Tag: convention center

How an Adult Swim(s) into a Pirate Parrrty!

Is this how a pirate parrrties? If you’re at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024, the answer is yes!

The Adult Swim Pirate Parrrty on the Green is a big, happening offsite activation that the public can freely enjoy behind the San Diego Convention Center. It starts each day at 1 pm and goes late into the night until 10 pm, through Saturday.

I swam into the piratical fun this mid-afternoon after a practically nonexistent wait in line. The first 1000 people to enter each day get free merch. I missed that.

But I did get to observe lots of would-be pirates having a blast, peering into silly porthole peepholes, taking their aim at a dunk tank, climbing an inflatable shipwreck and into the jaws of an alien monster, seesawing on a shark, beanbag tossing into the mouth of an friendly alien, riding a dinosaur…

Um, a dinosaur among pirates? It’s Adult Swim. When Rick and Morty are present, anything weird is possible.

Later in the evening there would be entertainment (on Thursday, Battle For the Booty wrestling) plus raffle prizes and DJ laser sets. You know pirates can get pretty wild.

Find more details about the Adult Swim Pirate Parrrty on the Green by clicking here!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Crazy creative fun outside Comic-Con 2024!

It might seem like chaos. It is certainly a bit crazy. It’s what happens when thousands of creative, fun-loving people gather together all at once and have a big party. That’s what it’s like in downtown San Diego outside the convention center during San Diego Comic-Con!

There is cosplay–costume play–everywhere you turn. There are new movies, television shows, video games and more to explore with fun activations. There are new discoveries around every corner. There’s just a big crush of humanity, and everyone is smiling and having a good time. Adults can be a kid again and not worry what others think. Kids can dream and see the possibilities of human creativity.

I took loads of photos today. I’ve got lots of blog posts coming up, so stay tuned! But first let me share a bunch of semi-random shots taken today (Thursday) that give you a taste of the wonderfulness of Comic-Con 2024.

I promised to mention the smiling group that’s in the the next photo. They were out and about promoting Quirkies, which offers all sorts of cool merch. Thank you for the refrigerator magnets!

If you see this Rick and Morty truck, walk up to the passenger window and you’ll probably get a cool pin!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Thursday morning lines, cosplay at Comic-Con!

Star Wars cosplay at Comic-Con 2024 in San Diego.

Thursday morning, a couple hours before Comic-Con 2024 would open at the San Diego Convention Center, downtown was already buzzing with activity.

Fans were patiently waiting in lines for their favorite outdoor activation to open later in the morning. (One of the major offsite activations was just beginning to set up.) Plus, cosplay could be seen around the convention center, the Gaslamp Quarter, and elsewhere in the city!

Enjoy these photos from my Thursday morning walk outside Comic-Con…

An early Thursday morning line for Paramount+ offsite The Lodge.

The Star Trek and Dr. Who offsite Friendship is Universal still has work to do.

Unknown 9 Awakening statue appeared overnight, seemingly.

Unknown 9 Awakening video game graphics at Lou and Mickey’s.

Gobbling some breakfast near a vampire and a witch.

BoxLunch Collective setting up a canopy on MLK Promenade.

I wonder what’s in this box?

I hope the Bathroom Battlestation doesn’t roll away!

The Mr. Beast Labs toxic waste truck has finally arrived. I got a photo over the high fence.

Why aren’t these guys wearing hazmat suits?

Demon Slayer cosplay by the Hot Wheels truck!

Dragon Ball cosplay.

Waiting in line to board the Voodoo Ranger. Kinda early for beer, isn’t it?

IMDb Boat decked out for San Diego Comic-Con 2024.

I turned around for this quick photo.

Star Wars cosplay on the Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge.

Lots of fans were arriving from the hotel buses.

Walking along near the Gotham Ice truck.

Fans heading toward the San Diego Convention Center on early Thursday morning for Comic-Con 2024.

Star Wars cosplay. Very cool!

Donut Bar pop culture treats outside the Provisional on Fifth Avenue.

Star Trek cosplay.

Loki cosplay.

More cool Star Wars cosplay!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Pirates, cosplay, and San Diego Comic-Con fun!

The crazy good times at Comic-Con 2024 in San Diego have begun!

I took one final walk late this afternoon, a couple hours before the San Diego Convention Center would open its doors for Preview Night. And what did my camera capture?

Fun people! Creative activities! Cool sights in every conceivable direction!

And Comic-Con hasn’t even begun in earnest! I can’t wait for tomorrow!

Reporter for IGN prepares to go on camera in San Diego’s Gaslamp during Comic-Con 2024.

IT’SUGAR candy store in the Gaslamp has exclusive tokidoki merch for sale.

Crowds are growing in the Gaslamp near the San Diego Convention Center on the afternoon of Comic-Con Preview Night.

Dragon Tamer cosplay!

Batman nemesis Penguin has brought his Gotham Ice truck to San Diego. Uh, oh!

