Fan Expo Denver

The inaugural convention was held June 15, 16, and 17 in 2012 with 27,700 people in attendance. Founded as Denver Comic Con, the convention was created as a program for the educational organization, Pop Culture Classroom (formally Comic Book Classroom), and funded the nonprofit's year-round efforts.{{cite web|title=Pow! Comic Book Classroom project takes on illiteracy in metro schools|date=27 July 2011 |url=http://www.denverpost.com/theater/ci_18562585 |publisher=Denver Post|access-date=2013-11-16}}

In 2015, attendance at the event exceeded 100,000, making it one of the largest fan conventions in the United States.{{cite web|title=Record attendance at Denver's Comic Con|date=26 May 2015 |url=https://www.9news.com/article/entertainment/events/record-attendance-at-denvers-comic-con/73-132379650 |publisher=9News Denver|access-date=2015-05-27}}

In 2019, the convention's name was changed to Denver Pop Culture Con in response to a lawsuit from San Diego Comic-Con.{{cite news|title= Denver Comic Con will change its name to Denver Pop Culture Con for 2019|url= https://theknow.denverpost.com/2018/09/24/denver-comic-con-changes-name-to-denver-pop-culture-con/196185/ |publisher=Denver Post|first=John|last=Wenzel}}{{cite news|title= Why Denver Comic Con is Changing Its Name to Denver Pop Culture Con |url= https://www.westword.com/arts/denver-comic-con-changes-its-name-to-denver-pop-culture-con-10826797 |publisher=Westword|first=Teague|last=Bohlen}}

Pop Culture Classroom organized and ran the convention from 2012 to 2019. The event was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |title=Denver's Pop Culture Con Canceled For 2020 |url=https://denver.cbslocal.com/2020/06/01/denvers-pop-culture-con-canceled-2020/ |website=Denver CBS4 |access-date=2 June 2020 |date=1 June 2020}}

In March 2021, Fan Expo HQ acquired the convention from Pop Culture Classroom and renamed the event Fan Expo Denver. Pop Culture Classroom will remain a part of the event as its featured charity and by providing educational programs.

The convention includes celebrity panels, seminars with professional creators, actors, and artists, workshops with comic book professionals, and the Reel Heroes Independent Filmmakers Series. Elements of the convention floor include celebrity autographs, large areas like "Artist Valley" and "Celebrity Summit", comic book dealers and collectibles merchants, as well as fan-based organizations like the 501st Legion. Cosplayers are featured during the annual Cosplay Classic (formerly known as the "DCC Cosplay Shindig"), the Opening Ceremonies with acts and other surprises, and associated events have included the Four Color Mixer and a genre-themed concert traditionally held at the Hard Rock Cafe Denver.

Among the distinct tracks of programming, for instance, the convention focused on comics and media featuring or produced by Colorado-area comics creators, women, minorities and the LGBTQ Community.{{cite web|title=Denver Comic Con announces guests, diversity commitment|date=18 February 2014|url=http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2014/02/denver-comic-con-announces-guests-diversity-commitment/|access-date=20 February 2014|archive-date=27 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227201528/http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2014/02/denver-comic-con-announces-guests-diversity-commitment/|url-status=dead}} In 2014, the conventions's Comic Book Corral (CBC) and 8-Bit Lounge gave more than 9,000 students the chance to meet artists, create comic book-themed crafts, and get hands-on experience with everything from stop-motion animated shorts to professional makeup jobs.{{citation needed|date=August 2017}} In 2015, the Pop Culture Classroom Kids' Laboratory (PCC Kids' Lab) continued building on this success. Along with the usual mix of artist discussions, arts activities and exhibits, the PCC Lab featured activities focused around S.T.E.A.M. subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) and pop culture topics beyond comic books. They also expanded the 8-Bit Lounge to connect even more artists, educators and professionals with students ages 12–19.{{cite web|title=Kid's Lab|url=http://denvercomiccon.com/programming/kids-lab/|publisher=Denver Comic Con|access-date=2015-05-26}}

