This year’s LeakyCon is shaping up to be the most geeky and exciting yet with special guests including Harry Potter film actors, New York Times bestselling authors, and plenty of web video stars. Quickly become a catch all of fans’ favorite things, like Harry Potter, Doctor Who, the Whedonverse, The Hunger Games, and more, the four-day convention will run from June 27 – 30 in the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR.
The 4,000 expected attendees will enjoy both formal and informal programming such as live rock shows, panels, workshops, guest signings, talent and costume competitions and the Esther Earl Rocking Charity Ball. This event will be held on the final night of the convention in honor of Esther, an avid Harry Potter fan who lost her battle with cancer in August 2010. Performers for LeakyRock include Hank Green, Alex Carpenter, The Whomping Willows, and Harry and the Potters.
Among the Harry Potter celebrity guests are Devon Murray (Seamus Finnigan), Scarlett Byrne (Pansy Parkinson), and Ellie Darcy-Alden (Young Lily). Of course theatre troupe Team Starkid will be bringing their unique musical productions to the stage again at LeakyCon. This year they will be performing their entire catalogue of music from all three of their wildly popular Harry Potter spoofs. Confirmed performers include Brian Holden, Joe Walker, Joey Richter, and many more.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer alums Amber Benson and Tom Lenk as well as The Hunger Games’ Jackie Emerson (Foxface) and Rent’s Anthony Rapp (Mark Cohen) are also scheduled to appear. Fans of the hit modernized Pride & Prejudice web series, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, will be excited to learn that the cast and creators will be on hand including co-creator and Vlogbrother Hank Green.
A special two-day “conference within a conference” focusing on Children’s and Young Adult literature is scheduled as well. Known as LeakyLit, this event has authors like Maureen Johnson, Lev Grossman, David Levithan and more as confirmed guests.
This year marks a first for the fan convention, which began back in 2009. In addition to a stateside event, LeakyCon’s first international conference is set for August in London, England. In the past four years, LeakyCon has raised over $200,000 for various causes by working with organizations such as the Harry Potter Alliance, Friends in Deed, and This Star Won’t Go Out Foundation.
For more information about the convention, visit LeakyCon.com.
