Haven Con offers gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning and allied community members a fun, safe haven filled with gaming experiences, geek activities, incredible artwork, and pop culture panels from industry professionals and local talents.
AUSTIN, Tex.—Haven Con is proud to announce its inaugural convention will be held at the Holiday Inn Midtown in Austin, Texas on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5, 2015. Although Texas is no stranger to comic book and gaming conventions, this event will be the first time the state has ever hosted a convention of this type targeted specifically to a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning and allied (LGBTQA) audience.
Shane Brown, founder of Haven Con, has been working to bring sci-fi, fantasy, and gaming enthusiasts of the LGBTQA community together since 2012 when he started the social networking group Gay Austin Geeks. Brown said, “Even within the gay community, we often exist within our smaller segmented groups. But comic and gaming conventions are all about the melding of geeks, gamers and nerds of every size, race, age and gender identity.” [pullquote]Proceeds of Haven Con will go to OutYouth, which is a non-profit organization providing services to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth ages 12 to 19 in Austin and central Texas.[/pullquote]
Brown continued, “With Haven Con, we’re creating a safe, entertaining and diversity-welcoming environment for people that enjoy comic books, video games, science fiction and more. We’ll have a cosplay contest, gaming tournaments, industry panelists, local artists and writers—all of it while celebrating what makes us both different and special.”
Current sponsors and vendors include Nakatomi Incorporated, Finji Games, Weird Girls, Austin Books & Comics, Monkeys Need Love Too, Kitchen Overload, Outrageous Outfits, Sew Geek Austin, and Gamers Beard. For information on becoming a sponsor, panelist or vendor, visit www.HavenConTx.com or email Shane@HavenConTx.Com.
Haven Con is currently running a fundraiser to assist with equipment, event and production costs. Rewards for contributing include artwork, t-shirts, buttons, and Haven Con passes (youth, one-day, two-day, and VIP). For more information or to donate, visit the Haven Con fundraiser on Indiegogo.
Proceeds of Haven Con will go to OutYouth, which is a non-profit organization providing services to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth ages 12 to 19 in Austin and central Texas.
About Haven Con:
Haven Con is the first LGBTQA geek and gaming convention of Texas. It was created to be a fun, safe haven for geeks and gamers of the LGBTQA community to come together and show support for each other and the industries we have all grown to love. Haven Con is a weekend of gaming and activities with industry professionals and local talents, which will include a cosplay competition, an all-gen gaming tournament, and other contests. For more information about Haven Con, visit http://HavenConTx.com.
[From a News Release]
