Lines stretched outside the George R. Brown Convention Center Friday afternoon as thousands of enthusiasts of anime, video games, cosplay, comics, and pop culture gathered for the eighth annual Dream Con. Held in Houston for the second consecutive year, the rapidly growing convention brought more than 30,000 fans to downtown, transforming the convention center into a celebration of gaming, creativity, and internet culture.
Founded by the online entertainment collective RDCWorld, the event welcomed guests including legendary voice actress and A Different World alum Cree Summer, Emmy nominated actress, writer, producer, and Insecure creator Issa Rae, The Boondocks executive producer Carl Jones, and many more. Throughout the weekend, attendees packed panels covering everything from filmmaking and animation to esports, entrepreneurship, content creation, and the ever expanding creator economy.
The event kicked off Friday with an opening ceremony followed by a preview of the upcoming fifth season of Gamerhood, State Farm’s creator driven competition series. The live show featured Mark Phillips, Berleezy, and Krystalogy competing in a series of interactive games that had the crowd laughing and cheering throughout the evening. Berleezy and Krystalogy ultimately claimed the victory, setting the tone for a weekend filled with friendly competition and audience participation.
Premiering July 31, Gamerhood Season 5 will feature a star studded lineup of creators including IShowSpeed, PlaqueBoyMax, Cinna, Marlon, JasonTheWeen, Emiru, and Jake from State Farm. After generating more than 53 million views across its first four seasons, the reality style competition series returns with a free for all format as competitors battle through popular video games and real-world challenges for a prize of 100,000 gifted subscriptions. New episodes will stream every Friday in August on State Farm’s Twitch and YouTube channels, as well as on many of the participating creators’ own platforms.
“I just think it’s amazing to see what he and the crew have created,” Berleezy said of Mark Phillips and the growing convention. “To get the opportunity to come back and just see so many people enjoying the experience will always have me coming back for more.”
Saturday, Cree Summer echoed that same sentiment during her voice acting panel with Phil LaMarr and Kenneisha Thompson. The three joined one another on the main stage to discuss their careers before a packed audience, but Summer could barely contain her excitement as she looked out into the crowd.
“Being here and seeing all of these Black and Brown people just enjoying comics and everything else is just amazing,” she said. “It is beautiful.”
Beyond the celebrity appearances, Dream Con offered a packed schedule of events throughout the weekend. Attendees competed in video game tournaments, explored an expansive exhibitor hall filled with artists, independent creators, and vendors, attended cosplay showcases celebrating characters from anime, comics, films, and video games, and packed live podcast recordings, creator meet and greets, voice acting discussions, filmmaking workshops, esports competitions, and industry panels. The weekend also featured Dream Con’s annual Charity Basketball Game, where popular creators traded controllers for basketballs before a sold out crowd, further blurring the lines between gaming, sports, and entertainment.
The convention floor was as much a destination as the programming itself. Hundreds of vendors, artists, and independent businesses filled the exhibition hall, offering everything from original artwork and handcrafted collectibles to apparel, comics, trading cards, and anime inspired merchandise. Elaborate cosplay transformed the convention center into a living showcase of fandom as attendees arrived dressed as characters from Marvel, DC, anime, video games, and classic cartoons. Long lines formed throughout the weekend as fans met their favorite creators, supported small businesses, and celebrated the creativity that has become synonymous with Dream Con.
While gaming and anime remain at the heart of Dream Con, the convention has also become a gathering place for the creator economy. Panels throughout the weekend explored building brands on YouTube and Twitch, producing podcasts, launching businesses, breaking into voice acting, and navigating careers in digital entertainment. Houston’s own Black Cinema Club HTX also hosted a panel highlighting the city’s growing film industry, featuring actress Dominique Perry of Diarra From Detroit alongside other creatives who discussed opportunities for filmmakers, the importance of community, and Houston’s emergence as a destination for film and television production.
Credit: Sheldon McGowen
More than a convention, Dream Con has evolved into a space where fandom, entrepreneurship, entertainment, and community intersect, drawing creators and fans from across the country to celebrate every facet of geek culture.
While Friday and Saturday delivered no shortage of memorable moments, Dream Con is not over just yet. The convention concludes Sunday with another full slate of programming, highlighted by a fireside chat with Emmy nominated actress, writer, producer, and Insecure creator Issa Rae. With more panels, creator appearances, gaming competitions, and opportunities to explore the convention floor still ahead, attendees have one final chance to experience one of the country’s fastest growing celebrations of gaming, anime, and creator culture before the doors close on another successful Dream Con.
