More than 14,000 fans gathered at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City for BlerDCon Thrilla 2025, a celebration of Black nerd culture featuring comics, gaming, sci-fi, anime and more.
The event embraced diversity, welcoming attendees from all backgrounds, including LGBTQIA fans, people with disabilities and international guests. The highlight came when Janelle Monáe took the stage, declaring, “I’M HOME!” The Grammy-nominated artist led a panel marking the 15th anniversary of The ArchAndroid, unveiling a new creative expansion of the album’s universe with longtime collaborators Chuck Lightning and Chad Weatherford.
Fans enjoyed cosplay competitions, concerts, gaming tournaments, comedy shows, film screenings and outdoor entertainment. A Food Truck Alley with 23 vendors added to the experience.
BlerDCon founder Hilton George told ABC7, “We love creative nerds of every stripe. This is like a homecoming where we take the nerd space and superpose the Black experience over it.”
Entertainment sponsors revealed exclusive content, including:
- “Daredevil: Born Again” trailer – streaming now on Disney+
- “Novocaine” screening – in theaters March 14
- “A Working Man” trailer – streaming March 28
- World debut of “Iyanu” – airing April 5 on Cartoon Network, April 6 on Max
- “The Amateur” – in theaters April 11
At the Closing Ceremony, over 750 attendees got a sneak peek at BlerDCon 2026, themed “GeekNik Carz + Barz.” Tickets go on sale March 12, 2025.
BlerDCon continues to grow, offering a welcoming space for fans and pushing nerd culture forward. More details are available at BlerDCon.com and @BlerDCon on social media.
Photo Credit: SPINXX/VERBAL SLICK
