Dakota Faricelli inspects the Star Wars astromech droid, R3T2, at the 2012 Con Nooga convention.IF YOU GOWhat: Con Nooga fandom conventionWhen and where: 3 p.m. Friday, March 1, through 3 p.m. Sunday, March 3 at Chattanooga Choo Choo, 1400 Market St. Exhibitor hall open noon-7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday at Chattanooga Convention Center, 1 Carter Plaza (shuttle buses will run)Admission: Three-day membership $40 adults, $15 ages 6-13; single-day memberships $25 Friday, $35 Saturday and $15 Sunday; Exhibition hall-only membership is $15 Friday and Saturday, $10 SundayWebsite: www.connooga.comSCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTSOver the course of three days, Con Nooga will offer about 190 events appealing to fans of a wide variety of media. Here are some of con chair Todd Patton’s personal favorites:• Con Nooga Saber Idol (5:30-7:30 p.m. and 8-9:30 p.m. Saturday in the Choo Choo’s Imperial Ballroom). Contestants compete to see who has the most impressive light saber twirling skills.• Costume contest (7-8 p.m. Saturday in the Choo Choo’s Imperial Ballroom). Entrants show off their inventive, funny and elaborate costumes for prizes in a variety of categories.• Ms. Biogamer Girl (noon-2 p.m. Saturday in Choo Choo’s Centennial Theater). This event replaces the convention’s traditional Ms. Con Nooga competition.• Battle of Makeup (noon-1:30 p.m. Sunday in the Convention Center’s Panel Room 12). Contestants are given one hour to use the tools in a surprise equipment kit to win over judges with their makeup skills.• Big Wheel Racing (12:30-2 p.m. Sunday outside Track 29 at the Choo Choo). Think only kids like to ride in these? Think again. Big kids like Big Wheels too. Also, purposefully crashing into each other.
Like the Hulk suddenly discovering that Bruce Banner’s pants are a few sizes too small, the organizers of Con Nooga this year realized that, thanks to years of continuous growth, they needed more space than the Chattanooga Choo Choo could provide.
When the city’s largest fandom convention opens its doors for the sixth time Friday, it will sprawl across 55,000 square feet at the Choo Choo as well as an additional 40,000 square feet at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
“This will about double us in size,” said con chairman Todd Patton. “We’ve budgeted for it the last two years. It’s one of those things we were wanting to do, but it takes time to get there.”
In years past, Patton said, the convention has sold out space in its exhibitor hall at Track 29 by Halloween. As a result, organizers were turning away merchandise dealers and celebrity guests.