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Event Information
The Event
Welcome to The Great Con-Junctions Dark Crystal 40th Anniversary celebration! Set in fabulous Hollywood, with its rich film history and the home of The Jim Henson Company. This great location enables us to showcase puppets and props from the original movie and the Netflix TV series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
The event is a two day convention and evening celebration Party! For attractions at the convention click here.
Please see all the details below.
What date is the convention?
Saturday November 12th & Sunday November 13th, 2022
Main Convention
What are the opening hours?
Saturday 10:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday 10:30am - 6:00pm
The Venue
Hilton Universal City, 555 Universal Hollywood Dr, Universal City, CA 91608, United States
Getting here
By Air
Hollywood Burbank Airport/Bob Hope Airport: 6.00 miles
Los Angeles International Airport: 27.00 miles
John Wayne Airport/Orange County: 52.00 miles
By Road
Easy access to freeways - if you are not driving we recommend using Uber of Lyft. You can download the app on your smart phone and it's very easy to use.
Parking
Overnight Self - $35.00
Day Self - $16.00
Overnight Valet - $48.00
Day Valet - $24.00
Above prices are exclusive of Tax.
Is there disabled access?
Yes
Things to do nearby
Universal Studios: Next door - so 5 minute walk!
Dolby Theater: 4 miles
Griffith Observatory: 7 miles
Hollywood: 1 mile
Hollywood Bowl: 3 miles
Jim Henson lot: 5 miles
Warner Bros Studio tour: 3 miles
Paramount studios tour: 5 miles
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures: 8 Miles (some great Dark Crystal pieces in here)
Disney Center of Performing Arts:10 miles
Hotel
If you would like to stay at the venue hotel you can receive a 15% discount.
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Go to the website: www.hiltonuniversal.com
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Select check-in and check-out dates
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Click "add special rate codes"
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Input this code 3218468 in the box that says “Corporate Account”
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Click "Check Rooms & Rates"
Or, you may also contact their in-house reservations department at 818-623-1434 or +18186231434 if calling from outside the united states.
There are also plenty of other local hotels and very nice air bnbs to fit most budgets.
40th Anniversary Party Celebration
When is the Party?
Saturday November 12, 2022
What time does the party start?
7:00pm -11:00pm
Venue
The Jim Henson Company Lot, 1416 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States.
***Most of the Party will be outside in the Courtyard - please wrap up warm and bring layers!***
Parking
Parking at the Lot is only available for attendees that hold an Aughra or Thra pass. There are other parking lots within walking distance.
If this is your first time travelling to California or perhaps the United states and you would like to connect with other travelers then please use our Facebook group 'The Great Con-Junction Dark Crystal 40th Anniversary travel group' to network.
Tickets
What does my ticket get me?
Please see ticket page for the breakdown of what's included in each pass.
Do I have to buy tickets in advance?
Tickets are EXTREMELY limited and may sell out before the event date.
How are my tickets delivered?
All of our tickets are e-tickets from Eventbrite and will be sent to you via your chosen email address.
Do I need to print tickets?
Your ticket will need to be checked and scanned on entry. You will need to be able to print your ticket to bring to the event or display it on a compatible phone or tablet display.
I can no longer attend the Great Con-Junction, can I get a refund?
Yes- you can get a full refund up until 1st September and a partial refund until 1st October.
Are tickets transferable?
No - you cannot give or sell your ticket to another person. You may be asked for ID upon entry, if the name on the ticket does not match your ID you may be denied entry. This is not applicable for children under the age of 16 if accompanied by the lead booker.
Do I need to bring ID?
Yes, please bring photo ID as you may be asked to show this on entry, especially if you have purchased a high value ticket.
Vendors & Artists
If you are interested in an artist table or vendor booth please click here for more information.
Costume/Cosplay
Can I attend the event in costume/cosplay?
YES please! we actively encourage it, however you don't have to if you would rather not. Check out our gallery for inspiration.
Do you have any rules about costumes, weapons, and props?
