Sunday, March 13, 2016

Joelanta Toy Convention 2016

Earlier today I attended Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention at the Century Center Marriott. I'd attended this convention a couple of years ago and had a great time. When my friend Nikki heard about it, she was all about going...so, after having brunch at Babs Midtown, we went to check out the toys!  


Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016
Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016

The above is part of a large diorama inspired by Star WarsWhat did you think of the new Star Wars movie? I loved seeing the original cast members and Rey is my favorite new character. 

My friends Patti and Eric treated me to the film when it first came out. We saw it in 3D at Atlantic Station, in their VIP 21+ theaters, of which I believe they have two, with reserved seating and recliner seats. Great experience!


Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016
Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016

This convention is all about toys an there are LOTS of toys there! I was at this convention two years ago and it has grown exponentially since! Walking around the vendor booths, I was flooded with childhood memories...almost overwhelming, but no so much that it deterred from any of the fun I was having!  


Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016
Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016

There was a costume contest and the contestants were all fantastic! Of course, having served in the U.S. Navy myself, getting a photo with "Shipwreck"—a Navy sailor fighting on the side of G.I. Joe—was a must. He totally nailed his costume...parrot, anchor and tattoos included. 


Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016
Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016

One of the things I was most looking forward to was the dioramas. A couple of years ago, the biggest one was a huge zombie car crash scene, with a flaming zombie! This year...Star Wars! There's a LOT going on inside the cylinders and towers. 


Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016
Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016

Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention is dedicated to memory of Cody Martin Lane, an avid collector and member of the Atlanta G.I. Joe Collectors Club. He lost a long battle with a degenerative neurological disorder called CIDP at the age of 17.

Proceeds from this convention go to the founding and eventual creation of the Cody Lane Memorial Toy and Diorama Museum


Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016
Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016

I went to Joelanta this year with my friend Nikki, a fellow sci-fi enthusiast. I introduced her to Chris Hamer of Urbnpop and she ran into a number of her friends who she introduced me to. Kinda cool to realize that even in the toy convention industry it's a small world.


Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016
Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016

Like similar conventions, Joelanta has special guests, panels, contests, lots of vendors and more! This is a two-day convention and both times I've attended I've only been able to go the afternoon of the second day. Hopefully next year I'll be able to participate in the first full day, which has a lot more events!


Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016
Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016

I'm totally a car enthusiast...have been since I was a little kid. Also being a cinema buff, it's awesome to see cars from Ghostbusters, Batman and any movie that has zombies!


Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016
Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016

There was a room with multiple dioramas, many of them incredibly detailed! I've always been a fan of design (my minor in college was Web Graphic Design and I used to work part-time for an interior designer), which I think is why I like dioramas so much. Also being a space enthusiast, I really like the one above pictured diorama.




Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016
Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention 2016

The photo above is a tiny part of a much larger diorama. The surprise element of eating an ice cream I thought was hilarious! Kudos to all the diorama creators...they truly were fantastic!

Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention is one of Metro Atlanta's many smaller conventions. If you're a collector or a toy enthusiast, be sure to mark your calendar and attend next year's convention. This convention is growing...I only see it getting better and better and better!

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