Yama-Con

Last updated
Yama-Con
StatusActive
Genre Anime, Japanese culture [1]
VenueLeConte Center at Pigeon Forge
Location(s) Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated2012
Attendance2,600 in 2014 [2]
Organized byMCA Entertainment Group [3]
Website http://www.yamacon.org/

Yama-Con is an annual three-day anime convention with multigenre elements held during November/December at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. [1] [4] Yama-Con's name comes from the Japanese word for mountain, "Yama." [4]

Contents

Programming

The convention typically offers an Artists' Alley, ball, concerts, costume contests, dances, exhibits, game rooms, gaming tournaments, karaoke, Maid/Butler Cafe, replicas, vendor space, and workshops. [1] [4] [5] [6] The 2015 and 2016 charity auction benefited Pets Without Parents, and in 2015 raised $2,800. [6]

History

The first event at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center in 2012 was held in December due to the month having few other conventions. [5] Yama-Con used hotel rooms for their Video Gaming areas and tents for event space in 2013. [7] Complaints occurred due to the use of tents in the cold and wet weather. [7] The convention moved to the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge in 2014 due to outgrowing its old space. [1] [4] Yama-Con located its programming for adults 18 and up at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center in 2016. [6] Yama-Con 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [8] [9] The convention had a dress code for 2021. [10]

Event history

DatesLocationAtten.Guests
December 8-9, 2012Smoky Mountain Convention Center
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
1,215 [11] Johnny Yong Bosch, Jo Envel, Eyeshine, James "Doodle" Lyle, The Man Power, Hushicho Phoenix, Scott West, [11] Robert Axelrod, Divided We Stand, Larry Mainland, Jim O'Rear, Paul St. Peter, Hushicho Phoenix, Mark Poole, Andy Price, and Sonya Thompson. [5]
December 6-8, 2013Smoky Mountain Convention Center
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
1,725 [12] Manda Bear, Martin Billany, Johnny Yong Bosch, Dr3amland, Jo Envel, Eyeshine, Gavin Goszka, James "Doodle" Lyle, Larry Mainland, The Man Power, Mike McFarland, Jim O'Rear, Project: Leviathan, Sean Schemmel, Paul St. Peter, Sonny Strait, Sonya Thompson, Scott West, Greg Wicker, [12] Cosplay Kasterborous, Tom Nguyen, and Jamie Tyndall. [7]
December 5-7, 2014LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
2,600 [2] Patricia Alice Albrecht, Linda Ballantyne, Martin Billany, Johnny Yong Bosch, Stephanie Celeste, Chalk Twins, Lucien Dodge, Eyeshine, Katie Griffin, Erik Hodson, Kazha, Laugh Out Loud, James "Doodle" Lyle, Larry Mainland, Shawn McCauley, Erica Mendez, Tom Nguyen, PikaFreakRachel, Toby Proctor, Susan Roman, Stephen J. Semones, Sonya Thompson, Vedetta Marie, Scott West, and Greg Wicker. [2]
December 4-6, 2015LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Johnny Yong Bosch, Chalk Twins, Cosplay, Inc., Eyeshine, Chuck Huber, James "Doodle" Lyle, Shawn McCauley, PikaFreakRachel, Christopher Sabat, Stephen J. Semones, Ian Sinclair, The Slants, Paul St. Peter, Eric Vale, and Scott West. [13]
December 2-4, 2016LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Robert Axelrod, Johnny Yong Bosch, Chalk Twins, Charlet Chung, Eyeshine, Barbara Goodson, Kyle Hebert, James "Doodle" Lyle, Larry Mainland, Professor Shyguy, Stephen J. Semones, Seraphina, Paul St. Peter, Eric Stuart, Sonya Thompson, David Vincent, Vitamin H Productions, and Scott West. [14]
December 1-3, 2017LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Johnny Yong Bosch, Chalk Twins, Leah Clark, Cosplay, Inc., Cynthia Cranz, Eyeshine, Ghostbusters, Aki Glancy, Todd Haberkorn, Haiden Hazard, Chuck Huber, Kazha, James "Doodle" Lyle, Larry Mainland, Shawn McCauley, PikaFreakRachel, Derek Stephen Prince, Professor Shyguy, Stephen J. Semones, Paul St. Peter, Sonya Thompson, Vitamin H Productions, Vocamerica, and Scott West. [15]
November 30 - December 2, 2018LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Johnny Yong Bosch, Cherami Leigh, Larry Mainland, Josh Martin, Vic Mignogna, Bryce Papenbrook, Professor Shyguy, Chris Rager, Paul St. Peter, Tokyo Attack!, and Vitamin H Productions. [16]
December 6-9, 2019LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Morgan Berry, Beau Billingslea, Steve Blum, Johnny Yong Bosch, Caitlin Glass, Wendee Lee, Paul St. Peter, J. Michael Tatum, and Christopher Wehkamp. [17]
December 10-12, 2021LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Johnny Yong Bosch, Mike McFarland, Bryce Papenbrook, John Swasey, Abby Trott, and Mark Whitten. [18]
December 9-11, 2022LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Johnny Yong Bosch, Griffin Burns, Chalk Twins, Kazha, Keith Silverstein, Paul St. Peter, Cristina Vee, Vitamin H Productions, and Linda Young. [19]
December 8-10, 2023LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Zach Aguilar, Johnny Yong Bosch, Chalk Twins, Aaron Dismuke, Erika Harlacher, Kazha, Bryce Papenbrook, Michelle Ruff, Paul St. Peter, and Catherine Sutherland. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sevier County, Tennessee</span> County in Tennessee, United States

