Flame Con, created by the LGBTQ non-profit Geeks OUT, has announced its fifth annual comic con, which will be taking place on August 17-18, 2019. After another record year of over 7,000 attendees in 2018, Flame Con will be returning to the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. Featuring hundreds of creators exhibiting queer-positive comics, arts, crafts, clothes and entertainment, Flame Con is open to all ages and will be free for all youths 21 years of age and under on Sunday, August 18.

“We are excited to be returning to Times Square for our fifth anniversary year. The amount of support we received after our move to Manhattan was overwhelming and we can’t wait to debut even more surprises with our anniversary,” said Steve Gianaca, Vice President of Geeks OUT and Flame Con Chair. “Flame Con means so much to us and to our community, we are constantly growing and excited to be bringing this back for another year.”

Last year, Flame Con was home to over 200 queer-oriented vendors alongside creators such as Noelle Stevenson (She-Ra), Steve Orlando (Supergirl) and more. This year, Flame Con is excited to welcome back one of last year’s guests, Jen Bartel (Blackbird).

“Flame Con is the most welcoming and inclusive convention I have ever had the privilege of attending,” said Bartel. “It’s a truly special two-day event that features a stunningly impressive lineup of creators from all backgrounds in a safe and comfortable environment. The energy is absolutely electric, and the staff goes above and beyond to take care of the exhibitors and attendees alike.”

Tickets for Flame Con will go on sale on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 via Eventbrite. Also worth noting, and new this year, is that there is now a lottery system in place for exhibitors, which also opens in January. All information about the convention can be found at the Flame Con website.

For a look at last year's convention, check out the 2018 Flame Con recap on Scoop.