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Meet John Schneider at Retro Con 2023!
*Ahem*… we’ve been holding onto this for a special occasion… “YEEEEEHAAAW!!!”
The Dukes trio is now complete! Please welcome the one and only JOHN SCHNEIDER to Retro Con 2023!!
John first shot to stardom when he played Beauregard “Bo” Duke on the 80’s smash hit tv show The Dukes of Hazzard! The primary driver of the General Lee (and typically the one known for taking the General off most of its legendary jumps!), Bo was also the more impulsive one between himself and his cousin Luke, and usually the one to get the two of them into trouble. *cue colorful Waylon Jennings commercial break narration*
John found himself on another huge tv hit when he was cast as Jonathan Kent on the mega-popular show Smallville in the 2000’s! More than just a “support” and moral compass character on the show, Jonathan was also a major part of the action for several seasons! The fan-favorite series helped make John popular with a whole new generation of fans.
John Schneider joins fellow Dukes castmates Tom Wopat and Catherine Bach at our Dukes of Hazzard reunion! We’re told this is the first time these three have been at the same event in the Philadelphia area, so now’s your chance to get your Dukes merch signed by all three stars in one place! And that place is Retro Con 2023, September 9th & 10th at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA!!
Meet Daisy Duke herself, Catherine Bach, at Retro Con 2023!
Not many can say they have an article of clothing named after one of their characters! We are thrilled to welcome Catherine Bach to our guest list for Retro Con 2023!!
Catherine is of course best known for playing Daisy Duke on the smash-hit 80’s tv show The Dukes of Hazzard! A feisty Southern Belle, Daisy could hold her own alongside cousins Bo and Luke, with experience in sharpshooting, horseback riding, bow and arrow, mechanics, and even fisticuffs!
The show quickly turned Catherine Bach into a household name, and the character of Daisy Duke into a pop culture icon! Catherine famously posed as Daisy for a wall poster that sold 5 million copies, and she spawned a fashion craze in the early ’80s when cut-off denim short-shorts became known as “Daisy Dukes”!
Catherine has also enjoyed a long stay on the popular daytime drama The Young and the Restless, where she plays scheming con artist Anita Lawson!
Catherine Bach joins fellow Dukes of Hazzard castmate Tom Wopat at Retro Con 2023, September 9th & 10th at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA!
Meet Tom Wopat at Retro Con 2023!
Cue that Waylon Jennings theme song, because we’re bringing a bit of Hazzard County to Oaks, Pennsylvania! Please welcome to Retro Con 2023, actor and singer Tom Wopat!!
Tom Wopat will forever be remembered as strapping, plaid shirt-wearing good ol’ boy Luke Duke on the smash hit 80’s action/comedy tv series The Dukes of Hazzard! Running from 1979 to 1985, the show was one of the very most popular series of the era, and still has a ridiculously large fanbase to this day. Beats all you never saw! Considered to be the more cool-headed cousin, Luke was the one that usually got he and Bo out of hot water, and his signature “hood slide” across the General Lee was one of the show’s most memorable hallmarks!
After Dukes ended, Tom successfully refocused his talent as a recording artist, writing and performing music in the genres of country, rock and roll, and classic pop. He also became a leading man of Broadway, and continues to act in tv and movies to this day. Shows and movies you can find him in include Home Improvement, Smallville (reuniting with his Dukes co-star John Schneider!), All My Children, Jonah Hex, Django Unchained, Longmire, The Blacklist, and many more!
Don’t miss your chance to meet Tom Wopat at Retro Con 2023, September 9th & 10th at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA!
Cybertronic Spree with Stan Bush Concert Tickets Now On Sale!
The ultimate combiner team of rock has been formed, and they’re ready to unleash their power on Oaks, Pennsylvania!
Tickets are NOW AVAILABLE to see The Cybertronic Spree live in concert- with special guest the legendary Stan Bush!!
Venue:
Arnold’s at the Factory in Oaks
(Water Tower section)
2200 West Dr
Oaks, PA 19456
Website: http://arnoldsffc.com/
Concert Date: Saturday, September 9th
Concert start time: 8pm
**Please arrive between 7pm and 8pm for concert check-in**
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**CONCERT TICKETS SOLD OUT!!**
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Please read concert details in full:
You DO NOT need to pre-register for (or even attend) Retro Con itself to buy tickets for the concert. But likewise, purchasing a concert ticket does not grant you access into Retro Con. These are separate events.
These are considered “Will Call” tickets, which means physical tickets will NOT be mailed to you (we will email you manually to let you know we received your purchase). Please bring along your ID or a print-out/screen cap of your Paypal transaction receipt. Our staff will use it to check you in at Arnold’s.
Tickets are NON-REFUNDABLE. However, in the unlikely event the concert is cancelled, full refunds will be given.
Please note you should enter through The Water Tower entrance at Arnold’s Family Fun Center, which is just to the right of the main entrance at Arnold’s (look for the blue awning). Arnold’s itself is located directly next door to The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks.
The concert start time is 8pm, though you can arrive for concert check-in any time after 7pm. But feel free to get to Arnold’s Family Fun Center early! They have a numerous fun activities such as go-carts, mini golf, lasertag, arcade games, bowling, eats, and much more!
