For the past 28 years over the Labor Day weekend, downtown Atlanta has become the place to be let one’s inner nerd out.

For this year’s edition, an estimated 75,000 sci-fi and superhero fans converged to the annual Dragon Con convention.

The four-day super hero fest has grown over the years to become one of the largest conventions held every year in the Southeast, where fans can mingle with their favorite actors from popular television shows and movies such as “True Blood,” “Star Trek” and “Lost Girls.”

Cathy Rivera, a soldier assigned to a base in California, flew out for the weekend to snag autographs from cast members of “Lost Girl.” Rivera stood in several long lines to secure the autographs of Anna Silk, who plays the character Bo, and her co-star, Ksenia Solo, who plays Kenzi.

“The show ‘Lost Girl’ is just a great show’” Rivera said. “It’s exciting to come out and get to meet and talk to the stars.”

Also on hand meeting fans were Edward James Olmos, who has played numerous roles major sci-fi movies, and Nichelle Nichols, who played communications officer Nyota Uhura on the original “Star Trek” television series and movies. Nichols was also a guest of honor and the grand marshal for the Dragon Con parade, which drew thousands of spectators as it wound through the Atlanta streets.

The parade, a fan favorite, features hundreds of superheroes and villains such as Batman, Wonder Woman and Spider-Man, the Joker and Catwoman as they walk in the parade to the delight of the children as well as adults.

In addition to providing a fun0filled weekend, according to Dan Carroll, Dragon Con also provided funds for the Lymphoma Research Foundation — $100,000 so far. Total pints of blood donated were still being tallied.