, must wear their badges at all time.
• A press badge does not automatically give special privileges, front of the line privileges or allow special access to the guests.
• Dragon Con harassment policies apply to all attendees including reporters. All persons reporting harassment will have the opportunity to discuss the matter with the APD.

Principles to be respected

• Our guests come to Dragon Con to see fans.
• Dragon Con is a Fan convention and not a media convention. We welcome and support Media Representatives, but our focus is the fans.
• There is no mean or insulting comedy allowed by authorized reporters. This includes trolling to later mock Dragon Con Members.
• There is to be no charging for photo shoots anywhere at Dragon Con. This is one of official Dragon Con policies that every badge holder must comply, and it is stringently enforced for reporters.
• Review the Dragon Con policies located on the Dragon Con Website.
• That list of agreements you sign for? You are responsible for following them. Moreover, each dragon con volunteer giving out badges know that they will be in hot water if they fail to read them out and discuss any issues you have. If you have issues, please have them before you initial.

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