"Music is a huge part of what makes a game special to fans. I have watched fans enjoy Crush 40 at previous Sonic Boom events and can just see that nostalgia and connection to the game in their eyes," Webber says. "The music brings them right back to their fondest memories of that game. It's really something special."
Comments on the Sega blog and Facebook event page show that fans from around the nation and the world are anxious to show their allegiance to the "world's fastest hedgehog" through costumes dedicated to Sonic, his friends Tails and Amy Rose, and villains Dr. Eggman and Shadow.
"We've seen some amazing costumes in the past few years, and we're hoping St. Louis will continue that tradition," Parker says. "We had some parents bring their infant dressed up as Tails last year, and it was absolutely adorable."
And what's a Sonic convention without a trivia contest about one of the most famous video game characters in the world? Parker wouldn't reveal specific trivia that might be used during Sonic Boom, but she did share two interesting bits about the speedy hedgehog:
- Sonic was the first video game character to appear in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and will be there again this year.
- A human gene named "Sonic Hedgehog" controls cell division of adult stem cells. The gene is covered with small, pointy projections just like a hedgehog.
Sonic Boom will be held Saturday, Aug. 10, at The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Boulevard. Doors open at 5 p.m., with entertainment beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $29 and are available through Ticketmaster or at the door. The evening's itinerary is available on the Sega blog.
Follow Allison Babka on Twitter at @AMBabka.
