Con Nooga returns to Chattanooga Convention Center

Sci-Fi, Anime Convention hosts hundreds of pop culture enthusiasts

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — Chattanooga became Con Nooga once again, as hundreds of friends and families gathered inside to enjoy a day ripe with numerous events, amazing cosplays and most of all, fun.

Kent Keleman Jr., a fan of the convention, was glad to be back.

“Everybody’s so welcoming,” Keleman Jr. said. “You see so many different costumes and you see so many different environments and stuff like that. You have everybody from the anime convention, we have the furry fandom here. It’s just so awesome to see the creative minds you see here at Con Nooga.”

This year, Con Nooga celebrated its “Lucky 13” Anniversary, marking the event’s thirteenth year of celebrating all things pop culture.

Regardless of where visitors came from in Chattanooga, Tennessee, or even out of state, Con Nooga opened its doors to everyone, welcoming people from all walks of life to join in for the weekend.

“You feel welcome no matter which turn you take,” said Koda, one of several furries in attendance. “We’re all different people. Some of us work at factories, hospitals, office jobs, and this is our weekend to come and just be who we want to be or have a different kind of time and really express our interests in one unique way.”

A return to normalcy filled the convention hall.

And it wasn’t overlooked.

Con Nooga prides itself on being Chattanooga’s Con for everything fun.

But this year in particular, it was also a Con for togetherness.

Together was exactly where you could find Troy and Jessica Thompson, a married couple who cosplayed in Star Trek garb running their Spaceship Bridge Simulator at the Con.

“This game in particular, it’s getting together with people,” Thompson said. “The tagline is ‘turns your living room into a starship bridge.’ If there’s anything that’s been missing lately, it’s the living room feel of getting together with people again face-to-face. You’re maybe needing to wear a mask, but at least same room communicating and enjoying each other’s company. It’s been huge to get back into that. It’s been great.”

The convention runs through 4 a.m. Saturday morning and will resume with 9:30 a.m. pre-registration.

Tickets are $60 for the rest of the weekend, $50 for Saturday and $10 for Sunday.