Upcoming Anime Conventions

Upcoming Anime Conventions (April & May

Where You’ll Find Your People: Spring 2026 Convention Guide

There’s a moment that happens when you walk into the right space.
You’re not adjusting. You’re not explaining.

You’re just… there.

That’s what convention season has always been about—
not just showing up, but recognizing where you belong.

Spring 2026 is moving with that same energy.
Across cities, states, and even globally, these gatherings aren’t just events—they’re environments. Spaces where your interests don’t feel like something separate from your everyday life.

They integrate. Naturally.

Mid-April: Where It Begins

The season opens with a steady mix of local and large-scale experiences:

  • April 16 — CHS Otaku Fest (Ellicott City, MD)

  • April 17–19 — Anime Dallas (Frisco, TX)

  • April 17–19 — AnimeCon (Rijswijk, Netherlands)

  • April 17–19 — UBCon (Buffalo, NY)

  • Cancelled — Shoufu-Con (Lansing, MI)

There’s range here—
from school-hosted spaces to international convention floors.

Different scale. Same intention.

April 18–19: Options Expand

This weekend doesn’t limit you to one experience—it gives you choice:

  • JohnsonCity Anime-Fest (Johnson City, TN)

  • KimoKawaii (College Station, TX)

  • Anime Tyler (Tyler, TX)

  • Cape Anime (Cape Girardeau, MO)

  • Garden State Anime Fest (Augusta, NJ)

  • Great Lakes Comic & Anime Fest (New Baltimore, MI)

  • Supanova Melbourne (Australia)

And for one-day resets:

  • Charleston Anime-Fest (North Charleston, SC)

  • Charlie’s Poké Blast (Naples, FL)

  • Misago Con (Atlantic City, NJ)

You don’t need to travel far to find alignment.
Sometimes it’s already in your area.

Late April: The Peak

This is where the energy builds.

  • April 23–26 — Calgary Expo (Canada)

  • April 24–26 — Anime St. Louis (MO)

  • April 24–26 — Kawaii Kon (Honolulu, HI)

  • April 24–26 — Lvl Up Expo (Las Vegas, NV)

  • April 24–26 — SacAnime Spring (Sacramento, CA)

Followed by:

  • Castle Point Anime Convention (Secaucus, NJ)

  • Collect-A-Con Chicago (Rosemont, IL)

  • Final Boss Con (Rio Grande, OH)

  • Matsuri (Philippines)

  • Otaku Pop Fes (Philippines)

And more.

This is the part of the season where you feel it—
the scale, the movement, the presence.

End of April: Local + Intentional

Not every experience needs to be overwhelming to be meaningful.

  • Burlington Anime-Fest (VT)

  • DAiCon (UC Davis, CA)

  • Japan Fest Leicester (UK)

  • Raleigh Anime-Fest (NC)

These spaces tend to feel more personal.
More grounded.

Early May: The Shift Continues

As the month changes, the rhythm stays consistent:

  • Ashika-Con (WA)

  • No Brand Con (WI)

  • Kogaracon (NJ)

  • Anime-nia Spring (CA)

With smaller one-day events like:

  • Knox Pop Con (TN)

  • Appleton Anime-Fest (WI)

  • Etown Anime-Fest (KY)

And a note:

  • Animate! Philadelphia — Postponed

Even in shifts, the culture adjusts. It doesn’t stop.

Mid-May: Established Energy

This is where legacy meets consistency:

  • Anime Town Pensacola (FL)

  • AniMinneapolis (MN)

  • Otaku Odyssey (Dallas, TX)

  • Anime Arizona Spring (AZ)

  • Collect-A-Con Cleveland (OH)

And internationally:

  • HaruCon (Austria)

  • Fantasy Basel (Switzerland)

Major Anchors to Close the Season

These are the ones people plan around:

  • May 15–17 — Anime Central (Rosemont, IL)

  • May 15–17 — NijiFest (Orange, CA)

  • May 15–17 — Otafest (Canada)

  • May 15–17 — Quantum-Con (MN)

Recognizable. Established.
Consistent in what they offer.

What This Season Really Means

This isn’t about attending everything.

It’s about choosing what aligns.

Some will go for the scale.
Some for the community.
Some just to exist in a space where nothing needs to be explained.

That’s the real experience.

And what you choose to wear into those spaces?
It should feel the same way.

Not like a costume.
Not like a performance.

But like something that already belongs to you.

Because the right environment doesn’t ask you to change—
it reflects who you already are.


References: https://animecons.com/events/
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