Your Complete Preview to GalaxyCon San Jose 2026

Northern California, we are so back. After the disappointment of losing Fan Expo San Francisco for 2026, one of the strongest replacements on the horizon is heading straight for the Bay Area, and The Game of Nerds will be there in person to cover every panel, every guest, and every corner of the show floor. GalaxyCon is bringing its full three-day festival of fandom to San Jose from August 28 through 30, 2026, at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, and if you have been missing a proper West Coast convention experience, this is shaping up to be exactly what the Bay Area needs.

Here is everything you need to know before you go.

The Basics: Dates, Location, and Hours

GalaxyCon San Jose runs Friday, August 28 through Sunday, August 30, 2026, at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, located at 150 W San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95113. This is San Jose’s premier downtown convention venue, walkable from downtown hotels and restaurants, and considerably more convention-friendly than some of the venues Bay Area fans have dealt with in recent years.

One important note for anyone who had this circled on their calendar earlier in the year: GalaxyCon announced in April 2026 that the San Jose event was shifting one week later than originally planned, moving to the August 28 to 30 weekend due to a facility scheduling conflict. If you already had tickets before the change, they transferred automatically to the new dates, no action required. If the new dates do not work for your schedule, GalaxyCon has offered refunds by request. Just make sure your plans are locked in for the correct weekend before you book travel or take time off work.

Floor hours across the weekend break down as follows: Friday from 2 PM to 8 PM, Saturday from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM. Note that general convention programming, including After Dark events and evening programming for VIP and Deluxe pass holders, runs later than the standard exhibition hall hours on Friday and Saturday specifically, so check your specific pass tier for what time your access actually ends each night.

This will be the third year GalaxyCon has brought its tour to San Jose, and the event has continued to grow into a genuine West Coast anchor for the broader GalaxyCon circuit, which also includes stops in Raleigh, Richmond, Columbus, Minneapolis, and several other cities across the country.

What Is GalaxyCon, Exactly?

If you have not been to a GalaxyCon event before, here is the pitch: GalaxyCon bills itself as more than a comic con. It is a three-day festival of fandom, bringing together celebrities, artists, writers, voice actors, cosplayers, entertainers, creators, wrestlers, and fan groups under one roof, with programming spanning comic books, pop culture, sci-fi, fantasy, anime, gaming, and cosplay.

What sets GalaxyCon apart from some other convention brands is the sheer breadth of fandom represented in a single event. Based on past guest lists and programming, you can expect to meet and connect with celebrities from franchises spanning Star Wars, My Hero Academia, Daredevil, Star Trek, Guardians of the Galaxy, Once Upon a Time, Boy Meets World, the Arrowverse, What We Do in the Shadows, Chainsaw Man, Disney, Invader Zim, WWE, Demon Slayer, and both Marvel and DC Comics. It is genuinely a something-for-everyone convention rather than a niche-specific event, which makes it a great option whether you are bringing a hardcore anime fan, a wrestling enthusiast, or someone who has been waiting their whole life to meet a specific genre television actor.

The Guest List: Who’s Confirmed So Far

As of this writing, GalaxyCon San Jose has confirmed a genuinely stacked and varied guest list, though as with any convention, names are subject to change as the date approaches, so always double-check the official guest page before finalizing your plans around a specific person.

Confirmed guests currently include George Takei, Cassandra Peterson (the legendary Elvira herself), Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Barry Bostwick, Sean Gunn, Kellan Lutz, Devon Sawa, Scott Patterson, Jaime Pressly, Joseph Mazzello, Kimberly J. Brown, Daniel Kountz, David Heath, Eman Esfandi, and Nick Apostolides, alongside comic creators and artists including Ryan North, Mark Bagley, Robbi Rodriguez, Joëlle Jones, Tana Ford, Alyssa Wong, Jerome Opeña, and Rico Renzi, plus wrestling personality “Gangrel,” voice acting legend Steve Whitmire, and several others.

That is a genuinely eclectic mix, and it speaks to GalaxyCon’s core strength: there is a real chance of finding something for nearly every kind of fan at this show. Star Trek fans get George Takei. Elvira devotees finally get their moment with Cassandra Peterson. Wrestling fans have Gangrel. Anime and voice acting fans have Eman Esfandi and Nick Apostolides. Comic collectors have an outstanding lineup of working artists and writers at Artist Alley. As the show gets closer, expect additional names to be added, and remember that some guests are announced for specific days only rather than the full weekend, so check the official guest list carefully for day-specific attendance before building your schedule around any one person.

Ticket Tiers: What You Actually Get

GalaxyCon San Jose offers several ticket tiers, and picking the right one for your priorities matters more than people expect.

