Pensacon returns Friday for 11th annual pop culture convention

PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — Tens of thousands of people will pack the Pensacola Bay Center on Friday for an out-of-this-world experience at the 11th annual Pensacon.

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Set up has begun, and the countdown is on for the Gulf Coast’s premier pop culture convention.

“Pensacon itself is a community we really celebrate what we call the ‘fellowship of fandom,'” Pensacon Media and Guest Relations Director Julio Diaz said. “It’s all these people who have like-minded interests coming together meeting each other making new friends seeing friends you haven’t seen for the last year.”

The three-day convention will host vendors, fans, cosplayers in all types of costumes and celebrity guests.

An icon many will be looking to meet is Lou Ferrigno, who is best known as the Incredible Hulk.

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“I mean almost 50 years. It’s like three decades of fans,” Ferrigno said. “It feels great because I’m still here a lot of people have passed on.”

Ferrigno said the atmosphere at Pensacon is like no other.

“It’s something that gives you a happy feeling, it’s something that families are looking for,” Ferrigno said. “Especially this weekend, it’s gonna be packed, and I just love it.”

With the event attracting people from all over the country every year, it’s making a big economic impact in Pensacola.

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“If you look at the numbers that have been accumulated by Visit Pensacola over the years typically anywhere from $2 to $4 million economic impact each year of the convention,” Diaz said. “So we’re well over $26 million of economic impact to the community over the last 10 years at this point.”

The event will kick off with doors opening at 1 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

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