This is a family friendly event so your costume must be appropriate i.e. no nudity etc. You are not permitted to bring real weapons, fake weapons will be checked by our staff. If we feel that your props could cause damage to another individual, then it will not be allowed into the event..
Will there be a Cosplay/ Creature competition?
Yes! There will be a competition on the Saturday & Sunday at the convention (not at the Party). You will be invited to come on stage and show off your costume & do a few lines or a 'bit' if you like.
Can I enter the competition on both days?
Yes you can, as long as you are wearing a completely different costume/cosplay. The judging criteria will be the same on both days.
How do I enter the Costume/Cosplay competition?
You will be able to register for the cosplay competition on the morning of the event between 10am-12pm on Saturday and between 10:30am -12pm on Sunday. You will be asked to give some basic details and asked a few questions about your creature/cosplay then you will be asked to pose for a few photos for pre-judging.
Will there be a prize?
Absolutely! In each competition there will be an overall winner who will get their hands on a WETA figure and 2 runner-up prizes.
Do I need to bring/show a portfolio for the competition?
No
Who will be judging the competition?
Our Saturday special guest judges include Halle Stanford, Peter Brooke & Warrick Brownlow-Pike.
Our Sunday special guest Judges include Lisa Henson, Toby Froud and Neil Sterenberg.
Creators/Builders/Puppeteers
Can I bring allow my own puppets/creations?
YES please! We would love to see your creations.
Will there be a Creature/Puppet competition?
Yes! There will be a competition for anyone that would like to enter their home-made creature or puppet. This will be judged by a member of the Jim Henson Creature shop & Toby Froud. You will be invited on stage for our showcase as part of the Cosplay competition above where you will be able to demonstrate your creation.
How do I enter the Creature/Puppet competition?
You will be able to register for this competition on the morning of the event, please see above as this is the same process as the Cosplay Competition.
Will there be a prize?
Absolutely! There will be an overall winner and runner up prize. We have lots of Dark Crystal goodies for our winners. More details announced soon.
Are there any other competitions to win prizes?
If you don't fancy dressing up, that's fine! You can buy a raffle ticket for $1 per ticket (or $5 for 10) and be entered into a draw to win some fantastic prizes. Raffle winners will be announced at roughly 4pm on Saturday and 5pm on Sunday. All raffle proceeds go to our partner charities.
Panel Talks & Workshops
Where will the Talks and Workshops take place?
Most of our talks and workshops will take place in the 'main stage' area. Please see schedule and map for details.
When will the Talks & Workshops take place?
There will be a number of talks & workshops throughout the event. Please see schedule here.
Can I take pictures or record in Talks & workshops?
We would love for you to take LOTS of photos and we encourage you to upload them to social media with the hashtags #thegreatconjunction and #darkcrystal40 but no filming or recording please. If you are found to be recording you will be asked to leave the event and not be permitted to come back in.
Special Guests
When will guests be announced?
We announce guests as soon as we have official confirmation. Guests can be announced at any point up to the day of an event. We announce special guests on our Facebook page first and then they are added to our website. Announced guests can be found here.
How do I meet the celebrity guests?
When a guest is not having a break, doing a talk, or a photoshoot they will be sat at their 'signing' table and you can approach them for an autograph, selfie or just a chat. If you are feeling a bit shy/don’t know what to say, just let one of our friendly crew know and they will be happy to chaperone you. Event schedule will be posted 2 weeks before the event.
Can I make a request/suggestion?
We are very happy to hear your requests and suggestions. You can either send us a message on Facebook or email us at info@thamescon.co.uk.
Please be aware that guests attend subject to work comments. If a guest has to cancel their appearance, we will announce this on our Facebook page and update it on this site as soon as we know.
Autographs & Photoshoots
How much is an autograph?
Autograph prices may vary for each guest. Autograph prices can be found on our guest page. If a guest doesn't have prices listed, that likely means they are signing for free in one of the allotted signing sessions. See schedule for those times.
Can I take a selfie with my favourite guest?
Most of our guests are happy for you to take selfies with them. Some will be charging for this. Prices available on our guest page.
