Got nothing planned for Halloween? This year, you’re in luck. Because the holiday falls on a Friday this year, there are a few conventions going on this weekend that will let you show off your costume amongst your fellow geeks.
This week we are celebrating Halloween GEN style. Running October 26 - 31, we will be bringing you daily features including a look into the current Halloween trends, examining the best movies, anime, comics and video games of the season, and offering up tips on how to whip up costumes in a pinch. Check back daily for updates!
Anime Super Con
Oct. 31 - Nov. 2
Miami, Fla.
$30 for the weekend, $20 per day
Includes: concert, dance, artists’ alley, panels, cosplay competition, dealer’s room, autographs
Guests: Yuri Lowenthal, cast of “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” Tadahisa Yoshida, Steve Downes, Ralph Cabrera
More information: animesupercon.com
Crisis Con
Oct. 31 - Nov. 2
Huntsville, AL
$35 for the weekend; $20 for Friday, $25 Saturday, $15 Sunday; $30 for Friday and Saturday, $25 Saturday and Sunday
Includes: gaming, concerts, costume contest, iron editor show down, masquerade party, midnight movie marathon, sci-fi fest, midnight tea party
Guests: Tiffany Grant, The 501st, J.F. Lewis, MC Chris, Motel Matches
More information: crisis.epicenternetworks.com
Manga Next
Oct. 31 - Nov. 2
Somerset, NJ
$35
Includes: cosplay contests, Akihabara runway, cosplay human chess, kareoke, panels, swap meet, cabaret, grayscale cosplay contest, pumpkin carving contest
Guests: Rica Takashima, Shihan Chris Carbonaro, Misako Rocks!, Mari Morimoto
More information: manganext.org
Sugoicon
Oct. 31 - Nov. 2
Mitchell, KY
$40 for the weekend, $25 for a day
Includes: coplay, ball, gaming, panels, kareoke, artists’ alley, dealers room, concert
Guests: Christopher Ayres, Greg Ayres, Bob and Emily DeJesus, Doug Smith, James Hatton, Dan Hess
More Information: sugoicon.org
Youmacon
Oct. 30 - Nov. 2
Dearborn, MI
$45 for the weekend; $20 for Friday, $20 for Saturday, $25 for Sunday
Includes: masquerade, hall cosplay contest, maid cafe, royal masquerade ball, anime hell, kareoke, dance, midnight madness, cosplay slumber party, panels, artists’ alley, dealers room
Guests: Caitlin Glass, Wayne Grayson, Kyle Herbert, Patrick Seitz, The Spoony Bards, My Dear Disco
More information: youmacon.com
Know of an awesome Halloween con that I missed? Let me know about it!
October 28th, 2008 at 5:27 am
Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
I wish that could attend the CON in Somerset
I know that the NYCC is coming up in early February though!
October 28th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Oh, looks like Sugoicon is only about 10 minutes from me… but the link has information from 2007. Have any idea where I can find more info on it?
October 28th, 2008 at 7:01 am
^^ Nevermind, I found it! It’s at a really sleezy hotel.. I think I’ll pass.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:17 am
Anime cons are almost always at hotels…anyone want to clue me in as to why? Comic from a comic convention background…it is a bit strange for me!
October 28th, 2008 at 7:31 am
@ virtualgirl
I can’t definitely confirm this, but it’s probably because the format is different. Something like Wizard World is really focused on the dealers room and artists’ alley, so they need a huge, open space for that. Whereas something like MangaNext is more focused on panels and cosplay and related events.
It’s probably also because anime conventions used to be much smaller than comic and gaming conventions. MangaNext is still a very small convention, maybe a few thousand people. Though the bigger cons, like Otakon and NYAF, have started moving toward settings somewhat more similar to where a Wizard World or TGS would take place.
October 28th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
@Meagan- Two words: money.
October 28th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
The Anime con here is at the convention center and same with te PAX and the comic con. I tink its the smaller cons that are in hotels as it is easier to book and probalby less money to rent out.
I wish there was a con here during halloween lol oh well at least Aki con will be the next weekend ^_^