Otakon® 2009 Unofficial Attendance Numbers
Baltimore, MD (July 19, 2009) – As of the close of the convention, the head of Otakon Registration announced an unofficial headcount of 26,350 members from picked up pre-registration and at-con registration. Usually, the difference between the unofficial numbers and the official confirmed headcount is a couple hundred members, according to Otakon officials.
This year, Otakon did not offer Sunday one-day memberships, which had boosted previous year's totals, notes Otakon president Matt Smiechowski. He added that, despite issues with the economy, Otakon saw moderate growth while many otherlarge-scale events that take place in the Baltimore Convention Center have faltered recently. "We can call Otakon a success," he said.
Last year's official count was 26,262.
ABOUT OTAKON AND OTAKORP, INC.: Now entering its sixteenth year, Otakon is an annual celebration of Japanese and East Asian popular culture, and also one of the largest gatherings of fans in the United States. Otakon celebrates popular culture as a gateway to deeper understanding of Asian culture, and has grown along with the enthusiasm for anime, manga, video games, and music from the Far East. Since 1999, Otakon has been held in Baltimore, Maryland; currently, Otakon is one of Baltimore's few large, city-wide events, drawing over 25,000 individual members for three days each year (for a paid attendance of over 70,000 "turnstile" attendees). Otakon is a membership-based convention sponsored by Otakorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based, 501(c)3 educational non-profit whose mission is to promote the appreciation of Asian culture, primarily through its media and entertainment. Otakorp, Inc. is directed by an all-volunteer, unpaid staff – we are run by fans, for fans.
For more information about Otakorp, Inc., see http://www.Otakon.com/otakorp/index.asp
For more information and the latest news on Otakon 2009, see http://www.Otakon.com/
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This year, Otakon did not offer Sunday one-day memberships, which had boosted previous year's totals, notes Otakon president Matt Smiechowski. He added that, despite issues with the economy, Otakon saw moderate growth while many otherlarge-scale events that take place in the Baltimore Convention Center have faltered recently. "We can call Otakon a success," he said.
Last year's official count was 26,262.
ABOUT OTAKON AND OTAKORP, INC.: Now entering its sixteenth year, Otakon is an annual celebration of Japanese and East Asian popular culture, and also one of the largest gatherings of fans in the United States. Otakon celebrates popular culture as a gateway to deeper understanding of Asian culture, and has grown along with the enthusiasm for anime, manga, video games, and music from the Far East. Since 1999, Otakon has been held in Baltimore, Maryland; currently, Otakon is one of Baltimore's few large, city-wide events, drawing over 25,000 individual members for three days each year (for a paid attendance of over 70,000 "turnstile" attendees). Otakon is a membership-based convention sponsored by Otakorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based, 501(c)3 educational non-profit whose mission is to promote the appreciation of Asian culture, primarily through its media and entertainment. Otakorp, Inc. is directed by an all-volunteer, unpaid staff – we are run by fans, for fans.
For more information about Otakorp, Inc., see http://www.Otakon.com/otakorp/index.asp
For more information and the latest news on Otakon 2009, see http://www.Otakon.com/
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