For the first time since the event was first offered, Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium sold out at 4,800 Dragon Con guests! AND they were open to the public. Those members of the public got a Georgia Aquarium experience they'll be talking about for years!
I first saw Yaya Han, one of the country's most prolific and talented cosplayers, on Syfy's Heroes of Cosplay and have been a fan ever since. So, you can imagine how excited I was to find out that she would be Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening's costume contest!
The first time I saw Princess Amidala, in Star Wars: Episode I, which was at 5:00 a.m. opening day just up the street from where I now live, I was in awe at all the wardrobe changes. But probably not in as much awe as I was in at the cosplayer who perfectly replicated the above costume...100% hand-made! Totally deserving, she placed in the Top 3 of the competition!
I've said approximately a bazillion times now just how talented Dragon Con cosplayers are. Captain Nemo, above, spent 750 hours on this costume and it shows! During his presentation, one of the MCs opened the back panel of his costume to reveal...moving parts! Totally brilliant! He also placed in the Top 3. Whoo-hoo!
All the major galleries at Georgia Aquarium were open to Dragon Con conventioneers, which makes this tourism blogger beyond happy. I visited only two on this particular visit, but everyone else got to experience one of Atlanta's more magnificent attractions, while still enjoying everything Dragon Con.
I love, love, love Yaya's jellyfish costume! She told us that she'd always wanted to make a costume themed around jelly fish and she totally succeeded! You'll notice in the first photo of this post the coral color in her gown and the tentacles dangling from her "tutu". I was already a fan of her talent and now am even more so!
As is the case throughout the four-day convention, there are photo-ops galore! And Georgia Aquarium doesn't disappoint in that regard. I loved that there were so many ocean and sea themed costumes there that night.
I didn't recognize the costume of the young lady pictured above, but this fish-eye portal makes for fantastic photos, no matter the costume! I've made a few of myself in the same window, but never looked as awesome as she does.
One of the more incredible experiences I've had the pleasure of enjoying in life was swimming with the Whale Sharks at Georgia Aquarium. Seriously, it was on par with my experiences of skydiving at 120 MPH and soaring over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter. If you possibly can, I highly recommend the experience. I did the swim May of 2014 and you can see my post and video here: Travis's Journey With Gentle Giants (video at the end of the post).
Sea blue, these Na'vi costumes, from the James Cameron blockbuster Avatar, were perfect in this setting. I'd seen them earlier in the Con, but got to say "Hello" (and "Thank you for the photo") at the Aquarium. Sweet couple.
Georgia Aquarium was good to us, as they have been to me as a tourist since I moved back to Atlanta. I highly recommend you add them to your itinerary when visiting our fine city.
I'll post more about this year's fantastic Dragon Con soon!
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| YaYa Han | Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium |
I first saw Yaya Han, one of the country's most prolific and talented cosplayers, on Syfy's Heroes of Cosplay and have been a fan ever since. So, you can imagine how excited I was to find out that she would be Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening's costume contest!
 |
| Princess Amidala | Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium |
The first time I saw Princess Amidala, in Star Wars: Episode I, which was at 5:00 a.m. opening day just up the street from where I now live, I was in awe at all the wardrobe changes. But probably not in as much awe as I was in at the cosplayer who perfectly replicated the above costume...100% hand-made! Totally deserving, she placed in the Top 3 of the competition!
 |
| Captain Nemo | Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium |
I've said approximately a bazillion times now just how talented Dragon Con cosplayers are. Captain Nemo, above, spent 750 hours on this costume and it shows! During his presentation, one of the MCs opened the back panel of his costume to reveal...moving parts! Totally brilliant! He also placed in the Top 3. Whoo-hoo!
 |
| Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium |
All the major galleries at Georgia Aquarium were open to Dragon Con conventioneers, which makes this tourism blogger beyond happy. I visited only two on this particular visit, but everyone else got to experience one of Atlanta's more magnificent attractions, while still enjoying everything Dragon Con.
 |
| Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium |
I love, love, love Yaya's jellyfish costume! She told us that she'd always wanted to make a costume themed around jelly fish and she totally succeeded! You'll notice in the first photo of this post the coral color in her gown and the tentacles dangling from her "tutu". I was already a fan of her talent and now am even more so!
 |
| Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium |
As is the case throughout the four-day convention, there are photo-ops galore! And Georgia Aquarium doesn't disappoint in that regard. I loved that there were so many ocean and sea themed costumes there that night.
I didn't recognize the costume of the young lady pictured above, but this fish-eye portal makes for fantastic photos, no matter the costume! I've made a few of myself in the same window, but never looked as awesome as she does.
 |
| Whale Shark | Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium |
One of the more incredible experiences I've had the pleasure of enjoying in life was swimming with the Whale Sharks at Georgia Aquarium. Seriously, it was on par with my experiences of skydiving at 120 MPH and soaring over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter. If you possibly can, I highly recommend the experience. I did the swim May of 2014 and you can see my post and video here: Travis's Journey With Gentle Giants (video at the end of the post).
 |
| Avatar | Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium |
Sea blue, these Na'vi costumes, from the James Cameron blockbuster Avatar, were perfect in this setting. I'd seen them earlier in the Con, but got to say "Hello" (and "Thank you for the photo") at the Aquarium. Sweet couple.
 |
| Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium |
Georgia Aquarium was good to us, as they have been to me as a tourist since I moved back to Atlanta. I highly recommend you add them to your itinerary when visiting our fine city.
I'll post more about this year's fantastic Dragon Con soon!