How do I pay for Autographs and selfies?
You pay for these on the day at the guests signing table. Guests will mostly be accepting cash and some may also accept Paypal.
Professional photoshoot opportunities
These will take place in SALON 8 and can be purchased through the ticket link.
Creature Shop Tours
Who can go on the tour?
Thra and Aughra pass holders
When do these take place?
On Sunday November 13 at 9am and 10am. If you have a preference of what time tour you would like, please email contact@thegreatconjunction.com and we will try to accommodate.
What's the address?
The Creature Shop is located at 2827 Burton Ave, Burbank, CA 91504.
Is there Parking?
Yes, there is free parking at the creature shop.
Is there a transfer from the hotel?
We will not be able to provide transfers, but we would recommend taking an uber with another pass holders if you can. Feel free to use our travel group on Facebook to link up with other attendees.
Other FAQ's
Social Media
Our social media links can be found at the bottom of this page, we would love you to share your photos over the weekend on social media. Please tag us & the official Dark Crystal accounts and use the hashtags #thegreatconjunction & #darkcrystal40
Press
For all press enquiries please email info@thamescon.co.uk. Please note, we will not be giving out any press passes.
Is the event suitable for children?
Yes!
Can I bring my own food and drink?
You can bring your own drinks (non alcoholic) but not your own food. There will be free water dispensers located around the event- just bring your own bottle! We want to make sure you are hydrated!
What's for lunch?
We have tried to create a natural lunch break at around 1.15pm on Saturday and 1.30pm on Sunday. Food will be available throughout the day menu as follows.
Quick Grab and Go Concession Stand
Cadia’s Cobb Salad $21.75 +
Includes chips and soft drink
The Castle Salad (Chicken Caesar) $19.25+
Includes chips and soft drink
Shrookil Sandwich (Turkey) $21.75 +
Includes chips and soft drink
The Skeksis Special Smash Cheeseburger $21.00 +
Includes chips and soft drink
Ha’rar Hot Dog wrapped in Bacon $15.00 +
Includes chips and soft drink
Quick Bites at the Lobby Lounge
Crispy Chicken Wings $20 +
Chipotle Chicken Sandwich $24 +
Chicken Quesadillas with Fries $20 +
Pepperoni Flatbread $15+
The Outlaw Burger $28 +
Steak Nachos $25+
Any themed drinks?
The hotel have made these special cocktails for the event - available on Saturday and Sunday at the Lobby Lounge bar.
Drinks Menu
Skeksil’s Spicy Margarita $16 +
Tequila Blanco, Jalapeno, Fresh Lime Juice, Cointreau, Agave, Prickly
Pear Syrup, Tajin on rim
The Darkening $15 +
Kracken Rum, Ginger Beer, Lime Juice
Crystal Mojito $14 +
With a Blueberry Twist
Dark Crystal Delight $14 +
Champagne with a Blackberry Twist
Please ask the bartender for non-alcoholic alternatives.
Will there be Merchandise?
Yes! there will be plenty of merchandise including 40th anniversary exclusives.
Is there an ATM at the Convention venue?
Yes, there's an ATM machine and a currency exchange service at the property. Please note that the hotel ATM will charge for cash withdrawals.
Will debit/credit cards be accepted?
Most vendors will accept credit/debit card. For Autographs and selfie's, you will need to pay by cash. Some Guests may also accept Paypal. We highly recommend downloading the paypal app and set it up ready for payments.
Will I be filmed and photographed at the Convention/Party?
Potentially yes. Our Media team will be taking photos and filming throughout the weekend, and it is within the terms and conditions of your attendance that you may be filmed. If you do not want to be filmed or photographed, you must let one of our Media team know as soon as you get to the event.
Can I take my own videos and photographs on the convention floor?
Yes. Please do ask permission first from anyone you would like to video or photograph and respect their wishes if they decline. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #thegreatconjunction and #darkcrystal40 if you upload to social media.
Am I allowed to bring in professional photographic equipment?
No.