Stars Joe Mantegna, Michael Jai White, Herbert Jefferson, Phil Morris, Robin Shou to highlight Dragonfest Expo in Burbank
(NewMediaWire) - June 07, 2017 - Burbank, CA – Some of Hollywood’s elite will be making a special appearance in support of this year’s Dragonfest expo which is to be held Aug. 5, 2017 at the Burbank Marriott Convention Center. Hosted as a charity, fund-raising event, 100 percent of all proceeds will go to the Martial Arts History Museum as they plan to relocate to a larger facility in order to accommodate school field trip visits.
Regarded as the martial arts version of ComicCon, the Dragonfest Expo, now it its 14th year, is laced with television and film stars, martial arts superstars, nearly 100 vendors, Asian cultural performances and ninja turtles running amok, it is considered the biggest and most popular martial arts convention in the nation.
As part of this year’s special event, Dragonfest will feature actor Joe Mantegna. Mantegna has nearly 150 film and television credits and a Tony Award Winner, he is currently the star of Criminal Minds plus movie icon, Michael Jai White. White is known for his countless roles in television and film and his portrayal as Mike Tyson in the film Tyson. Also included is veteran actor Herbert Jefferson Jr. who is probably best known as the ace fighter pilot Lieutenant Boomer from the iconic original “Battlestar Galactica” with a career spanning 40 years. Phil Morris, best known for his role as a superhero John Jones in the drama Smallville, an iconic character in the Seinfield series and Meet the Spartans, will also be part of Dragonfest special guests. Also included is Mortal Kombat star Robin Shou, television star Sasha Mitchell and a several other notable personalities.
“I would love to meet, greet, and reminisce with fans, and Grandmasters once again to discuss the old times, and the new,” says Jefferson Jr.
One of the major themes this year will focus on the military as Dragonfest provides a special wing for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. As a special treat, Colonel Friendly, of the Tuskegee Airmen will have a special place at convention.Martial arts greats such as Don “the dragon” Wilson, Cynthia Rothrock, Benny Urquidez, Eric Lee, James Lew will also highlight the event. Anime legends Paul Wee, Emmy Award Winner for The Simpsons, Jerome Lu, the Kano Kid and Eleazar Del Rosario will also be attendance.
“The military is not only laced with martial arts, but it so important that our young men and women in the armed forces are appreciated,” notes museum president Michael Matsuda. “We will have a special area just for the military and we are provided a 50% off rate for each military family.”
This year, Dragonfest has relocated to the city of Burbank and will be held at the Burbank Marriott Convention Center. Cost of the event is $30 which is tax-deductible. It will begin on Saturday, August 5 at the Convention Center and on August 6, the festivities will continue as the Museum hosts a red carpet, VIP event, which will cost an additional $5.
The Martial Arts History Museum, which is also located in Burbank, is hoping the expo will receive enough funding to make a dent in their goal to purchase a new, larger facility. “We unable to support the many requests we receive from the school districts because of our limited space. We need everyone’s support as we seek to raise funds to a bigger facility,” adds Matsuda.
For information or to purchase tickets to the Dragonfest Expo, visit Dragonfestexpo.com. For information about the Martial Arts History Museum, visit MAmuseum.com. The museum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
