For fans of comics, anime, gaming, television, movies, and cosplay, conventions are the heartbeat of fandom culture. Every year thousands of fans travel across the United States and internationally to attend events where creators, celebrities, artists, and fans gather to celebrate the stories they love. From massive pop culture expos to comic-focused creator conventions, the global convention circuit continues to grow year after year.
The 2026 convention season is shaping up to be another packed calendar. Touring convention circuits like Fan Expo and GalaxyCon will once again travel across multiple cities, while major flagship events such as San Diego Comic-Con, New York Comic Con, and Anime Expo will anchor the summer and fall seasons. International conventions across Europe, Asia, and Canada will also bring together fans from around the world.
If you are planning your convention travels, here is a guide to many of the biggest comic book and fandom conventions scheduled between March and December 2026.
March 2026 Conventions
March marks the unofficial start of the major convention season, with several large comic and pop culture events taking place across North America.
Fan Expo Cleveland runs March 13–15, 2026 at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The convention features celebrity guests, comic creators, voice actors, gaming panels, and cosplay competitions. As part of the larger Fan Expo touring circuit, the event draws thousands of fans each year.
That same weekend, Toronto Comicon takes place March 13–15, 2026 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada. The event has become one of Canada’s largest spring conventions and includes comic creators, pop culture guests, and extensive cosplay programming.
Later in the month, WonderCon Anaheim will be held March 27–29, 2026 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. Organized by the same team behind San Diego Comic-Con, WonderCon has grown into one of the largest comic conventions on the West Coast.
Also taking place March 27–29, 2026 is Planet Comicon Kansas City at Bartle Hall in Kansas City, Missouri. Known for its strong comic industry presence and large celebrity guest lineup, Planet Comicon is one of the biggest conventions in the Midwest.
Chicago fans will also have a major event during the same weekend with C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo), which runs March 27–29, 2026 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
April 2026 Conventions
April continues the spring convention momentum with several genre conventions across the United States.
Norwescon takes place April 2–5, 2026 in SeaTac, Washington. The convention focuses heavily on science fiction and fantasy literature, film, and gaming.
CyPhaCon will run April 10–12, 2026 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The event features comic creators, voice actors, gaming tournaments, and cosplay competitions.
Anime Boston, one of the largest anime conventions in the United States, is scheduled for April 3–5, 2026 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts. The convention celebrates anime, manga, Japanese culture, and cosplay.
May 2026 Conventions
The convention calendar becomes even busier in May as several major touring conventions begin their yearly circuits.
Comic Con Revolution Ontario will take place May 16–17, 2026 at the Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, California. The event focuses strongly on comic book creators and artists.
GalaxyCon Oklahoma City kicks off part of the GalaxyCon touring circuit May 22–24, 2026 at the Oklahoma City Convention Center. GalaxyCon has quickly become one of the fastest-growing touring convention brands in the world. Each event features celebrity guests, comic creators, voice actors, wrestling events, gaming tournaments, and cosplay competitions. Just one week later, GalaxyCon Nashville takes place May 29–31, 2026 at The Fairgrounds Nashville in Tennessee.
Fan Expo Philadelphia will also run May 29–31, 2026 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. This is one of the largest Fan Expo stops in the United States and regularly attracts major celebrity guests and industry panels.
June 2026 Conventions
June begins the transition toward the massive summer convention season.
HeroesCon takes place June 19–21, 2026 at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina. Known for its focus on comic creators and artists, HeroesCon is widely considered one of the best comic-focused conventions in the United States.
Anime Expo will run July 2–5, 2026 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, but preparations and announcements for the event often dominate the fandom conversation in June as fans finalize travel plans.
July 2026 Conventions
July represents the peak of convention season worldwide.
Anime Expo runs July 2–5, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. It is the largest anime convention in North America and attracts more than 100,000 attendees each year.
DreamCon, a rapidly growing convention celebrating gaming, anime, and internet creators, will take place July 10–12, 2026 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.
GalaxyCon New Orleans also runs July 10–12, 2026 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.
The biggest event of the entire convention calendar is San Diego Comic-Con, which takes place July 23–26, 2026 at the San Diego Convention Center with Preview Night on July 22. San Diego Comic-Con remains the most influential pop culture convention in the world and often hosts major film trailers, television announcements, and comic publishing news.
GalaxyCon Raleigh runs July 23–26, 2026 at the Raleigh Convention Center in North Carolina and is one of the largest stops on the GalaxyCon circuit.
August 2026 Conventions
August continues the convention momentum with major events across North America.
Fan Expo Boston will take place August 7–9, 2026 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
Fan Expo Chicago runs August 14–16, 2026 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.
GalaxyCon San Jose will be held August 21–22, 2026 in San Jose, California.
Fan Expo Canada runs August 27–30, 2026 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto and regularly attracts more than 100,000 attendees.
September 2026 Conventions
September features several large conventions as the fall convention season begins.
Fan Expo Dallas runs September 11–13, 2026 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas.
GalaxyCon Des Moines is scheduled for September 2026 in Des Moines, Iowa as part of the touring convention circuit.
Dragon Con, one of the most famous fandom conventions in the world, will take place September 3–7, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. Dragon Con spans multiple hotels in downtown Atlanta and celebrates science fiction, fantasy, gaming, comics, and cosplay.
October 2026 Conventions
October is another major month for conventions worldwide.
New York Comic Con takes place October 8–11, 2026 at the Javits Center in New York City. It is one of the largest pop culture conventions in the world and often features major studio announcements and exclusive panels.
MCM London Comic Con will run October 23–25, 2026 at ExCeL London in the United Kingdom. The event is one of Europe’s largest pop culture conventions and covers anime, gaming, comics, and film.
November 2026 Conventions
International conventions continue into November.
Paris Manga & Sci-Fi Show typically takes place in early November in Paris, France and celebrates comics, anime, science fiction, and gaming.
Lucca Comics & Games in Italy, often held in late October or early November, is widely considered one of the largest comic conventions in Europe.
FanExpo San Francisco returns for its usual problematic Thanksgiving day weekend.
December 2026 Conventions
The convention year closes with several final events.
GalaxyCon Columbus will take place December 4–6, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.
Tokyo Comic Con is expected in early December 2026 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan. The convention continues to grow as one of the largest pop culture events in Asia.
Why Conventions Continue to Grow
The global convention scene continues to expand because fandom itself continues to grow. Movies, television, anime, gaming, and comics reach worldwide audiences, creating communities that extend far beyond the internet.
Conventions give fans a place to celebrate these stories together. Attendees can meet creators, attend panels, explore massive vendor halls, and showcase elaborate cosplay creations.
For many fans, conventions are not just entertainment events. They are yearly traditions that bring communities together and celebrate the creativity that defines fandom culture.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 convention season promises an incredible lineup of events across the United States and around the world. From massive pop culture gatherings like San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic Con to international events in London, Paris, and Tokyo, there will be no shortage of opportunities for fans to connect with their favorite franchises.
Whether you are attending a comic convention, anime festival, gaming expo, or cosplay event, the global convention circuit continues to grow as one of the most exciting parts of fandom culture. For fans planning their next adventure, 2026 is shaping up to be another unforgettable year.
