Every summer has its blockbusters, but for nerd culture the real sequels, season finales, and boss‑level moments happen live—on convention floors packed with cosplayers, dev panels, and vendor halls that smell faintly of nostalgia and energy drinks. Picture the Nerdthusiast crew loading up the van, playlists blasting, dice clacking in the cup holders, and a stack of plastic badge sleeves ready to be filled. Here’s the road‑trip itinerary we drew on the whiteboard—ten post‑July‑4th conventions that promise achievement‑unlocked memories (and a few secret shortcuts to make them even better).
1. San Diego Comic‑Con International
Dates: July 24 – 27 • San Diego, CA
Tickets: Check the “Badges” section on comic‑con dot org (waves sell out fast)
Why Go: the superhero Mecca, with Hall H bombshells and an off‑site campus of activations.
Pro Tip: Join Comic‑Con’s verified resale wait‑list—brief windows open when fans return extras, and you can pounce without the scalper markup. comic-con.org
2. Classic Game Fest
Dates: July 25 – 27 • Austin, TX
Tickets: classicgamefest dot com (“Wristbands”)
Why Go: 100,000 sq ft of CRT glow, chip‑tune concerts, and $5 cartridge bins.
Pro Tip: Friday morning is vendor “load‑in”—arrive at doors‑open and score rare carts before they’re snagged by resellers. classicgamefest.com
3. Gen Con
Dates: July 31 – Aug 3 • Indianapolis, IN
Tickets: gencon dot com (“Badges”)
Why Go: “The Best Four Days in Gaming” spills into Lucas Oil Stadium with 24‑hr board‑game libraries.
Pro Tip: Buy a generic event ticket bundle online, then trade them on‑site for sold‑out RPG seats—the onsite desk posts last‑minute cancellations hourly. gencon.com
4. Star Trek: Trek to Vegas (STLV)
Dates: Aug 6 – 10 • Las Vegas, NV
Tickets: creationent dot com (STLV badge tiers)
Why Go: 100+ Trek celebs, evening karaoke with cast members, and the Rio lit up like the Enterprise.
Pro Tip: Book Rio rooms through the con hotel block—it includes after‑hours “exclusive bridge tour” wristbands most fans don’t realize come bundled. creationent.com
5. Otakon
Dates: Aug 8 – 10 • Washington, DC
Tickets: otakon dot com (“Register”)
Why Go: East‑coast temple of anime, J‑pop concerts, and 24‑hr video rooms.
Pro Tip: Thursday evening badge pick‑up is open to pre‑registrants; breeze through, then hit the unofficial “LineCon” swap‑meet in the Marriott lobby. animecons.com
6. Gamescom
Dates: Aug 20 – 24 • Cologne, Germany
Tickets: gamescom dot de (English page → “Tickets”)
Why Go: 400k gamers, Opening Night Live world premieres, and the Rhine beach party.
Pro Tip: Splurge on the evening “after‑3 PM” ticket one day—crowds thin as pros head to beer gardens, leaving near‑walk‑up access to AAA demos. gamescom.global
7. Fan Expo Canada
Dates: Aug 21 – 24 • Toronto, ON
Tickets: fanexpocanada dot com (“Buy Now”)
Why Go: 135k‑fan mega‑show with Hollywood reunions (Back‑to‑the‑Future, Obi‑Wan), mammoth Artist Alley.
Pro Tip: Use Toronto’s PATH underground mall to hop cafes and avoid summer humidity between hotel and con center. fanexpohq.com
8. Epic Nerd Camp
Dates: Aug 16 – 20 • Darlington, MD
Tickets: epicnerdcamp dot com (application style)
Why Go: Five‑day, adults‑only summer camp where LARP quests meet archery and late‑night Catan.
Pro Tip: Pack one “swap item” (dice tray, enamel pin, etc.)—the secret “Barter Blanket” on Day 2 lets campers trade gear and forge instant party alliances. epicnerdcamp.com
9. PAX West
Dates: Aug 29 – Sept 1 • Seattle, WA
Tickets: west.paxsite dot com (“Buy Badges”)
Why Go: Indie megabooths, concerts, Omegathon finals, and midnight free‑play halls.
Pro Tip: Grab the Monday badge—press have left, crowds dip, and publishers hand out leftover swag in bulk as booths pack up. west.paxsite.com
10. Dragon Con
Dates: Aug 28 – Sept 1 • Atlanta, GA
Tickets: dragoncon dot org (“Memberships”)
Why Go: 70,000 fans across five hotels, the legendary Saturday parade, and 30+ niche programming tracks.
Pro Tip: Stay in the Courtland Grand: it’s skywalk‑linked to every host hotel yet rarely sells out first, saving elevator‑line purgatory. dragoncon.org
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