Every con worth the trip, in one place.

The U.S. con calendar, season by season

Conventions run nearly year-round in the United States, but the calendar moves in waves. Knowing the rhythm helps you plan travel and budget before badges and hotel blocks sell out.

Winter (January–February). The year opens quietly. Anime conventions lead the way — Katsucon near Washington, DC and Naka-Kon in Kansas warm up the season — alongside the first regional comic cons. It's the easiest stretch to find hotel rooms and cheaper flights.

Spring (March–May). Comic con season hits full stride. The big multi-genre shows cluster here — C2E2 in Chicago, WonderCon in Anaheim, MegaCon Orlando, and Emerald City in Seattle — while PAX East draws the gaming crowd to Boston and anime cons like Anime Boston fill out the calendar.

Summer (June–August). These are the marquee months. Anime Expo takes over Los Angeles around the Fourth of July, San Diego Comic-Con dominates late July, and Gen Con, Otakon, and Anime NYC round out a packed stretch. Demand peaks here — host hotels for the biggest shows can sell out within minutes of opening, so plan furthest ahead for summer trips.

Fall (September–November). A second wave arrives. New York Comic Con is the October headliner, with Dragon Con anchoring Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, plus Rose City in Portland, the traveling Fan Expo shows, and Anime Weekend Atlanta. Cooler weather makes fall a favorite for elaborate cosplay builds.

Winter holidays (December). The year winds down with tabletop-focused PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia, Midwest FurFest near Chicago, and a handful of regional shows before the calendar resets.

New to conventions? Start here

Walking into your first con can feel overwhelming. A few basics make the whole trip smoother.

Badges

A badge is your entry ticket. Most cons sell single-day and full-weekend passes; the weekend pass is better value if you're staying for the whole event. Buy early — the largest shows sell out months ahead, and on-site prices are higher when tickets are still available at all.

Hotels

Lodging is the part people underestimate. Convention host hotels near the venue open room blocks months in advance and, for the biggest events, fill within minutes. Book the moment blocks open, or search nearby hotels early — the "Find hotels" button on each listing pulls up rooms near that specific venue.

Cosplay

Cosplay is welcome but never required. You'll see everything from full armor builds to a simple T-shirt, and every skill level is celebrated. If you do dress up, pack a small repair kit, wear comfortable shoes, and remember the community's golden rule: cosplay is not consent — always ask before taking someone's photo.

Budget and pacing

Plan for the badge to be the smallest line in your budget; hotel, travel, food, and merch add up far faster. Inside, popular panels and autograph lines form early, so prioritize what matters most to you, carry water, and build in breaks.

Comic Con 2026 USA: dates for every major U.S. show

Comic Con 2026 runs across the USA all year — dozens of major shows from coast to coast. Here are the biggest US comic con 2026 dates and venues at a glance; the full, filterable list of all 85+ events is at the top of this page.

Where is the next comic con? That depends on where you are and when you're reading this. There are dozens of comic cons across the United States in 2026, in every region of the country. The directory above defaults to upcoming events sorted soonest-first, so the top card is always the next US comic con on the calendar — filter by your state to find the closest one.

Looking ahead to 2027? Several major shows have already announced dates, including San Diego Comic-Con (July 22–25, 2027), Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle (March 4–7), Awesome Con in Washington, DC (April 23–25), and GalaxyCon Richmond (March 18–21).

The biggest comic cons in the U.S.

"Biggest" means different things — attendance, media coverage, or sheer cultural weight. These are the U.S. conventions consistently regarded as the largest and most influential.

• San Diego Comic-Con (San Diego, CA) — the most influential convention in the country. Hollywood studio panels, exclusive reveals, and a badge lottery that fills in minutes.
• New York Comic Con (New York, NY) — the East Coast's flagship, held at the Javits Center each October, rivaling SDCC for scale and publisher presence.
• Dragon Con (Atlanta, GA) — the cosplay and fandom favorite, spread across downtown host hotels over Labor Day weekend rather than a single convention center.
• Anime Expo (Los Angeles, CA) — the largest anime convention in North America, taking over the LA Convention Center around the Fourth of July.
• C2E2 (Chicago, IL) — the Midwest's biggest pop-culture show, held at McCormick Place.
• MegaCon Orlando (Orlando, FL) — the Southeast's largest multi-genre convention, running four days each spring.
• Emerald City Comic Con (Seattle, WA) — the Pacific Northwest's flagship comic convention.
• Gen Con (Indianapolis, IN) — the biggest tabletop gaming convention in North America, and one of the longest-running conventions of any kind.

If you can only attend one and you want the full spectacle, San Diego is the answer. If you want the best cosplay atmosphere, most veterans point to Dragon Con.

Anime conventions in the U.S.

Anime conventions center on Japanese animation, manga, voice-acting guests, and some of the most dedicated cosplay in fandom. The largest U.S. anime cons are:

• Anime Expo — Los Angeles, CA (July 2–5, 2026). The biggest in North America.
• Anime NYC — New York, NY (August 20–23, 2026), at the Javits Center.
• Otakon — Washington, DC (July 31–August 2, 2026), one of the longest-running anime cons in the country.
• Anime Weekend Atlanta — Atlanta, GA (November 19–22, 2026).
• Katsucon — National Harbor, MD (February 12–14, 2027), famous for its winter cosplay photography.
• Anime Boston, MomoCon, Anime Milwaukee, and Naka-Kon anchor the regional scene.

Filter the directory above by the Anime genre to see every anime convention on the calendar, in every state.

Cosplay conventions: where to go

Almost every convention on this list welcomes cosplay, but a few have built genuine reputations as cosplay destinations — big masquerade competitions, dedicated photo spaces, and crowds where costumes are the main event.

• Dragon Con — the parade through downtown Atlanta is one of the largest cosplay gatherings anywhere.
• Katsucon — the Gaylord National's glass atrium is one of the most photographed cosplay venues in the country.
• Anime Expo and Anime NYC — enormous anime cosplay turnout and major masquerade events.
• Colossalcon-style and furry conventions like Anthrocon and Midwest FurFest center costuming even more heavily.

New to it? Cosplay is never required — you'll see everything from full armor builds to a T-shirt. If you do dress up, the community's one firm rule is that cosplay is not consent: always ask before photographing someone.

Finding cons near you

Most people don't search by state — they want to know what's coming up nearby. Two quick ways to use this directory for that:

By location. Use the state dropdown, or type a city or venue into the search box. Every state is covered, from major hubs like California and New York to shows in Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii.

By date. The listings default to upcoming conventions, grouped by month and sorted soonest-first — so the top of the page is always what's happening next. Toggle "Show past 2026 cons" if you're researching a show that has already wrapped, or planning for its next edition.

Combine both: pick your genre chip, select your state, and you'll see exactly which conventions are still ahead of you this year.