Banners on Harbor Drive indicate Heroes At Work.

Have a question about Comic-Con? Ask this friendly guy!

Here comes Tinker Bell!

Do you dare enter the Adult Swim Pirate Parrrty offsite? You have to pass through this gigantic skull!

It’s a pirate parrrty! And one heck of a big nose ring!

These pirates seem awfully civilized. What are they really up to?

These guys can spell A.V.A. FEST. They get a passing grade.

Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed cosplay! Very cool!

Fans are already exploring the Dragon Ball offsite.

Here’s the end of the line for Dragon Ball exclusives, I believe.

Hot Wheels is back again with their cool truck!

However, the Sharpie truck is stuck in Harbor Drive traffic.

Looking for a restroom? Watch for this sign!

Part of the Bathroom Battlestation under construction. Looks like he needs a laxative.

Cool artwork by a local artist along MLK Promenade.

I’m now back to Fifth Avenue looking at the Omni Hotel’s big FOX Animation Domination building wrap.

My goodness! These Borderlands Psychos seem to be everywhere!

I’ve seen this caricature artist in Balboa Park.

Gambit cosplay!

Batgirl cosplay!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Fun photos of a walk on Preview Night day.

A fierce dragon mural was the first thing I spotted on my Wednesday afternoon walk in downtown San Diego. It’s the day of Comic-Con 2024 Preview Night, and the action was picking up outside the San Diego Convention Center as you’ll see in my upcoming photographs.

That toothy dragon, by the way, was being installed in front of the Super7 shop, where they have a special Dungeons & Dragons theme this year.

Okay! On with the photos! Read the captions…

More graphics and activity inside the Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Café on Wednesday! Tomorrow Sonic himself will be making an appearance!

Fandom PARTY banner now hanging at the Hard Rock Hotel.

SpongeBob wasn’t squirting passersby…yet!

A peek over the fence of the Petco Park Interactive Zone. That’s one big hand!

The Petco Park Interactive Zone is taking form.

Many faces now appear behind FX.

The IMDb Boat’s big screen is active.

Balls now fill the A.V.A. FEST ball pit!

Lots of people are carrying swag bags as they walk about.

Photo ops everywhere, including at the Dragon Ball offsite.

Cool Comic-Con 2024 swag bag.

OMG! It’s Chucky!

The Bathroom Battlestation is being set up. Hopefully people don’t sit inside playing games on their phone for long. Other people have to go, too!

Barb’s Bashroom.

Looking down MLK Promenade past the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes offsite.

Star Wars rebel pilot and his super cool Star Cruiser poses for photos!

The Crow poses in Gaslamp Square with his own movie poster!

Moxxi’s Borderlands bar entrance has appeared at the Hard Rock Hotel.

A line has already formed for the Unknown Comics Pop Up Store.

Captain America must have been here!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Wednesday’s morning walk outside Comic-Con.

It’s Wednesday in San Diego. This evening thousands will converge on the San Diego Convention Center for Comic-Con 2024 Preview Night.

This morning during my walk around downtown everything was still relatively quiet. Most offsites for Comic-Con were still getting ready. Vendors and event participants could be seen trickling in toward the convention center through the Gaslamp Quarter and from nearby hotels.

I took these photographs during my walk…

Quiet on early Wednesday morning at the Those About to Die offsite in Gaslamp Square.

SpongeBob graphics now fill the Hard Rock Hotel! Check it out!

SpongeBob greets guests at the Hard Rock Hotel’s front desk!

The Petco Park Interactive Zone has more to go before it’s ready.

Before you know it, crowds will be visible everywhere around the San Diego Convention Center.

Hulu animated show graphics adorn the elevators at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront.

Bart Simpson is loose in the hotel!

The big FX offsite is quiet on Wednesday morning.

Adult Swim will be having a pirate parrrty on the green!

Do pirates and dinosaurs go together?

The IMDb Boat appears about ready.

The entrance to the long green Hulu animayhem tunnel.

It was early. Few people about.

I didn’t realize pirates could board ships so easily.

The A.V.A. FEST is looking ever more festive.

Blessed and Pressed.

The Dragon Ball offsite is looking just as cool as ever.

Setting up the transportation tent near Harbor Drive.

This will be the Bathroom Battlestation offsite, on First Avenue just north of Harbor Drive. The Mr. Beast Labs offsite is also supposed to be on this parking lot–where cars are still parked! Better get busy!

I love Peanuts. Two of their classic television specials in the window of their offsite activation along MLK Promenade.

The Subway sandwich sign spinners are ready on Fifth Avenue!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

More activations appear before Comic-Con!

More offsite activations are appearing in San Diego outside Comic-Con 2024, just a day before Preview Night!

The Petco Park Interactive Zone has finally begun to materialize, and a couple smaller activations have suddenly appeared along the boardwalk near the Omni Hotel. I saw as I walked along MLK Promenade that two offsites in particular are really taking form.

