Golden-Con: The First-Ever Golden Girls Fan Convention Is Coming to Chicago in 2022

Thanks to some impeccable comic timing and sharp writing, NBC’s The Golden Girls (1985-1992) continues to be one of the most beloved sitcoms in the history of television. The social lives and squabbles of four retirees in Miami (Bea Arthur, Betty White, youngest cast member Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty) have been the subject of a stage musical, a spin-off (1993’s The Golden Palace), and, inevitably, merchandising like Funko Pop! toys.

Fans can now add a formal convention to the list. It’s called Golden-Con, and it goes down the weekend of April 22 through April 24, 2022, in Chicago, Illinois. Devotees of the series can head to the city’s Northalsted district, where the LGBTQ+ community facility Center on Halsted will host a series of events including a vendor’s market (cheesecake seems inevitable), live parody shows, a costume parade, and trivia. There will also be a Rusty Anchor pop-up bar, hopefully with more than three chairs to a table.

The Golden Girls was rather progressive for its time, with several episodes throughout its run devoted to gay rights, the then-emerging AIDS crisis, and the taboo-for-television premise of older women being sex-positive.

The event organizers promise to have appearances by “guest stars, producers, and others directly connected with the show.” It’s not yet clear whether lone surviving principal cast member Betty White, who turns 100 in January 2022, will be attending. Ticket prices are to be determined.

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