DashCon 2
| DashCon 2 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Status | active |
| Genre | Tumblr, fandom culture |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Venue | Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, Toronto |
| Country | Canada |
| Years active | 2025 |
| Inaugurated | July 5, 2025 |
| Founders | Avis Petrie, Simone Miller |
Most recent | 2026 |
| Website | dashcontwo |
DashCon 2 is a fan convention held annually since 2025 in Toronto, Canada, themed around the culture of the social media website Tumblr. It is named after the 2014 convention of the same name but is otherwise unrelated and has been received significantly more positively.
Background
[edit]The original DashCon was a fan convention catering primarily to users of the blogging platform Tumblr, with a particular emphasis on fandoms. The convention was planned to be hosted during the weekend of July 11, 2014 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, Illinois. The event was widely considered a failure, due to multiple allegations of mismanagement, corruption among the organizers, and the abrupt demand to pay upfront in order to hold the convention at the hotel and use its facilities.[1][2] The convention's founder, Lochlan "Nessie" O'Neil, later described the event as the worst days of her life, receiving death threats from strangers for years to come.[3]
In the following years, there were various failed proposals to launch similar conventions, including Emoti-Con[4] and DashCon 2024.[5]
Development
[edit]DashCon 2 was announced by co-directors Avis Petrie and Simone Miller in 2024, 10 years after the original DashCon. Both are Tumblr users with experience in conventions and are unaffiliated with the organizers of the original DashCon, and they stated that they have "no intention of repeating DashCon's mistakes".[6][5]
History
[edit]2025
[edit]
The inaugural edition of DashCon 2 was held in Toronto on July 5, 2025. DashCon 2 focused on "celebrating a very specific era of fandom culture, as well as the original DashCon event".[6] Despite challenges during its planning,[5] the event was generally seen as having been very successful, especially compared to the original DashCon;[7][9] it was praised for coziness, accessibility,[7] and its representation of queer- and nerd culture.[8] It was also highlighted as an example of a success among other contemporary conventions themed around Internet culture.[10]
The event attracted 550 in-person visitors, including Lochlan O’Neil (founder of the 2014 DashCon) and several content creators. Activities included cosplaying, panels, an Artist Alley with 86 vendors, a new ball pit, a charity fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society, and a duel between two content creators.[8][7]
2026
[edit]
The second edition of DashCon 2 was held on August 1–2, 2026. The 2026 event saw its duration increase to 2 days, expanded its accessibility accommodation, and was themed around the French Revolution. New activities included a symbolic triple wedding of the fandom SuperWhoLock and a theatrical execution. Among the 1,000 in-person attendees were YouTubers Overly Sarcastic Productions and Harriyanna Hook, as well as recurring guests O’Neil, Strange Æons, and Xiran Jay Zhao (the latter cosplaying as Maximilien Robespierre).[11]
References
[edit]- ↑ Carmino Tamburro, Paul (July 14, 2014). "Embarrassing Tumblr Convention 'DashCon' Branded a Scam After Raising $17,000". Crave Online. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
- ↑ Pearl, Mike (July 15, 2014). "YOU KNOW THAT TUMBLR CONVENTION THAT WENT TO SHIT? IT WASN'T THAT BAD". Vice. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
- ↑ Broderick, Ryan (2021-07-29). "Meet Lochlan O'Neil, the creator of DashCon". Garbage Day. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ Romano, Aja (September 2, 2014). "The folks behind the infamous DashCon are back with a 'new' venture". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- 1 2 3 Lorenz, Taylor (Jan 27, 2025). "DashCon 2.0 + Gen Z mall mania". User Mag. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- 1 2 Upton-Clark, Eve (January 28, 2025). "DashCon, the infamous celebration of Tumblr fandom, is coming back. This time, organizers say it will be different". Fast Company. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 Shakeri, Sima (July 10, 2025). "A decade after its infamous flop, this Tumblr fan convention gets a redemption arc in Toronto". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 2025-07-09. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
- 1 2 3 Oscarson, Audrey. "SGN:: DashCon 2 or bust: A love letter to the chronically online Queer community". Seattle Gay News. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- ↑ Broderick, Ryan. "The legacy of DashCon". Garbage Day. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
- ↑ Broderick, Ryan (Jul 23, 2025). "It's all kicking off at Romance Con". Garbage Day. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- 1 2 "Toronto fan convention DashCon 2 hosts group wedding and mock execution". The Toronto Star. 2026-08-05. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
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