Meet the stars of your favorite flicks and play with LEGO bricks at these Knoxville expos

Devarrick Turner, Knoxville News Sentinel
·3 min read

Are you a massive “Lord of the Rings” fan or a master LEGO builder? Or maybe you just can’t wait until Halloween to embrace all things creepy. Whatever you fancy, a few conventions in Knoxville this summer might do the trick.

Reuniting iconic casts and delighting fandoms, Fanboy Expo has attracted more than 30,000 fans since starting in 2012. And this weekend's expo happens to be one of Tennessee’s biggest pop culture events, according to its website.

But that’s not where the convention fun ends, as BrickUniverse and CreepyCon will hold events here in August, to showcase unique LEGO creations and even zombies.

Fanboy Expo: July 7-9

Fanboy Expo, an annual pop culture convention, is returning to Knoxville with some fun cast reunions and celebrities for fans.

  • Highlights: Cast members from “The Lord of the Rings” film series, “Willy Wonka,” “Mama’s Family,” and “Cobra Kai” will attend the event at the Knoxville Convention Center.

  • Other special guests: Kevin Smith, Lee Majors (“The Six Million Dollar Man”), Holly Marie Combs (“Charmed”), Mindy Cohn (“The Facts of Life”), Marla Gibbs (“The Jeffersons”) and Kerr Smith (“Dawson’s Creek”). Several comic artists, voiceover actors and former WWE wrestlers also will make appearances.

  • Tickets: $25-$50 for daily general and event admission; $75 for full weekend general admission; $10-$25 for child admission. Many celebrities will charge a fee for autographs.

  • Location: Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley St.

  • More info: A full schedule is available at fanboyexpo.com/Knoxville. VIP and fan packages are available.

BrickUniverse: Aug. 12-13

LEGO fans of all ages can share their love for the iconic building blocks at the BrickUniverse Inspire Tour. The two-day event features new LEGO creations, exhibits, interactive displays, building zones, workshops and other activities.

  • Highlights: The Knoxville convention will honor LEGO master builder Kerry Woo with a building contest inspired by his motto: “Make something people love.” The Tennessee native died in June.

  • Prizes: Winners of the contest will receive two VIP tickets to BrickUniverse and a $100 LEGO gift card. The contest deadline is Aug. 11. Enter the contest at brickuniverse.com/contest.

  • Tickets: $12.99+ for general admission; $24.99+ for VIP admission. Tickets available at brickuniverse.com.

  • Location: World's Fair Exhibition Hall, 935 World’s Fair Park Drive

CreepyCon Halloween and Horror Convention: Aug. 25-27

It will be Halloween in August! The creepiest show in town comes to Knoxville for a three-day event. CreepyCon features stage and floor performances, contests, panels, workshops and vendors.

  • Guests include: “Cult of Dracula” author Rich Davis, actors Herb Duncanson and Jonny Brugh, the Fourman Brothers (“Paranormal Nightmare”) and more.

  • Contests: Attendees can participate in competitions such as a zombie beauty pageant, scream queen contest and creepy doll contest. Enter at creepycon.com/knoxville2023.

  • Tickets: $25 for a one-day pass; $45 for a three-day pass; $5 for a children’s pass; $150 for a VIP pass. Tickets available at creepycon.com/product/tickets.

  • Location: Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley St.

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. Twitter @dturner1208.

Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Fanboy Expo, CreepyCon and LEGO event set for Knoxville this summer