Blerdcon
Blerdcon is an annual three-day multi-genre convention held during July at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. The convention's name comes from the word "blerds", a term for black nerds. It was co-founded by Hassan Parrish and Hilton George. Blerdcon aims to be diverse and inclusive. Blerdcon typically features cosplay contests, concerts, gaming tournaments, maid café, panels, vendors, and workshops. The gaming room is open 24-hours during the event. Blerdcon's idea came out of the experience of attending another convention, MomoCon. First year attendance was higher than expected, with 1,800 people. Blerdcon 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Blerdcon 2021 required attendees to wear masks and provide their COVID-19 vaccination card. The cosplay contest caused controversy in 2021 due to it being won by a Caucasian female. Blerdcon in 2022 continued to have mask and vaccination requirements. The convention had programming on Thursday in 2023. = Blerdcon Website