September 2, 2017
It’s that most magical time of year. Labor Day Weekend in Atlanta. If you love comic books, video games, fantasy, science fiction, cartoons, anime, horror, graphic novels, the weird, the fantastical, then you were probably downtown. DragonCon is in its 31st year and it is going as strong as ever. Four days of awesome. Four days of cosplay. Four days to meet your favorite authors, actors and artists from all of the genres above. One of the highlights of the long weekend is the annual parade where tens of thousands of onlookers line Peachtree St. to watch an hour and a half of characters come to life. It is one of my most favorite things to photograph each year and I am lucky enough to have been able to capture it five times!

Paul Gay (right), Rishi Patel, Priya Patel, Gabriel Gauvin and his brother Alex wait for the start of the annual DragonCon Parade.

Ramona Cassamo (left) looks over at her husband Justin as he makes last minute adjustments to her wings before the start of the annual DragonCon Parade on Saturday.

Stone Hazelrigs (right) talks to an Atlanta Police officer as he waits for the annual DragonCon Parade to start in Atlanta on Saturday.

Jeff Grabowski raises his weapon in the air yelling “game over man, game over” as he and other colonial marines march down Peachtree St. during the annual DragonCon Parade.

Dressed as a colonial marine from the Alien franchise, Roman Fruehan makes his way down Peachtree St. on Saturday.

Dressed as characters from Mystery Science Theater 3000, Nate Osburn and his wife Janet make their way down Peachtree St. during the annual DragonCon Parade.

Collin Royster drives his Sweet Tooth vehicle down Peachtree St. during the annual DragonCon Parade.

The man, the myth, the legend. Stan Lee gives a Spiderman web slinging hand gesture as he rides down Peachtree St during the annual DragonCon Parade on Saturday.

Captain America is one of the many comic book characters to make an appearance during the DragonCon Parade on Saturday.

Members of the Captain America Dancing Girls make their way down Peachtree St. during the annual DragonCon Parade.

J.J. Griffin (left) gives Dillinger Buning a high five for wearing the same costume during the annual DragonCon Parade.

Dressed as Morty, Andrew Fraser gives one of the many Deadpools in the annual DragonCon Parade a high five as they pass by on Saturday.

Dressed as Blume from Doctor Who, Joshua Nschein makes his way down Peachtree St. during the annual DragonCon Parade.

Literary Guest of Honor and author of The Devil’s Arithmetic, Jane Yolen, waves to the crowd as she rides in the annual DragonCon Parade.

Trina Parks, who played Thumper in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, dances as she rides down Peachtree St. in the annual DragonCon Parade on Saturday.

Paul Johnston (right) and Sarah Lemay duke it out in the streets as they participate in the annual DragonCon Parade.

Dressed as Jonathan Riker from Star Trek, Albert Larde marches in the annual DragonCon Parade on Saturday.

The Borg is represented as the Star Trek crew makes its way down Peachtree St. during the annual DragonCon Parade.

Dressed as Spartans from the movie 300, Rusty Winns (right) and Bryan Nguyen form a phalanx as the march in the annual DragonCon parade.

Dressed as Beetlejuice and Lydia Deetz, James Ouzts kneels before his wife Wendy as the march in the annual DragonCon parade.

Netherworld made its presence known as horror characters scare the crowd during the DragonCon Parade.

The King of the North! Game of Thrones was well represented during the annual DragonCon Parade on Saturday.

Dressed as a Cylon from Battlestar Galactica, Jonathan Gillaspie turns to look back at the crowd on Saturday.

Greg Miller (left) deals with zombie Robert Stephens as they march in the annual DragonCon Parade on Saturday.

Arthur Hinds (right) has a lightsaber battle with George Marr during the DragonCon Parade on Saturday.