90s Con Brings Nostalgia to Hartford With TV Stars and Childhood Snacks
The 1990s returned to Hartford this weekend as thousands of fans filled 90s Con to celebrate the television shows, celebrities, food, and fashion of the decade, NBC Connecticut reported. More than 50 celebrity guests appeared at the convention, drawing crowds eager to meet the actors who defined late-20th-century pop culture.
Melissa Joan Hart Discusses Retro Trends and Family Life
Actress Melissa Joan Hart, known for starring in Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Clarissa Explains It All, attended the weekend event and noted that 1990s culture is resurfacing in her own household. Hart observed that her 14-year-old son spent the summer visiting malls and movie theaters, which she described to NBC Connecticut as a classic retro summer experience.
Reflecting on why the decade retains its cultural grip, Hart pointed to the simpler pace of technology before smartphones and social media dominated daily routines.
I think that there’s something so special about the 90s because it’s the last kind of protected time before social media, before the internet, before, you know, we had fax machines and microwaves, and that was about that was the extent of the technology,
Hart said.
Fans Line Up for Childhood Foods and Classic Tech
Beyond television nostalgia, attendees gravitated toward the specific consumer products of the era. Brad Deiter, a correspondent with convention organizer That’s 4 Entertainment, told NBC Connecticut that discontinued foods serve as a primary anchor for visitors.
The most nostalgic part of the 90s for me is with food,
Deiter said, pointing to items like Dunkaroos, fruit roll-ups, Gushers, and colored ketchup.
Deiter argued that the appeal extends deeper than merchandise, reflecting a broader desire to escape the fast pace of modern life by returning to simpler pastimes like playing with a Tamagotchi or a Game Boy. Alongside Hart, the celebrity guest lineup included Daniel Davis, Charles Shaughnessy, Nate Richert, and John Stamos.
Selma Blair Makes Convention Appearance Amid Legal Scrutiny
Actress Selma Blair appeared on both days of the convention, though event organizers noted she rarely participates in interviews and conducted meet-and-greet sessions behind curtains. NBC Connecticut reported that reporters were unable to question Blair regarding ongoing assault allegations stemming from an incident following a flight from LAX to JFK, where she allegedly bit a flight attendant and injured a nurse.
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