We’ve all been to cons. We do so because we are proud geeks, who love geek culture and want to celebrate its awesomeness with others who love it as much as we do. We go because we relate to the characters, so much so that some of us dress up like our favorite heroes or villains. But often times, we don’t see the incredible inclusiveness that is in our communities as a whole represented at cons.


Many cons, no matter how well meaning, limit the idea of inclusion to a diversity panel, never really integrating the spirit of an inclusive world into the fabric of the con itself. This can leave many feeling isolated and marginalized, in essence, like the outsiders so many of our heroes tend to be.

Universal Fan Con grew out of the idea that a con should be a space where everyone can see themselves represented in the genres that they love. From the panels, to the celebrity guests and activities, all the way down to the parties, we believe that the con experience should be a celebration of the differences that make us strong. In this time of political divisiveness rooted in fear, Universal Fan Con is here to celebrate the power of inclusion and representation.

Universal Fan Con will take place on April 27th through the 29th of 2018, at the Baltimore Convention Center. Our goal is bring together at least 10,000 of our closest geek friends from all over the nation to have fun and celebrate geekdom in a place where all are welcome. The world of fandom is one in which personal identity plays a pivotal role. From cosplay to live action role play (LARP), identities of race, gender, and sexual orientation contrast with identities of genre, era, medium and myth.