Iconic Comic Conventions You Can’t Miss This Winter 2025

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Cold months, hot cons. Between November and December 2025, nine big US events cover the spread, Hollywood reunions on one end, all-night gaming on the other. Whether you lean toward horror, anime, tabletop games, or mainstream comics, you’ll find experiences worth planning a vacation around!

1. Rhode Island Comic Con

NameRhode Island Comic Con
LocationProvidence, Rhode Island
VenueRhode Island Convention Center, Amica Mutual Pavilion & Omni Providence Hotel
Crowd sizeOver 80,000
Next event dateFriday, November 7 – Sunday, November 9, 2025

Rhode Island punches way above its weight. Despite the state’s size, this event has grown into one of the biggest comic cons on the East Coast. This year’s guest list brings Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon together for Thelma and Louise reunion panels. Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio show up to give Daredevil fans what they want.

The convention learned hard lessons after 2014 when overcrowding forced the fire marshal to shut things down mid-Saturday. Now they cap daily attendance at 17,000 (thank God), so your photo op lines won’t wrap around the building twice. The venue spans three connected areas, so even with 80,000 people over the weekend, you can actually move around!

2. GalaxyCon Milwaukee

NameGalaxyCon Milwaukee
LocationMilwaukee, Wisconsin
VenueThe Baird Center
Crowd size~25,000–35,000
Next event dateFriday, November 7 – Sunday, November 9, 2025

GalaxyCon brings serious energy to Milwaukee with programming that runs until 1 AM if you’re the type who gets a second wind after dinner. Brent Spiner and Gates McFadden anchor the Star Trek roster. The After Dark events turn up the festival vibes with Cosplay Cabaret performances and Rocky Horror screenings that get the crowd involved. Their new Galaxie Ink partnership either sounds genius or terrifying (depending on your perspective). Tattoo artists will permanently ink your celebrity autographs directly on your skin right there at the convention. 

Kids 9 and under get free badges,  ideal for families who want daytime halls and panels before the adult parties take over after dark. The Baird Center provides GalaxyCon with enough room to spread out vendors, artists, and schedule tracks without everything feeling crowded.

3. Nightmare Weekend Savannah

NameNightmare Weekend Savannah (Superstar Comic Con)
LocationSavannah, Georgia
VenueSavannah Convention Center
Crowd size~15,000–25,000
Next event dateFriday, November 14 – Sunday, November 16, 2025

Set in atmospheric downtown Savannah, the convention pairs panels with nightly ghost tours. The guest lineup includes Danny Trejo and James Marsters, joined by the What We Do in the Shadows cast.

Marsters will perform a full concert on Saturday night, which is worth the badge price alone if you haven’t seen his live show. The Deep Space Boutique serves as the 18+ vendor area with merchandise and art not allowed in the main hall. Daytime hours stay family-friendly, and kids nine and under get free badges.

4. Motor City Comicon

NameMotor City Comicon
LocationNovi, Michigan
VenueSuburban Collection Showplace
Crowd size45,000–55,000
Next event dateFriday, November 14 – Sunday, November 16, 2025

Running since 1989, Motor City Comicon is old school in the best way. Alan Tudyk from Firefly leads this year’s guest list. The Suburban Collection Showplace gives the organizers 300,000 square feet to work with, and they fill it with over 350 vendors. The back issue bins here go deep, and dealers bring serious inventory. This con happens twice a year, and the fall show tends to feel more relaxed and neighborly than the spring crowds. 

Free activities will include sketch duels, where artists go head-to-head, and massive LEGO displays that kids actually care about. CGC and JSA both do on-site grading starting at just $20. If you’ve been sitting on raw books waiting for a chance to get them slabbed without shipping fees, this is your opportunity. The convention draws heavily from Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana, so it pulls a solid Midwest crowd that knows its comics.

5. PAX Unplugged

NamePAX Unplugged
LocationPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
VenuePennsylvania Convention Center
Crowd size~30,000–45,000
Next event dateFriday, November 21 – Sunday, November 23, 2025

All 528,000 square feet of the Pennsylvania Convention Center becomes a tabletop city for the weekend. Matt Mercer and the Critical Role crew drop new Daggerheart announcements and run actual play sessions. One badge covers almost everything except sanctioned Magic: The Gathering tournaments, which charge separate entry fees.

