The reality is that Jonathan is probably 10-15 years or so older than most of the stars that currently attend the DS cons, and I do agree, it would be hard for him to go to those events at this time of his life. As much as those of us who are primarily fans of his rather than of the show in general would like it, it really would be too much, and after such a long absence, I am sure there would be even more of an uproar at his presence and the more determined fans trying to track him down than when he attended the cons regularly....
And sad to stay, there are the stalkers, etc out there...there is even a girl from California who in the last few issues of Royalty magazine has put in "personal" add trying to track down her "father Jonathan Fried" who was on "Dark Shadows"--weird!! I know there is a British contigent of DS fans, but guess the Royalty magazine editors do not realize how off the wall this letter is, as I guess DS is not known in Britain as a whole unless you watched it on British Scifi....and she doesn't even spell the name right!!
Another thought, David Selby was not in the last episode of DS due to his appendectomy, so maybe he could do Bramwell during the reenactment at the Fest, he and Lara do have SOME chemistry together....(though nothing compared to hers with Jonathan)...