The concert will run about one hour and fifteen minutes. Maybe longer if you charge up the band with your positive energy!!
Attendees can purchase band-related t-shirts and other merch at the venue before the show if you want to watch the concert in style! Time permitting, the band and Stan Bush will also be available for a meet/greet immediately after the concert. But to ensure you get the full band experience (and first crack at their merchandise), please come to Retro Con on Saturday morning! Stan Bush will be at Retro Con on Sunday as well.
Please note that this is a General Admission/Standing Room Only concert. This means that there will be no chairs in the main audience section, and there will be no assigned positions. The staff at Arnold’s will of course do their best to accommodate attendees with disabilities.
There is a full bar in the venue, where attendees 21 and older can purchase drinks.
There are no age restrictions at this event, though all ages require a concert ticket. We do not recommend bringing very young children to this event, as it is a rock concert played at full volume. Please also keep in mind the concert will be held in a bar setting.
We want to keep this event fun and safe for everyone! Anyone found to be disorderly will be asked to leave without refund.
If you need to make a name change on your ticket reservation, please drop us a line at screamers85@gmail.com!
We will NOT allow ticket scalping or hoarding of any kind! We compile the concert attendee list ourselves, and reserve the right to cancel any sale that raises red flags for us.
Missed our original announcement about the Cybertronic Spree and Stan Bush? Read all about them HERE and HERE!
A big thanks once again to Tommy & the Order of Cosmic Champions, who are sponsoring Stan Bush’s appearance at Retro Con and this concert!
Mark Watts Gallery at Retro Con 2023
We’re pleased to announce the return of artist Mark Watts for Retro Con 2023!
Mark is the man responsible for the brilliant artwork used on the boxes of the original G1 Transformers toy line! He created over 45 commissioned paintings for Hasbro between the mid 80’s and early 90’s, most used directly on the packaging of the product. His dynamic art style set the trend that other artists would emulate for other characters in the line.
Some of the iconic characters he illustrated include Shockwave, Jetfire, the Constructicons, Devastator, Predaking, Menasor, the original Minibots, and dozens more! He also did several paintings used for Transformers mail-away offers, such as Reflector, the “Time Warrior” Autobot watch, and the Omnibots. He’s also produced art for other toys such as Tyco’s Crash Test Dummies, and Matchbox’s “Cargantua” robotic car carrier!
Check out Mark’s booth in the guest section where he’ll be displaying his artwork and offering prints for sale! He had a great time meeting attendees in past years. He loved hearing stories of how fans would cut his artwork out of the toy packaging as kids and tape it to their walls as room decoration!
Check out Mark’s website: markwattsstudios.com
Retro Gaming at Retro Con 2023!
The Game Is Afoot Arcade will once again be bringing retro arcade action to Retro Con! In addition to dedicated arcade cabinets, they’ll also be bringing in their “multicades” featuring thousands of titles to choose from. No matter what your favorite era of video games is, they’ll have you covered!
No need for quarters or tokens… all cabinets at Retro Con will be set to FREE PLAY!
Meet Singer Stan Bush at Retro Con 2023!
**Guest Appearance plus Concert Performance!!**
He’s got the touch! He’s got the power! YEAH!! Please welcome Emmy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and musician Stan Bush to Retro Con 2023!
Stan Bush is best known for his iconic song “The Touch”, heard prominently during Optimus Prime’s epic last stand in the classic 1986 animated film ‘Transformers: The Movie’! An anthem for Transformers fans around the world, The Touch has been used in several TF productions over the years, and also featured on ABC’s The Goldbergs, NBC’s Chuck, FOX’s American Dad, Guitar Hero: World Tour, Saints Row IV, Shadow Warrior 2, the movie Boogie Nights, and many more!
Stan also collaborated with Vince DiCola for the song “Dare”, another standout track from the Transformers movie. You can also hear Stan’s song “Hearts vs. Heads” in the turbocharged film The Wraith (1986), “Never Surrender” in the Jean-Claude Van Damme cult classic Kickboxer (1989), “Warrior” in the video game Shadow Warrior 2, “She’s Got the Power” in DiC Entertainment’s english dub of Sailor Moon, and his song “Capture the Dream” was used as the official anthem of the US Swim Team at the 1996 Summer Olympics!
Stan will be a featured guest at Retro Con both Saturday and Sunday, so stop by his table in the guest section to say hi. Bring along your copy of the Transformers movie soundtrack on LP, cassette, or CD to get signed!
And as teased earlier, Stan will be taking the stage with the Cybertronic Spree for our Saturday night concert!! Being held at ‘Arnold’s at the Factory’ in Oaks, Stan will be singing Dare and The Touch with the band as back-up, as well as one or two more surprises! This team-up has never happened before, so don’t miss this chance to witness history!! Concert tickets go on sale next month!
Stan Bush’s trip to Retro Con is being sponsored by the generous folks over at Tommy & the Order of Cosmic Champions! We thank them for coming to us with the idea of bringing Stan to the show, and for their part in helping make this amazing crossover event a reality! Please check out their website! It’s a book and a multimedia experience. Their soundtrack even includes a brand new song by Stan Bush himself!
