Photo by DCist contributor Eileen Shim.

Next month, the second iteration of Awesome Con—D.C.’s very own comic and pop culture convention—will bring nerds from far and wide to the area. But this year’s gathering of pop culture and sci-fi enthusiasts will also serve as an attempt to break a world record: the largest gathering of cosplayers ever.

The current record to beat is 1,530 people, which was set on April 19, 2011 at World Joyland in China. Ben Penrod, co-founder of Awesome Con, tells the Washington Business Journal that he’s confident they can beat that record and “mark Washington, D.C. as the capital city of cosplay.” Cosplaying, if you’re not aware (or not a nerd), is the act of dressing up as a cherished comic book, film, or TV character.

The stunt is being co-organized by the Museum of Science Fiction and will take place in front of the U.S. Capitol Reflecting Pool at noon on April 18. Awesome Con says that an adjudicator from the Guinness World Records will be present to make sure it’s official.

Good luck, nerds.