The first dedicated convention for the adult Bluey fandom. Pilot event planning brief — 200–500 attendees, BlueyAdults primary, child-friendly secondary.
Run as an unofficial fan gathering. Use a fan-created event name (not "Bluey" as primary brand). No official logos. Focus on fan creativity, analysis, podcasts. Allow fan art vendors. No claims of official affiliation.
Contact BBC Studios Consumer Products before any announcement. Pitch a licensed fan convention. Requires licensing fee (likely $10K–$50K+, unverified), content restrictions, and approval on all materials.
Run Year 1 as a community fan event under a fan brand. Document everything. Use Year 1 data to pitch BBC Studios in Year 2: "We ran 400 people, here's the evidence, we want to do this officially."
10–15 vendor tables for fan artists and creators. This is standard fan convention practice. Vendor community also markets the event to their own followings — a free distribution channel.
This is a service layer for family-bringers, not the convention's identity. Design it so parents can drop kids off for 45 minutes while they attend a panel.
Mid-tier US cities with strong millennial parent demographics and established fan convention cultures offer lower venue costs while drawing regional attendees:
| Category | Low Est. | High Est. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue (full day) | $3,000 | $8,000 | Mid-tier US city, conference facility |
| AV and technical | $2,000 | $5,000 | PA, projector, mics — stream-optional |
| Event insurance (liability) | $500 | $1,500 | Required for any public event; verify with broker |
| Guest programming | $1,000 | $3,000 | Podcast host travel/honoraria; academics often attend free |
| Decor and theming | $1,000 | $3,000 | Bluey palette, signage, entrance experience |
| Marketing and promotion | $1,500 | $3,000 | Social ads, design, print materials |
| Badges, lanyards, programmes | $500 | $1,200 | Per-attendee print costs |
| Staffing and volunteers | $500 | $2,000 | Volunteer-primary; perks: free entry + exclusive badge |
| Platform and ticketing fees | $300 | $800 | Eventbrite or equivalent, ~3–5% of revenue |
| Legal/entity setup (one-time) | $500 | $1,500 | LLC formation if not already incorporated |
| Contingency (15%) | $1,700 | $4,200 | Non-negotiable buffer |
| Total | $12,500 | $33,200 | 🎯 Target working budget: $20,000–$25,000 |
GA: $45–55. VIP: $95–120 (early entry, reserved seating, exclusive badge). Family bundle: $85–110 for 2 adults + 1 child. BronyCon charged $40–55 at similar scale.
Fan artists pay to sell. Standard convention model. Vendors also market the event to their own followings — free distribution channel.
At $50 GA average and 12 vendor tables. Do not plan for under 300. The community exists and is hungry for this event.
Mitigate: Use a fan brand name, not Bluey, as primary identity. No official-looking merchandise. No affiliation claims. IP attorney consult before any public announcement (~$300–600). Fan conventions for major IP have operated for decades with rights-holder toleration when non-exploitative and focused on community.
Mitigate: Negotiate a break clause in the venue contract (60-day cancellation if ticket sales are below threshold). Pre-sell vendor tables before opening GA to lock in a revenue base. Build a wait-list model — scarcity drives early sales.
Mitigate: Confirm all speakers in writing with simple agreements. Identify backup programming for every major slot. Community itself fills gaps — open mics, spontaneous panels, community screenings are all zero-cost fallbacks.
Mitigate: The BlueyAdult community is extensively self-policing about inappropriate content (documented). Clear community guidelines in all communications. Designated family space with supervision. Standard code of conduct — visible in all event materials, enforced at registration.
Not a real risk. Bluey's Big Play (Encore 2026) is a 55-minute puppet show for families. Bluey's World is a Brisbane immersive experience. BlueyCon is a community identity event for adult fans. People who attend the Big Play are your target audience — they are underserved by that format. These are complementary, not competing.
The Bluey movie releases August 6, 2027. A 2026 pilot builds the community and proves the model. A 2027 event rides the biggest Bluey cultural moment since The Sign. That's an 18-month window — and the clock is already running.