Sevier County is a county of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 98,380. Its county seat and largest city is Sevierville. Sevier County comprises the Sevierville, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Knoxville-Morristown-Sevierville, TN Combined Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gatlinburg, Tennessee</span> City in Tennessee, United States

Gatlinburg is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee. It is located 39 miles (63 km) southeast of Knoxville and had a population of 3,944 at the 2010 Census and a U.S. Census population of 3,577 in 2020. It is a popular vacation resort, as it rests on the border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park along U.S. Route 441, which connects to Cherokee, North Carolina, on the southeast side of the national park. Prior to incorporation, the town was known as White Oak Flats, or simply White Oak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pigeon Forge, Tennessee</span> City in Tennessee, United States

Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 6,343. Situated just 5 miles (8 km) north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pigeon Forge is a tourist destination that caters primarily to Southern culture and country music fans. The city's attractions include Dollywood and Dollywood's Splash Country as well as numerous gift shops, outlet malls, amusement rides, and musical theaters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foothills Parkway</span> National parkway in Tennessee

The Foothills Parkway is a national parkway which traverses the foothills of the northern Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee, located in the southeastern United States. The 72.1-mile (114 km) parkway will connect U.S. Route 129 along the Little Tennessee River in the west with Interstate 40 (I-40) along the Pigeon River in the east.

The Great Smoky Mountains Parkway is a highway that travels 23.4 miles (37.7 km) between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Interstate 40 (I-40) in Kodak, Tennessee, in East Tennessee. It serves as the main thoroughfare for Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville, and includes a 4.3-mile (6.9 km) spur of the Foothills Parkway. It is composed of sections of a number of numbered highways, including U.S. Route 441 (US 441) and US 321 and State Route 66 (SR 66) and SR 448.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nekocon</span> Anime convention held in Hampton, Virginia

Nekocon is an annual three-day anime convention held traditionally on the first weekend in November at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, Virginia. It is Virginia's oldest anime convention. The convention's name comes from the Japanese word neko, meaning "cat".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sakura-Con</span> Anime convention in Seattle, Washington

Sakura-Con is an annual three-day anime convention held during March or April at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, Washington. The convention, which is traditionally held over Easter weekend, is the largest anime convention in the Northwest. It is organized by the volunteer Asia-Northwest Cultural Education Association (ANCEA).

MomoCon is a fan convention held in March or May in Atlanta, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tekko (convention)</span> Anime convention in Pittsburgh

Tekko is an annual four-day anime convention held during July at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The convention has been held in various locations around the Pittsburgh metropolitan area and is run by a non-profit organization, the Pittsburgh Japanese Culture Society (PJCS). Tekkoshocon's name was a blend of the Japanese word tekkosho, meaning steel mill, and adapting the suffix "-con", which is a common nomenclature archetype among such conventions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumoricon</span>

Kumoricon is an annual three-day anime convention held during October or November at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. The name of the convention comes from the Japanese word Kumori (曇り), meaning cloudy. Kumoricon is run by a volunteer staff and was previously held in Vancouver, Washington at the Hilton Vancouver Washington/Red Lion Vancouver at the Quay.

