Hello all - today we have several major updates pertaining to Naka-Kon 2021. We are still on course to have an in-person convention during Labor Day weekend (September 3–5, 2021). There are several important details and changes regarding this event that we ask attendees to pay close attention to. Please note the information below is subject to change as we continue to monitor the pandemic.
- Registration and hotel room blocks will open next week on June 4, 2021 at 5PM CST.
- For those who rolled over your 2020 membership to 2021, we will be sending you formal roll-over confirmation in June.
- We will not be selling badges on-site. All badge purchases must be completed online before badge pickup, and we will only be selling full weekend badges.
- All badges will be sold at $30 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. For those attendees who rolled over their 2020 membership to 2021, we will refund the difference of what you paid and will be coordinating with you at a later date to complete that process.
- The convention will have an attendance cap to help maximize safety measures such as social distancing. The number is currently set at 2,500, but that number may be subject to change as local government and health departments update their health mandates and guidelines. If we do increase the cap, we anticipate it will not be by much.
- Face masks will be required for everyone regardless of age or medically-granted exceptions. Face masks must comply with CDC guidelines and must be worn at all times within the convention floor space except when eating or drinking at designated areas. Please review the entire mask policy.
- Currently, proof of vaccination will not be required for entry. We highly encourage those who plan to attend to receive the vaccine as soon as possible.
- Convention programming will only be held at the Overland Park Convention Center. No programming will be held at the Sheraton Hotel or overflow hotels.
- Convention hotel room blocks will be reduced, and we will not have the entire Sheraton hotel to ourselves due to other private events. For those who are planning to stay at the hotels, please keep this in mind and respect the other hotel guests who may not be part of the convention.
- Services such as shuttle buses and the Kon Suite will not be offered this year.
- Operations, Access Control, and Accessibility Services will be stationed at the Sheraton Hotel as in previous years.
- The programming scope will be reduced due to safety considerations and budget constraints. Events where it will be difficult to maintain social distancing, such as dances and concerts, will not be held. Some programming staples such as our screening rooms will not be available this year.
- Additional information on how you can support Naka-Kon will be shared in the coming weeks.
- We do plan to have Guests of Honor joining our convention, but the number will be much smaller compared to years past. We will not have any Guests of Honor from Japan visiting us this year. We hope to announce our domestic guests in early June.
- We will have the gaming floor area, but the number of consoles available for play will be reduced as we work on maximizing social distancing and sanitizing procedures.
- We will not be hosting a full scale cosplay contest this year. We will instead host an abridged on-the-floor showcase with a possible stage walk.
- We will have an Exhibit Hall with vendors, artists, and photo sets. We are currently not accepting new applications for 2021, as we are prioritizing the 2020 vendors and artists who chose to roll over to 2021. If we determine that we can add more vendors and artists, we will announce this change through our social media platforms and website when applications have opened.
- Fan panel submission forms will open next month.
- We will host our staple contest events such as AMV and Karaoke.
- We will be supplementing the convention with virtual programming and the virtual exhibit hall.
- We will be updating our website next week with an updated FAQ.
Thank you again for everyone's patience and understanding as we navigate through these unpredictable and challenging times. We regret that we will not be able to host a full-scale convention and offer the same services this year, but we look forward to meeting with everyone again. Our hope is that the Labor Day convention will be an enjoyable kick start event that we can work off of to get back to normal and build momentum towards Naka-Kon 2022.
