LA Comic Con organizers have announced they are moving the annual comic book and pop culture event from Sept. 25-27 to Dec 11-13, 2020. This will be the 10th anniversary of LA Comic Con and organizers say they want to make sure they are taking every precaution necessary to have a safe event.
“We've been working with the LA Convention Center and all of our vendors, taking in the health guidance from the Mayor’s Office, LA County and the State, to figure out what we need to do differently to create an event that is both fun and safe in this time of COVID,” said Chris DeMoulin CEO of Comikaze Entertainment, L.A. Comic Con’s parent company.
The event brings together comic book and pop culture fans with celebrity panels, events, exhibitors, artists, costume contests, and meet and greet opportunities at the LA Convention Center.
“Thankfully, because of our long-standing relationship with the convention center, we've been able to reschedule the event to be held five months from now, on December 11-13. We have every hope and expectation that at that point in time, we can do a show that is both terrific and safe,” DeMoulin says.
Here are the Top 10 changes LA Comic Con says they have put in place for the event:
More space – L.A. Comic Con has rented out the entire LA Convention Center – over 800,000 SqFt of exhibit and panel room space, plus over 400,000 SqFt of indoor & outdoor space to manage lines and waiting with appropriate social distancing options.
Face Masks – everyone in the building and grounds will be required to wear a regulation face mask at all times. Masks will be provided for free to any who needs one. Wearing masks will be enforced by Con and Security personnel at all times. “Real heroes wear masks!”
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Maximum Density – each person who enters L.A. Comic Con will have a minimum of 28 SqFt of space – the equivalent of standing in a circle with a 6’ diameter. This ensures a minimum of 6’ between all guests at all times.
Limited Capacity – ticket sales will be limited to no more than 12,000 tickets at any individual session of the event. This is a significant decrease from 2019, which, along with the additional space leased, means attendees in 2020 will be less than one-third as crowded as in 2019.
Main Stage relocation – the Main Stage for L.A. Comic Con, which typically draws 2,000 to 4,000 people for each panel, will be moved from the South Hall to the West Hall. The entire West Hall A – over 145,000 SqFt – will be dedicated to Main Stage content.
Autographs & Photographs reimagined, pre-purchase Con Exclusives – Celebrity autographs and photographs will have their own hall, and tickets will be sold online assigned to 30-minute time windows. Only those who have a photo/autograph appointment in that ½-hour “slot” may enter the hall, so lines will be managed with 6’ separation. Con exclusives will be sold online, with designated 30-minute pick-up window time slots.
Fewer celebrities and panels – the space constraints for celebrity line management and panels will reduce the overall number of celebs somewhat, but there will still be 15-20 celebrities and 5-8 panels to choose from at all times.
One way aisles – to assist in guest flow and avoid bottlenecks, all of the South Hall aisles – among the 400+ exhibitors and artists -- will be one way.
More cleaning, more often – cleaning standards as advised by the CDC and LA County Health Dept. will be followed before the show, between all sessions, and after the show. In addition to frequent deep-cleaning with industrial cleaners, there will also be hand sanitizer stations throughout the venue.
Digital broadcasting – all Main Stage and other panels will be broadcast via live stream to all onsite ticket holders, so lack of space will not mean fans have to miss their favorite stars. Digital-only access passes will be sold to fans who cannot, or choose not to, attend the show in person.
“While we believe strongly that the steps outlined below will allow us to put on a safe event,” continued DeMoulin, “if at any time we receive guidance from the City or County authorities which indicates that isn’t possible, we will reschedule the dates into 2021.
At this time, tickets are schedule to go on sale the week of Sept. 21. Visit comicconla.com for more details.
