Pensacon 2016 Continues To Grow

Although it’s still over 6 months away, Pensacon 2016 has been making news recently. WUWF’s Bob Barrett spoke to Pensacon Chairman and co-Founder Mike Ensley for an update on the third edition of the fan convention.

Highlights:

• All VIP tickets for the event sold out in less than 2 hours. All room at the Crowne Plaza Grand Hotel for the weekend are booked and the entire dealer's floor has been sold out. Pensacon is now accepting applications for the artist's area. it's expected that space will also soon sell out.
• Ensley says they are  looking to book fewer, but higher profile guests for the third edition of the convention. So far Jonathon Frakes of Star Trek: the Next generation has been booked, as well as Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), David Prowse (Darth Vader), Tim Rose (Admiral Akbar) and Jessica Henwick (role unknown, she's in the new movie!) from the Star Wars movies. There will also be guests from Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Tron, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and many other franchises, as well as comic book artists and creators, cosplayers and gamers. There will also be a mini Rocky Horror Picture Show reunion with Barry Bostwick, Patricia Quinn and "Little" Nell Campbell. Ensley says there will be a special Rocky Horror event at the Vinyl Music Hall on the Saturday night of Pensacon weekend.

  

  Credit Pensacon Twitter Feed

• The convention will again be at the Pensacola Bay Center and the Crowne Plaza Grand Hotel. The Saengar Theater will also be involved, this year during all three days of Pensacon. They will also be adding events at the refurbished Rex Theater on Palafox Street. Ensley says they are hoping to spread things out all over town during the weekend, creating a "campus feel" and avoiding crowds at any one venue. The free trolleys will again be transporting convention goers between the different locations.
• The announcement of the new UWF Center for Entrepreneurship at Maritime Park will be a help for Pensacon when it is completed, but Ensley still says the area needs a full sized convention center to fully service, not only Pensacon...but other potential companies and events throughout the year. Ensley points out that while Mobile has a fine convention center, the city itself doesn't have the amenities that convention goers have said will keep them coming back to Pensacola.