Youmacon is an annual four-day anime convention held during November at Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Youmacon's creation was inspired by other conventions including Anime Central and Ohayocon, with the convention's name coming from the Japanese word for demon or ghost. Founded by Morgan Kollin in 2005, it is the largest anime/gaming convention in Michigan. Midwest Media Expo was the convention's sister event.

Oni-Con is an annual three-day anime convention held during October/November at the Galvestion Island Convention Center at The San Luis Resort in Galveston, Texas. The name of the convention comes from, "oni", the Japanese word for "demon/ogre".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohayocon</span> Annual anime convention in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.

Ohayocon is a three-day anime convention typically held during January in Columbus, Ohio, at the Hyatt Regency Columbus and the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Ohayocon's name is derived from the similarity between "Ohio", the convention's location, and Ohayou (おはよう), which means "good morning" in Japanese.

Adventure Con was a for-profit media expo with a science fiction and comic theme held annually in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Zenkaikon is a multi-genre convention held during spring at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The convention was formerly based around King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Zenkaikon's name is a portmanteau of Zentrancon and Kosaikon, created when they merged in 2006. The convention has an all-volunteer staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anime Milwaukee</span> Anime convention in Wisconsin, US

Anime Milwaukee (AMKE) is an annual three-day anime convention held during February at the Baird Center and Hilton Milwaukee City Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is Wisconsin's largest anime convention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AnimeNEXT</span> Anime convention in Edison, New Jersey

AnimeNEXT (AN) is an annual three-day anime convention held at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, New Jersey. The convention was previously held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey, the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset, New Jersey, and the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollywood Wax Museum Pigeon Forge</span> Wax museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

The Hollywood Wax Museum is a two-story wax museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It features replicas of celebrities in film, television and music. The Tennessee museum was originally located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

The Music of East Tennessee has a rich history, and played a major role in the development of modern country and bluegrass music. Bristol, known as "the birthplace of country music",, and Johnson City, notable for the Johnson City recording sessions, are both towns in the Tri-Cities region of East Tennessee. The music of East Tennessee is defined by country, gospel, and bluegrass artists, and has roots in Appalachian folk music.

Kitsune Kon is an annual three-day anime convention held during July at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Old, Jake (December 4, 2014). "Pigeon Forge hosts anime convention". The Mountain Press. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Yama-Con 2014 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  3. Cardon, Dustin (7 January 2022). "ABC Winterfest Remix, Fans Lead Anime Convention in Southaven". Mississippi Free Press. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "'Nerds, Gamers, Geeks, Otaku' taking over LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge". Knoxville Daily Sun. December 3, 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 Boyd, Kelvin Ray (December 1, 2012). "Yama-Con premiers in Pigeon Forge". The Daily Times. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 Jones, Maggie (November 25, 2016). "Yama-Con, Pigeon Forge anime convention, to celebrate geek culture". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 McNeil, Sheena (January 13, 2014). "The Con that Suffered Yama-Con 2013". Sequential Tart. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  8. "Yama-Con 2020 - Postponed till 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic". Yama-Con Anime & Comic Convention. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  9. "Yama-Con 2020 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  10. ""Demon Slayer," "Fire Emblem" and "Attack on Titan" voice actors to appear at Pigeon Forge anime convention". WBIR. December 10, 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Yama-Con 2012 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  12. 1 2 "Yama-Con 2013 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  13. "Yama-Con 2015 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  14. "Yama-Con 2016 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  15. "Yama-Con 2017 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
  16. "Yama-Con 2018 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2019-11-18.}
  17. "Yama-Con 2019 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  18. "Yama-Con 2021 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  19. "Yama-Con 2022 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
  20. "Yama-Con 2023 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2024-01-01.

35°47′51.3″N83°33′43″W / 35.797583°N 83.56194°W / 35.797583; -83.56194