The Premium Reserve 3-Day VIP Pass is the top tier and is capped at a limited quantity. It includes a special VIP registration booth, full three-day admission, an exclusive VIP badge, a GalaxyCon lanyard, 48-hour advance pre-sale access to celebrity photo ops and special ticketed events, entry to the Friday Night VIP cocktail party with two free drink tickets, fast lane access for autographs and photo ops with celebrity guests, exclusive premium lounge access, a GalaxyCon expo bag, pin, blank sketchbook, and a limited-edition 2026 art print, plus a 20 percent discount on all GalaxyCon merchandise.

The standard 3-Day VIP Pass includes most of the same perks minus the top-tier registration booth and premium lounge access, still with fast lane access and the Friday night VIP party included.

The 3-Day Deluxe Pass grants full three-day admission with a 24-hour advance pre-sale window for photo ops and events, a specialty bag, exclusive pin, the limited-edition art print, and a 10 percent merchandise discount, without the fast lane or VIP party access.

If you are traveling with young kids, take note: children 9 and under get in free with a paid adult, up to three kids per adult, which makes GalaxyCon a genuinely family-friendly option compared to some of the pricier convention circuits.

For most attendees who are not specifically chasing a single high-demand celebrity photo op, a standard general admission or Deluxe pass will cover the full convention experience comfortably. The VIP tiers make the most sense if you have a specific must-do celebrity encounter in mind and want to guarantee fast lane access rather than gamble on a standard line.

What to Expect on the Floor

Based on GalaxyCon’s standard attractions across its national tour, San Jose attendees can expect a full slate of programming beyond the celebrity signing and photo op area.

Artist Alley will feature a wide range of independent artists offering everything from flash tattoo-style art to full custom commission work, alongside comic creators signing books and chatting with fans about shared fandoms. If you love supporting independent creators, budget real time for this section of the floor.

The Tabletop Gaming Room gives fans a place to pull up a chair for card games, board games, and pen-and-paper RPGs throughout the weekend, a nice lower-key counterpoint to the celebrity chaos elsewhere in the building.

The Galactic Arcade brings consoles spanning multiple generations together in one space, with tournaments for the competitively inclined and casual play available for anyone who just wants a break.

Costume and Cosplay Contests are a signature GalaxyCon attraction, with over $4,000 in cash prizes up for grabs across the weekend, plus medals, trophies, and the all-important bragging rights, judged by celebrity cosplay guests. If you are bringing a prop as part of your costume, check GalaxyCon’s prop policy in advance for safety requirements before you pack.

After Dark programming kicks in once the standard exhibition hall closes, with themed parties, raves, and 18-plus programming including a Cosplay Cabaret and a Rocky Horror Picture Show event for anyone looking for a bit more risqué fun once the sun goes down.

Our Advice for Making the Most of Your Weekend

Having covered our fair share of conventions, here is our honest advice for anyone attending GalaxyCon San Jose for the first time or even as a returning fan.

Buy tickets and book hotels early. San Jose’s downtown hotel inventory around convention weekends fills up fast, and pricing only goes up the closer you get to the date. If you know you are going, lock in your plans now rather than waiting.

Check guest day-specific attendance before finalizing your schedule. As noted above, some guests are only confirmed for select days of the weekend. If there is one specific person you are traveling to meet, verify exactly which day or days they will be present before you buy a single-day ticket around them.

Decide early whether a VIP tier is worth it for you. If you have one specific big-name photo op or autograph in mind and want to skip a potentially long line, the fast lane access on VIP tiers can be genuinely worth the upgrade. If you are there primarily for the show floor, Artist Alley, and the general atmosphere, general admission or Deluxe will serve you just as well.

Bring cash alongside cards. Many artists and smaller vendors in Artist Alley operate more smoothly with cash, and having some on hand avoids delays at busy tables. Plus it helps you not have to stand in long ATM lines with high pull out fees.

Pace yourself across all three days. With floor hours running from 10 AM to 8 PM on Saturday specifically, it is easy to burn out trying to do everything in one day. Spread your priority panels, signings, and shopping across the full weekend where you can.

Remember convention etiquette. Respect personal space, always ask before photographing cosplayers, and be patient and kind with the volunteers and staff who are working hard to make your weekend run smoothly. A convention is only as good as the community inside it, and that starts with everyone in attendance.

Why This Matters for the Bay Area

With Fan Expo San Francisco gone for 2026 and the ongoing uncertainty around what fills that gap in Northern California’s convention calendar, GalaxyCon’s continued investment in the San Jose market matters. This is the event’s third year in the city, it is choosing a genuinely convention-friendly venue in the McEnery Convention Center, and its broad, multi-fandom guest lineup gives it real potential to become the anchor event Northern California fans have been missing.

We will be there for all three days, covering the guest panels, walking the show floor, checking out Artist Alley, and bringing you full coverage of everything GalaxyCon San Jose has to offer. If you see us on the floor, come say hi.

See you in San Jose.

GalaxyCon San Jose runs August 28 to 30, 2026 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. Tickets and the full, updated guest list are available at galaxycon.com.

Are you attending GalaxyCon San Jose? Who are you most excited to meet? Drop it in the comments, and let us know if you want us to cover anything specific while we’re there.