Since the inaugural 2012 event, Breckenridge Brewery has collaborated with the convention to brew and sell a specialty beer, with the name chosen by a fan contest.{{cite web|title=Breckenridge Brewery and Denver Comic Con will team up again on a superpowered beer|url=http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2013/02/breckenridge_brewery_denver_comic_con.php//|publisher=Westword|access-date=2013-04-25|archive-date=2013-05-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502051842/http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2013/02/breckenridge_brewery_denver_comic_con.php|url-status=dead}} The 2012 beer, an American wheat ale, was named, "The Fantastic Pour."{{cite web |last=Shikes |first=Jonathan |url=http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2012/06/fight_evil_with_the_fantastic_pour_a_denver_comic_conbreckenridge_brewery_beer.php |title=Fight evil with the Fantastic Pour, a Denver Comic Con/Breckenridge Brewery beer - Denver - Restaurants and Dining - Cafe Society |publisher=Blogs.westword.com |access-date=2013-04-15 |archive-date=2013-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328103248/http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2012/06/fight_evil_with_the_fantastic_pour_a_denver_comic_conbreckenridge_brewery_beer.php |url-status=dead }} The 2013 beer, a Belgian Wit brewed with Buddha's Hand fruit, was dubbed "The Caped Brewsader.{{cite news|url=http://blogs.denverpost.com/beer/tag/the-caped-brewsader/ |title=the caped brewsader - First Drafts |publisher=Denver Post}} The 2014 beer, an amber ale, was named "Brews Wayne."{{Cite web|url=http://www.breckbrew.com/blog/brews-wayne---the-official-2014-denver-comic-con-beer|title=Brews Wayne|website=www.breckbrew.com|access-date=2016-06-20|archive-date=2016-07-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701211244/http://www.breckbrew.com/blog/brews-wayne---the-official-2014-denver-comic-con-beer|url-status=dead}} In 2015, "Hulk's Mash", a pale ale brewed with mosaic hops and mango puree, was debuted. "Snape-ricot", an Apricot American Lager, was voted 2016's beer name, in honor of the late Alan Rickman.{{Cite web|url=https://www.porchdrinking.com/event/snapricot-release-party-stoneys-bar-grill/|title=Snapricot Release Party @ Stoney's Bar & Grill – PorchDrinking.com|website=PorchDrinking.com|language=en-US|access-date=2016-05-28}}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Aurora Rise, a non-profit group founded to provide financial support to victims of the 2012 Aurora, Colorado shooting, appeared at the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 conventions.{{cite news|title=Aurora Rise officially founded, will appear at Denver Comic Con|url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_23048277/aurora-rise-officially-founded-will-appear-at-denver//|publisher=Denver Post | first=Ryan|last=Parker}} In 2016, Denver Pridefest was partnered with the convention, and there was LGBT related content.{{Cite web |url=http://popcultureclassroom.org/2016/03/24/denver-comic-con-announces-partnership-with-pridefest-2016/ |title=Denver Comic Con Announces Partnership with PrideFest 2016 |access-date=2016-07-21 |archive-date=2016-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160712160259/http://popcultureclassroom.org/2016/03/24/denver-comic-con-announces-partnership-with-pridefest-2016/ |url-status=dead }}

In March 2013, the event was voted "Best Fan Convention"{{cite web|url=http://www.westword.com/bestof/2013/award/best-fan-convention-2345500/ |title=Denver Best Fan Convention - Denver Comic Con - Best Of Denver |publisher=Westword |date=2013-03-25 |access-date=2013-04-23}} by the editors of Westword, a local alternative press publication.

{{reflist}}

{{Commons and category|Denver Comic Con|Denver Comic Con}}

• {{official website|https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpodenver/}}

{{Informa}}

{{Multigenre conventions in North America}}

Category:2012 establishments in Colorado

Category:Comics conventions in the United States

Category:Multigenre conventions

Category:Recurring events established in 2012

Category:Conventions in Denver