First, behind the San Diego Convention Center, the IMDb Boat has arrived and is getting itself decorated in time for the start of Comic-Con.

Now over to the parking lot near Petco Park, where activations are being built in the Interactive Zone. I learned the next two photos show construction of the Elden Ring offsite.

Nearby is another activation–I don’t know what.

You’ll be glad to know those concrete stairs leading to the Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge are finally being repaired today. Remember them from last year? I was told by a friendly city worker that the bridge will be open tomorrow in time for Preview Night. Good thing!

Walking from the Petco Park Interactive Zone past the ballpark, you’ll find this new Dexter activation. I was told people will walk through it.

Next along the walkway is a super fun SpongeBob activation. It squirts water, streaming like a sponge! Workers were testing it as I approached, and it suddenly squirted some delighted kids!

Walking along Martin Luther King, Jr. Promenade, I noticed some superheroes were being placed on their feet. Yes, the Marvel Contest of Champions big Ferris wheel has been setting up for several days, but I thought these photos would be fun.

Further along MLK Promenade, the Peanuts offsite has its exterior graphics ready. I saw workers through the windows getting everything inside ready. Next year will be the 75th anniversary of Peanuts. Might as well celebrate early!

Then, lastly, I saw how Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is getting its front entrance ready. Lots of junglelike foliage. (I’m afraid I’m the guy who made the lame “off the rails” joke. You’re not going to throw that net over me, are you?)

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Pirate ship arrives for San Diego Comic-Con!

This morning the Voodoo Ranger pirate ship arrived for Comic-Con 2024. It crept silently across the bay and pulled up to the dock behind the San Diego Convention Center. Unsuspecting citizens on shore were no doubt startled by the sudden arrival of the fierce marauders!

No, the crew wasn’t really that fierce. Because they were friendly members of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, and their supposed “pirate” ship was actually the seaworthy Spanish galleon replica San Salvador, one of the amazing ships in the collection of the world famous museum. San Salvador used its motor this morning, but it does sail.

Would you like to see photographs of the galleon San Salvador being built years ago in San Diego? Yes? Then click here!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Preparations outside Comic-Con: 2 days to go!

Preparations are well underway for all the activities outside the San Diego Convention Center during Comic-Con 2024!

I walked through San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, along MLK Promenade and around the convention center a couple times today, curious to see what all is going on. I took a bunch of photos! (You might notice I haven’t sharpened or edited them.)

First, The Penguin banners were going up along the trolley tracks across from the convention center…

There’s going to be an Unknown Comics Pop-Up Store in the Gaslamp.

Workers were getting The Lodge ready for Paramount+.

Batman: Caped Crusader posters pasted to a downtown San Diego wall.

The two Star Trek/Dr. Who offsite locations now have outside graphics.

Workers were adding superhero graphics to the Marvel Contest of Champions Ferris wheel.

The Marriott Marquis now has Dragon Ball graphics above the front entrance.

Workers were preparing the Dragon Ball offsite on the Marriott Marquis Marina Terrace.

Here I’m walking down the bayside boardwalk toward the Hilton.

Abbott Elementary’s A.V.A. FEST has added their big slide. Happy people will plunge into a ball pit.

Work is finally underway at Adult Swim’s offsite: the Pirate Parrrty!

Workers are putting up the big FX wrap on the Hilton promoting What We Do in the Shadows.

Peeking into the FX offsite. Looks like a topiary garden.

More photos of the FX activation at Comic-Con.

Peacock’s offsite in Gaslamp Square, recreating the ancient Roman stadium Circus Maximus, now has a handsome exterior.

Baja Rick’s at Gaslamp Square now has graphics promoting the Olympic Games on NBC.

IGN is getting their balcony at the Hard Rock Hotel ready. Watch for celebrities here!

Workers are finishing up the AMC building wraps on the Hilton Gaslamp.

Getting the Peanuts offsite ready on Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade.

Not sure what this will be for.

The entrance is being created for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, just beyond Peanuts.

San Diego is nearly ready for Comic-Con in 2024! Preview Night is in two days!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Big carnival rides pop up for Comic-Con!

A pair of big carnival rides have popped up outside Comic-Con in San Diego!

It’s several days now until Comic-Con 2024 commences, and today a big swing ride and a Ferris wheel are being installed for two different outside activities that will be open free to the public!

The YOYO swing ride that you see in the first photographs is part of the family friendly A.V.A. FEST offsite, which will also include a ball pit and water squirt game. The carnival-like activation promotes the ABC series Abbott Elementary.

You can join the fun starting Thursday behind the San Diego Convention Center. It will be hard to miss!

On the other side of the convention center you’ll be able to freely ride the Marvel Contest of Champions big Ferris wheel, also starting on Thursday. (To ride you must play an exclusive Marvel Contest of Champions quest on your phone.)

The Ferris wheel is located on the grassy side of the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter hotel, alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. Promenade. It will be hard to miss too!

Learn more about this activity here.

What fun!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!