Why San Diego Comic-Con Special Edition Is on Thanksgiving Weekend — and Why People Are Mad About It

Meredith Jacobs March 29, 2021, 2:15 pm

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2019 New York Comic Con Cosplay Portraits — NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 05: Cosplayers as Storm Troopers pose during New York Comic Con at the Javits Center on October 05, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Has it been a strange year due to COVID-19, including for in-person events? Yes, yes it has. Conventions have gone virtual, and that includes San Diego’s annual four-day extravaganza celebrating pop culture. It’s doing so again in 2021 (July 23-25) only this time with a bonus three-day in-person con set for Thanksgiving weekend (November 26-28).

To have the secondary event over a holiday weekend is a head-scratcher, and some on social media have been vocal about what they see as poor planning.

San Diego Comic-Con Announces In-Person Event for Thanksgiving Weekend

Here are just some of the comments from people who are not OK with the dates:

So they scheduled #SDCC on the same weekend as the first chance most families will (hopefully) be fully able to celebrate Thanksgiving in two years.

See you in 2022! https://t.co/5TUS26rOsQ

— Charles Soule (@CharlesSoule) March 28, 2021

Real time footage of me looking at this #SDCC announcement. pic.twitter.com/ex2vEoQB8w

— Annalise Ophelian (@Dr_Ophelian) March 28, 2021

I know everyone’s excited to get back to conventions, but SDCC rescheduling for Thanksgiving weekend seems like the wrong play to me. Thats a major family holiday, and one that SO many missed last year due to covid. I have to wonder how many creators/celebs will be there.

— The REAL Chris Grine! (@chrisgrine) March 28, 2021

But despite the backlash, organizers are so far sticking to the plan since the March 27 announcement of Comic-Con Special Edition.

Due to rescheduling for conventions and events during the year, there is “a very packed Convention Center calendar,” the organization explained in a statement. “When reviewing dates for an in-person event, it was clear that available meeting and exhibit space would limit our options. … As longtime fans ourselves, we have attended many conventions over that holiday weekend, opting to spend Thanksgiving day with family, and the rest of the weekend with friends and our families of choice.”

The statement goes on to say that they know that’s not “optimal for everyone” but that Comic-Con Special Edition isn’t supposed to be the same sort of “large gathering” as the usual July event.

The organizers also acknowledge that their plans may not even in the end be “feasible” and many details, including space accommodations, travel restrictions, capacity restrictions, and required safety protocols, are still up in the air.

And should it happen, not everyone, of course, is mad about it:

The #SDCC criticism is odd.

The #Thanksgiving Dates are super ideal as they’ll cut down on the huge crush of people: this is a major event & they can’t just throw open the doors.

This is a solid way to eliminate lots of people yet still open doors & ease nerds back in: Smart. https://t.co/VfLzNivfaV

— Sammy Younan -28- (@mypalsammy) March 29, 2021

Lots of people don’t seem happy about the #SDCC being held Thanksgiving weekend.

Is Thanksgiving really that huge a holiday that having a virtual Comicon would upset people? I guess it was never that big a deal, in my family. Come over. Eat. Fall asleep on the couch. The End.

— Mikey Wood (@MisterMikeyWood) March 29, 2021

Stay tuned for more details and remember, Comic Con lovers, the bonus convention is just that. You can have your fill in July, albeit virtually.