The Cybertronic Spree at Retro Con 2023! With Secret Guest Star!
A legendary event is in the making…
The bots with the power of rock are returning, and THIS year they’ll have some serious back-up! Please welcome to Retro Con 2023… The Cybertronic Spree!!
Join Hotrod, Arcee, Rumble, Unicron, Soundwave, Bumblebee, Shockwave, and all 5 faces of the Quintesson as they prove they’ve got the power to light your darkest hour! These rockstars in disguise play music from Transformers: The Movie (1986), plus songs from hit movies & tv shows, cartoons, classic rock, video games, as well as their own original tunes. They blend their love for 80’s and 90’s pop culture into an energon-fueled, unforgettable live show that just might transform you back into a kid again!
The Cybertronic Spree will be attending Retro Con early on Saturday (September 9th) as convention guests, where fans can meet the band and pick up band-related merchandise. Tentative times are 10am to 1pm.
And like usual, the Spree will be performing a LIVE CONCERT on Saturday night at 8pm at the nearby ‘Arnold’s at the Factory’ in Oaks. Tickets go on sale in May!
But UNLIKE usual, this year they’ll be joined on stage by a SECRET GUEST PERFORMER! Who’s the secret guest?? Find out in a future Retro Con announcement! Your only hint is that this person has never performed with the band previously. *activates the rumor mill*
No worries, CS purists! This will absolutely be a Cybertronic Spree concert! They’ll just have a special guest joining them for a few select tracks. Believe us, this will be “relevant to your interests”…
We won’t leave you hanging for long. Stay tuned for a follow-up post next week!! Or in the words of a Transformers cartoon two-parter: TO BE CONTINUED…
Meet Kathy Garver at Retro Con 2023!
Spider Friends… GO FOR IT!!!
Please welcome to Retro Con 2023, actor and author Kathy Garver!!
Kathy is beloved for her portrayal of Firestar, one of Spider-Man’s amazing friends on the 1980’s animated hit ‘Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends’! The show ran for three seasons as part of NBC’s Saturday morning line-up, making its indelible mark on pop culture! The show still holds up today through its charming animation, energetic music, and first-rate voice acting. If you’ve never seen the show, it can be streamed on Disney Plus.
An original character created for the series, Firestar/Angelica Jones proved so popular that she turned up in her own comic mini-series, quickly becoming a full-fledged character in the Marvel comics universe! She’s been a member of both the X-Men and the Avengers, has had a wide assortment of action figures and other merchandise based on her, and has even made appearances in modern cartoons and video games!
Kathy is also very well known for her on-screen work, and we would be remiss not to mention her iconic role as Cissy Davis on the classic 1960’s sitcom ‘Family Affair’! The series centered on bachelor & engineer Bill Davis who is given custody of his late brother’s three children: Cissy, Jody & Buffy, raising them with the help of his traditional English butler, Mr. French. The show ran for 5 seasons, and has been in reruns ever since, drawing in new fans with each generation that discovers it! It’s also the show that Zed was getting emotional over in Police Academy 2…
Kathy’s a real sweetheart and we look forward to bringing her to the show, and we hope you’ll come out to meet her too! Save the dates: September 9th & 10th in Oaks, Pennsylvania!
Follow Kathy Online!
Website: http://www.kathygarver.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathygarverfanpage
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kgcissy/
Greg Evigan is Coming to Retro Con 2023!
Retro Con 2023 keeps on truckin’! Please welcome to our guest list actor Greg Evigan!!
Greg is best known for his starring role in the endearing 70’s/80’s tv show B.J. and the Bear! Greg played Billie Joe McKay, freelance trucker traveling the highways in his red and white Kenworth K-100 Aerodyne with his chimpanzee sidekick and best friend ‘Bear’. A mix of action and comedy, the Glen A. Larson created show is still popular and fondly remembered to this day, despite the series never being released on official DVD or playing on streaming services/classic tv networks (possibly due to the masters being lost).
Greg moved on to another hit show in the late 80’s, playing Joey Harris for three seasons on the sitcom My Two Dads, co-starring Paul Reiser and Staci Keanan! He also starred as lead character Jake Cardigan in the 90’s sci-fi movie/tv series TekWar, based on the book series of the same name! The series was co-written by William Shatner, who was also featured on the show.
Greg has enjoyed success as a singer, songwriter, and musician as well. You can even hear his voice as the male vocals on the BJ and the Bear theme song! “♫ New dreams and better scenes, and best of all I don’t pay property tax!♪” (Aaaand now we have the song stuck in our head.)
Meet the amazing Greg Evigan at Retro Con 2023, September 9th & 10th in Oaks, Pennsylvania!
Buy Show Tickets Below!
Vendor Table Info Below!
Sponsors!
Retro Con would like to thank all those that helped to sponsor this show!
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Cool 98.5 WXPM FM
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The Retro Network
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Rediscover The 80s
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Friends of Retro Con!
Megapodtastic
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The Breaux Show
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Uncanny!
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Garrison Carida
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Fandom Spotlite
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Toy Spotlite
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