The Walking Dead and fan conventions go together like Carol and Darryl, and for years, the Walker Stalker conventions were the jewel of the crop, with some of the show’s top stars taking part and fans from around the globe coming out. But after a strong run of success, which lasted from 2012-2019, the Walker Stalker Con had some financial challenges, and the show was shut down. This year, a new Walking Dead convention, called Fandemic Dead, will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta from Sept. 17-19.
Structured similarly to the annual Walker Stalker Con, and held over three days, the new convention will include appearances by both current and past cast members and the show’s producers, including Norman Reedus (Darryl), Steven Yeun (Glenn), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan), Melissa McBride (Carol), Michael Cudlitz (Abraham), Tom Payne (Jesus), Michael Rooker (Merle), David Morrissey (The Governor), Jon Bernthal (Shane) and Chandler Riggs (Carl).
Fans, cosplayers and artists will be able to purchase autographs, get phots, attend panel discussions and take part in special The Walking Dead activities.
“Atlanta is the birthplace of The Walking Dead series, so it only feels right to experience this here,” John Macaluso, CEO of the Fandemic Tour, told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “Following Dragon Con, we’re excited to be one of the first, larger in-person events back on the books for Atlanta. We can already feel the support especially from diehard fans who have already helped spread the word about our convention.”
Passes for Fandemic range from $40 to $60 with a three-day pass at $86. A VIP pass costs $175.
Macaluso, a clothing manufacturing magnate, who ran Wizard World conventions from 2012 to 2015, started Fandemic Tour in 2017 and held sci-fi conventions in Sacramento, Calif., in 2018 and Houston in 2019.
Expect more Fandemic Dead convention guest announcements and news to come out in the weeks ahead. The Walking Dead is currently filming its final season and premieres August 22, 2021. So now more than ever, fans will want to interact and get a chance to say goodbye.
