EyeCon 'One Tree Hill' convention to feature signings, panels and parties with stars

One Tree Hill.

It's a show that hasn't been on the air for a while. Yet its fan base remains strong and true, and the real-life town it was filmed in is still standing. So why not have an annual reunion convention?

I'm talking about the second ever EyeCon One Tree Hill Convention.

Following up their first installment of the event, which occurred this past March — and which the company says on their site was the first ever OTH convention in general — EyeCon is presenting another event this weekend.

Held at the Wilmington Convention Center in Wilmington, North Carolina — the very town the show was filmed and based in — the con kicks off Friday afternoon, Aug. 7, and runs through Sunday night, Aug. 9.

It promises all the typical elements of a convention: nighttime parties, plenty of vendors selling comics, clothes and other merchandise, games, autograph and photo op sessions with the celebrities and Q&A panel sessions with the celebrities.

But EyeCon boasts that it will be a unique experience because it encourages the stars to actually walk around and mingle with fans, to meet them in a more intimate and personal level than other conventions. The stars participate in many of the special events, such as a masquerade party and a banquet on Saturday night.

Guests set to appear include Chad Michael Murray (Lucas Scott), Hilarie Burton (Peyton Sawyer), Bethany Joy Lenz (Haley James Scott), Barry Corbin (Coach Whitey Durham), Lee Norris (Mouth McFadden), Antwon Tanner (Skills Taylor), and more.

Unfortunately two of the other key stars, Sophia Bush (Brooke Davis) and James Lafferty (Nathan Scott) are not on the schedule and Barbara Alan Woods (Deb Scott) and Bevin Prince (Bevin) had to cancel their appearances.

But nevertheless, it looks to be a star-studded weekend.

Things kick off Friday with the vendors room opening at 12 p.m., the End of Summer Bash at 7 p.m. and a Battle of the DJs hosted by Antwon Tanner at Ziggy's by the Sea. Saturday features a Q&A with Murray and Burton at 12 p.m., a Q&A with Lenz and Paul Johansson (Dan Scott) at 1 p.m., meet and greet and autograph sessions, an intimate tickets-only banquet dinner at 7:30 p.m. and the Masquerade at Tric (the beloved bar/music joint in the show) Party at 9:30 p.m. On Sunday, the rest of the attending celebrities participate in Q&As and the weekend is capped off at 7 p.m. with a screening of Lost on Purpose, a full-length film starring OTH's James Lafferty along with Jane Kaczmarek, C. Thomas Howell and Octavia Spencer.

Check back for stories about the event and follow @aeostuni for live Tweets about this weekend of nostalgia and reliving one of the most beloved shows of the past decade.