The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to be felt, with many events and societal functions of this year either rescheduled or canceled entirely. The convention circuit has had to evolve under these circumstances in a major way, with high-profile events either going online or postponing their events. If a new announcement is any indication, it sounds like Los Angeles Comic Con could be one of the first conventions to try to change the tide. Through a post on the L.A. Comic Con‘s website, organizers of the event have announced plans to hold an in-person event at the Los Angeles Convention Center, during the previously-rescheduled dates of December 11-13. The organizers stress that the event will only be happening with proper safety precautions in place.
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“Over the past six months, we’ve been struggling with a very important question: ‘Should we even ATTEMPT to have L.A. Comic Con in 2020?’” general manager Chris DeMoulin writes in the post. “Since March, we’ve been living in some version of a ‘Lockdown/Safer at Home’ world, trying hard to stay safe, hoping and praying for the health and safety of ourselves, our family, friends, neighbors, and all of our fellow human beings. We’re wearing masks, keeping socially distant, and remaining thankful for frontline workers, hospital personnel, and everyone working hard to make a difference. And yet, we all yearn for just a little bit of normality, to reclaim some aspects of our lives pre-COVID.”
“So, we asked ourselves – using all the information and precautions available to us, can we design and run a show in December that is BOTH safe AND fun for fans in the time of COVID?” the statement continues. “We put in months of planning, together with the LA Convention Center, and took guidance from State, LA County, and Mayor’s Office guidelines. And our answer was – YES, WE BELIEVE WE CAN.”
The post proceeds to outline what new safety processes and procedures will be in place, including mandating that each person attending wear a mask and practice social distancing. The event also plans to rent out the entire convention center, allowing for 1.2 million square feet of convention space, more entry points, and each “major activity” being split up into its own hall. Each day of the convention will also be split into two 5-hour sessions, with industrial cleaning before, in between, and after each session. The event also plans to sell no more than 12,000 tickets to each individual session, with a goal of lowering “fan density” at the event by 75%. If fans don’t want to physically attend the event, digital livestreams will also be available.
Even with these safety precautions, the post stresses that L.A. Comic Con 2020 could ultimately be canceled or rescheduled, in the event of the L.A. County Health Department telling them not to hold the event. If that ends up being the case, all tickets purchased will be able to be refunded or roll over to a future event. If fans would like to purchase tickets, they will go on sale beginning Tuesday, September 29th, at 9:00 AM PT.
What do you think of L.A. Comic Con planning an in-person event for December? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
