(New York) – Gareb Shamus, CEO of Wizard Entertainment, and owner of Big Apple Comic Con, the tri-state area’s largest pop culture festival, today announced this past weekend’s convention broke the event attendance record for Pier 94 in New York, putting a cap on a year of great growth. This sets the stage for a very strong 2010, which currently features events in five cities, including Toronto, Anaheim, Philadelphia, Chicago and the Big Apple.
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“The hyper-growth of Big Apple Comic Con’s turnout, in fans, media and celebrities, is a testament to the brand we have been cultivating for the past twenty years. Our Comic Cons consistently provide compelling events for the entire family,” said Shamus.
Over 600 media outlets from countries ranging from all over North America to the UK, Germany, South America and even Russia attended or covered the three days, as well as many major domestic television, print and radio outlets, including People magazine, the Wall Street Journal, Crains, AOL, National Public Radio, CBS, ABC, NBC, AP, Reuters, Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood, Variety and more.
The weekend featured over 500 exhibitors of brands ranging from Nintendo, Hasbro, LEGO, Warner Bros. and THQ displaying new products and conducting competitions and contests. More than 250 entertainment and sports celebrities…
The stars signed autographs, posed for photos, conducted seminars and met with fans, while hundreds of comic book illustrators and vendors also sold and signed original art and comic books. The weekend also featured a full evening lineup, with performances by Grammy Award-winning artists Naughty By Nature (Friday night) and Taylor Dayne (Saturday night).
The full slate of weekend activities as well as photos and links to media coverage can be found at www.wizardworld.com.
About Wizard Entertainment
Gareb Shamus founded Wizard Entertainment in 1991. Today, Wizard Entertainment publishes consumer magazines Wizard, ToyFare, FunFare, and numerous books about pop-culture's top talent, comic books and toys. Gareb produces Big Apple Comic Con at Pier 94, Toronto Comic Con at the Direct Energy Centre, March 26-28, 2010; Anaheim Comic Con at the Anaheim Convention Center, April 16-18, 2010; Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con at the Philadelphia Convention Center June 11-13, 2010; Chicago Comic Con at the Donald E. Stephens (Rosemont) Convention Center, August 12-15, 2010; and Big Apple Comic Con at Pier 94, October 7-10, 2010.
Contacts:
April Wiggins
Marketing Manager
Wizard Entertainment
(p)212.938.3482
awiggins@wizardent.com
Jerry Milani
gbpackjerry@
(p) 917.797.5663
