This July, Newark will host something the entertainment industry hasn’t quite seen before: ViewerCon, a new fan-first festival landing at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on July 18. Founded by entertainment journalist and PopViewers CEO Chris Witherspoon, with STARZ on board as presenting sponsor, the event promises a packed day of panels, screenings, and conversations starring Joy Reid, Taye Diggs, Bevy Smith, Patina Miller, and a first look at 50 Cent’s STARZ drama Fightland.
Running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the day kicks off with Joy Reid and Witherspoon discussing where media and entertainment are headed, then splits into simultaneous main-stage and lobby-stage programming. Highlights include Taye Diggs introducing his new vertical drama studio MicroHouse Films, Bevy Smith reflecting on her path from Harlem to Hollywood, and KeiLyn Durrel Jones discussing his role as Bill Bray in the upcoming Michael Jackson film. The night builds to a 4 p.m. panel on Power Book III: Raising Kanan inside NJPAC’s Victoria Theater, capped by an advance screening of Fightland.
Witherspoon, who has covered entertainment for more than ten years, built ViewerCon around a simple idea: give fans real access. “For so long, fans have been on the outside looking in,” Witherspoon said. “ViewerCon flips that, it’s a place where the people who power this industry can sit in the same room as the people who love what they make.”
Beyond the marquee names, ViewerCon is positioning itself as part of Newark’s broader rise as a media and production hub, joining forces with the Newark Office of Film & Television, Newark Film Works, and Newark Alliance, plus partners like Audible and MicroHouse Films, to tie the event to local creative economy growth.
Tickets go on sale Friday, July 12, exclusively through Ticketmaster, with prices and packages to be announced closer to the on-sale date. Fans can find updates and event details at viewercon.co or by following @viewercon_ on Instagram and TikTok.
Pop Culture • Lifestyle • Entertainment 