The Anaheim Public Library Embraces Fandom and Family Fun!

Highlighted as the Heart of Orange County and home to the original Disneyland and the well-frequented Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California, has successfully cultivated a thriving pop culture community. With the Disneyland Resort drawing in families and die-hard Disney adults, and the Anaheim Convention Center attracting mainstream and niche fandoms, the city of Anaheim is a premier entertainment hub that hosts numerous ticketed and free-to-attend events. But DLR and ACC are not the only places where pop culture enthusiasts can find family-friendly fun, quality comics, and camaraderie. With a mission to promote literacy, lifelong learning, and a love for reading, the Anaheim Public Library, or APL, has also become a major hub for pop culture, hosting community events curated for its visitors and patrons.

On May 16, 2026, the APL hosted its 9th annual comic and sci-fi convention known and loved locally as AnaCon, highlighting all things nerdy and celebrating the world of comics, sci-fi, and animation. As a free-to-attend event, AnaCon annually offers attendees a fun-filled day to enjoy comics, participate in workshops and cosplay contests, and meet special guests, actively contributing to the pop culture community. With over 1,700 attendees, AnaCon 2026 was deemed a huge success by staff, who are already planning the 10th anniversary of AnaCon, scheduled for Saturday, April 24, 2027, at the Anaheim Central Library. 

And last year, the APL hosted its first annual culture festival for horror fans, Spinal Dread. Whereas AnaCon homes in on the highlights of science fiction, Spinal Dread embraces the darkest corners of horror literature and taps into universal human fears that, yes, scare us, but also have us hungry for more. With special guests, authors, and horror icons, Spinal Dread 2025 was also deemed a success by staff and will return to the Anaheim Central Library later this year on Saturday, September 26, 2026. If you are local to Orange County and interested in events hosted by the APL, mark your calendars and keep reading because there’s more!

In the following interview, APL Library Assistant Nicole Klingensmith offers answers about AnaCon and Spinal Dread and explains how they play vital, enriching roles in supporting the pop culture community in Anaheim. 

What made AnaCon 2026 a huge success?

[This year, AnaCon] featured a panel with Dylan McKeever, artist and writer on Cartoon Network’s SuperMutant Magic Academy, and Emma Steinkellner, Eisner-nominated artist for the graphic novel Quince. Carlos Nieto III led patrons in his renowned Anime Your Way workshop, where participants learned to draw their own Anime characters. Our headlining interview with Ify Nwadiwe, actor, writer, comedian, and actual-play TTRPG player, was a hit, with fans lining up for pictures and autographs. Throughout the day, patrons had the opportunity to explore our Vendor Alley of local creatives, participate in a cosplay contest, enjoy Star Wars storytime, and grab some grub from the Guac N’ Roll food truck!

Would AnaCon be considered family-friendly and community-oriented?

AnaCon is dedicated to providing a family-friendly, community-oriented, and free-to-attend event. By providing a wide range of programming for the whole family, we work to make this event accessible and engaging for all who attend. Highlighting local authors, artists, and creators in our vendor alley and panels allows us to uplift community members and build relationships among them. We encourage everyone to find a safe space to nerd out at AnaCon!

What can attendees anticipate from other book events at the Anaheim Central Library?

With AnaCon 2026 in the books, we have already begun planning AnaCon’s 10th anniversary, which will be held at the Anaheim Central Library on Saturday, April 24, 2027. We will be going bigger and better with more panels, special guests, and vendors than ever before! The interest form is now open for anyone hoping to table the event!

As far as other events at the Anaheim Central Library, this year’s Spinal Dread Horror Literature and Culture Festival is coming up on September 26, 2026! This is another large-scale, community-oriented event dedicated to highlighting local authors, vendors, and creators on the spooky side of media. Our inaugural 2025 Spinal Dread was a major success! Key events included a keynote address by award-winning author Tananarive Due and a make-up demonstration by Emmy Award-winning special effects artist Erica Preus. We hope to see everyone there!

As events hosted by the Anaheim Public Library, do AnaCon and Spinal Dread rely solely on staff or a combination of library staff and local volunteers?

Large-scale events rely largely on our library staff. We have an awesome planning team made up of passionate APL staff who dedicate time solely to the preparation and execution of these events. Other departments throughout the library system are great about lending staff to us for these events, often sending branch staff to help with circulation and reference work when usual central staff is working the event itself. We also have awesome teen volunteers who help us with day-of needs, like crowd control, setup, and clean up.

As free-to-attend events, how do AnaCon and Spinal Dread cater to the local creative community and city of Anaheim?

Both AnaCon and Spinal Dread feature a vendor alley for patrons to peruse, meet local creatives, and purchase all sorts of goodies. Both events feature an array of local indie authors, with AnaCon highlighting specifically sci-fi and comic creators and Spinal Dread highlighting horror creators. These events not only function as a space for attendees to meet their favorite creators, but also for vendors to network and connect.

With AnaCon 2026 wrapped up and Spinal Dread set for late September, how can local book lovers support the Anaheim Public Library and future events?

Visit the library, get a library card, and engage in events! Outside our large-scale events like AnaCon and Spinal Dread, we have a bunch of smaller-scale events happening weekly. This includes book clubs, STEAM events, art programs, book sales, and many other fun opportunities to come out and support your local APL branch. With seven traditional library branches throughout the city and countless free weekly programs, there is something for everyone happening within the APL system!

Remember that the second annual Spinal Dread will take place on September 26, 2026, and the tenth annual AnaCon is anticipated on Saturday, April 24, 2027! To stay in the loop and learn more about the APL, keep an eye on the official Anaheim Public Library website and Instagram and Facebook!

Anyone can visit the APL, but with a library card, FREE and accessible to all California residents, patrons of the APL can check out physical books and access digital collections of graphic novels, e-books, and audiobooks. Take this as a sign to support your local library and find your fandom!