(SIOUX CITY, IOWA)—Organizers today announced the dates and location for the eagerly awaited H&W Con, the Holmes & Watson convention based on the hilarious and timeless comedy classic starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly.
The convention will be held on the weekend of March 1 – 3 in Sioux City, Iowa, at the Dakota Dunes Roadside Motel and Convention Center.
Attendees can attend panel discussions, visit the Merchandise Room to purchase apparel, collectibles, and books, cosplay as their favorite characters, and read their favorite fan fiction at live readings. Organizers recently added the event “Holmes & Watson After Dark,” a reading of erotic fan fiction.
Attendees will also be able to get autographs and attend panel discussions by notable cast members of the film.
- Mark Anthony Dawson, who played the uncredited role “Beefeater #1,” will sign autographs and lead a Q&A session about his work on the film, including questions about the craft table and his brief interactions with Will Ferrell’s personal assistant.
- Attendees can also attend a viewing of a pre-recorded Zoom video Q&A with Wesley Kent-Hargreaves, who portrayed Weird Child Companion.
- The uncle of Hector Bateman-Harden, who portrayed Young Sherlock Holmes, will be selling original headshots of his famous nephew in the Merchandise Room for $10 apiece or two for $18.
“This is a big deal for us,” said Dakota Dunes assistant night manager Carl Alcorn. “We haven’t had any celebrities of Mr. Dawson’s magnitude here in several years. We once had Hacksaw Jim Duggan stop in for a night when his van broke down, but that was in 1995 after he retired.”
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| The only known photo of The Accordionist. |
One of the most looked-forward-to panel discussions is entitled “Embracing the Silliness: How Holmes & Watson Changed My Outlook and Saved My Life,” hosted by a mystery panelist known only as The Accordionist.
“I loved this film the moment it came out,” said The Accordionist from his home studio in southeast Michigan. “Most of my friends think I hate it, but really, I have not loved a comedy film more. Ferrell and Reilly are the modern-day Laurel and Hardy, and they’re not given enough credit for their amazing body of work. Holmes & Watson was the pinnacle of their comedy genius.”
Photos of the Golden Raspberries will be on display in the Autograph Area and Breakfast Nook, where fans can take selfies with the photos for $10.
“It’s an honor just to have been part of this amazing cast and crew,” said Jacob McGrath, who will attend H&W Con and work as the Merchant Room’s overnight security guard. “I was just minding my own business, drinking and sitting in an alley, when I was picked to be an extra for the courtroom scene. Their craft table was amazing. I hadn’t seen that many Twinkies and Ding Dongs in one place. And now I get to honor the memory of that wonderful production by guarding over its collectibles. You guys are providing meals, too, rigth?”
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