![David Prowse (left), who was the man inside the Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, poses for a photo with Crestview resident Daniel Overstreet at Pensacon 2016. [SPECIAL TO THE NEWS BULLETIN]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-65a5ceea-40bc-3b0f-e053-0100007fa8de-20ff88d9.jpeg)
Sci-fi and fantasy fans will be flocking to Pensacola this weekend for Pensacola Comic Con.
Pensacon 2018 will run from Friday through Sunday, and take place over five different venues in downtown Pensacola. The majority of the action will be at the Pensacola Bay Center, with some events taking place at the Pensacola Grand Hotel, the Saenger Theatre, Pensacola Little Theatre and the Rex Theatre.
The list of guests includes more than 100 actors, artists, musicians and others from a variety of film and TV franchises, including “Star Wars,” “Star Trek” and “Game of Thrones.” Fans will have the opportunity to meet the guests and take photographs with them.
There are also plenty of other activities for attendees. The main floor of the Bay Center will be used as a vendor area, where attendees can find merchandise from their favorite movies and TV shows. Other features include a video game tournament, a cosplay corner, escape zones and even a lightsaber training tent. Panels will be held at the theater sites.
Crestview resident Daniel Overstreet has attended every Pensacon since the event began in 2014. He says the celebrities are the highlight of the weekend.
“It’s always meeting the guests for me,” he said. “They have other stuff there, but it’s mainly about the celebrity guests.
“Growing up, being a wrestling nerd as a kid, meeting wrestlers like Ric Flair, Mick Foley. Also as a Star Wars fan, meeting Peter Mayhew who played Chewbacca, David Prowse who was Darth Vader in the costume — those were two big bucket list scratch-offs,” Overstreet said.
In addition to the daytime festivities, Pensacon After Hours offers attendees nightlife options, many of which are open to the public. A number of bars and restaurants on Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola will be hosting themed parties in the evenings.
As with any large event, there are often issues with lines and crowds. Overstreet offers a few basic tips for first-time convention-goers.
“Get there early to get your pass if you’re having to wait to in line to get your pass,” he said. “Doors open at 10, get there earlier.”
Three-day passes that are purchased before Feb. 21 are available for early pickup at the venue Thursday night, between 6 and 8 p.m. After that, they are available for pickup at any time during the event.
“Saturday is the most crowded day, because anyone who buys a one-day pass typically goes on Saturday,” Overstreet said. “If you have a weekend pass, I would do the vendor floor on a Friday, it’s a lot less crowded. You can do all your shopping you want to do that Friday, and then do the guests Saturday and Sunday, because the vendor floor will be constantly crowded.”
For those looking for a chance to randomly bump into one of the celebrity guests, they can sometimes be spotted at the Grand Hotel bar.
“They know it’s gonna be crowded, so if they go down there for a drink, they’re usually open and okay for being around people,” Overstreet said. “I’ve seen a couple celebrities down there and got to ask a couple more personal questions, and the ones that go down there are usually cool about it.”
Tickets for Pensacon are still available. More information about the event, including a full list of guests, can be found at www.pensacon.com.
The event will be held mostly at the Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E Gregory St, Pensacola. Hours are:
- 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 23
- 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 24
- 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 25
Pensacon 2018 Dates and Times
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Pensacon offers fans a chance to meet stars