The free play library might be the best part. Thousands of games sit ready to demo before you buy, and staff will teach the rules. First Look showcases European board games making their North American debut. Publishers bring prototypes and playtest copies of upcoming releases, so you can try titles months before retail.

Activities run until midnight on Friday and Saturday, which is good news for night owls. The vendor hall covers the spectrum from dice and miniatures to deluxe editions of games that sell out fast online.

6. Fan Expo San Francisco

NameFan Expo San Francisco
LocationSan Francisco, California
VenueMoscone Center West
Crowd sizeOver 35,000
Next event dateFriday, November 28 – Sunday, November 30, 2025

The Bay Area finally gets a convention that matches its size, and Fan Expo doesn’t waste the opportunity. Gillian Anderson almost never does cons, so getting her to show up counts as a real coup. Christopher Lloyd arrives with his real DeLorean for photo ops. Joseph Quinn stops by ahead of his Human Torch turn. The My Hero Academia English cast reunites for panels and autographs.

Moscone Center West can swallow big crowds, so the show doesn’t feel cramped. Travel isn’t cheap here, though. Holiday rates push hotel prices up, so share a room and use BART to get around.

7. WasabiCon PDX

NameWasabiCon PDX
LocationPortland, Oregon
VenueHilton Portland Downtown
Crowd size~6,000
Next event dateSaturday, November 29 – Sunday, November 30, 2025

WasabiCon keeps attendance around 6,000 on purpose, and that intimacy makes all the difference. You’ll actually have conversations with artists and voice actors instead of standing in three-hour autograph lines before getting rushed through. They moved from summer to November specifically to avoid organizing conflicts with Pride events, and the switch made fans happy. 

The Cosplay Lip Sync Battle isn’t just for laughs anymore, people go all in, and it shows. The maid cafe brings legit Japanese-style service to downtown Portland, proper uniforms, super-kawaii plating, the whole vibe. Weekend passes are just $60 (cheapest on the list), and if you’re headed to the Hilton, skip the $55 valet and hop on the MAX light rail or a bus instead.

8. GalaxyCon Columbus

NameGalaxyCon Columbus
LocationColumbus, Ohio
VenueGreater Columbus Convention Center
Crowd sizeOver 30,000
Next event dateFriday, December 5 – Sunday, December 7, 2025

Columbus saves its heavy hitters for December. William Shatner tops the bill, and Simon Pegg, who rarely does Midwest cons, is right there with him. The Critical Role crew (Laura Bailey, Travis Willingham, and Sam Riegel) headlines major panels all weekend. Also, four Twilight cast members reunite for the diehards more than a decade later.

Panels really do run 24/7, so there’s always something to duck into,  panels, screenings, late-night weirdness, whenever you wander back to the convention center. Saturday night sweetens the deal with a live AEW Collision taping included in your badge price. No add-on, just a legit TV taping baked into admission. The cosplay contest puts $4,000+ on the line, which gives even intermediate makers a solid reason to compete.

Heads-up on the weather! December in Columbus is cold, so dress well. The Greater Columbus Convention Center connects to nearby hotels via skywalks, which can be very convenient when the wind picks up or the sidewalks get slick.

9. Anime Weekend Atlanta

NameAnime Weekend Atlanta
LocationAtlanta, Georgia
VenueGeorgia World Congress Center
Crowd size~30,000–35,000
Next event dateThursday, December 18 – Sunday, December 21, 2025

AWA closes out the con year with four full days at the Georgia World Congress Center, and the venue upgrade really paid off, more room, smoother flow, bigger everything. The event is truly nonstop, and you can attend a screening even at 4 AM.

The Itasha Display is a full-on flex: anime-wrapped Subarus and Hondas with thousands poured into vinyl and custom paint, rolling tributes to favorite series. The manga library is the biggest in the Southeast, with hundreds of volumes you can plop down and read on site. Friday’s formal ball is basically an anime prom for grown-ups who missed theirs, full of formal cosplay and an unexpectedly classy feel.

December in Atlanta tends to be mild. Still, bring a jacket for nighttime. The GWCC is a quick walk to downtown hotels and a solid mix of restaurants.

Trip Budget and Funding Your Convention Event

Badge prices only tell part of the story when you’re planning a convention trip. Flights, hotels, food, and dealer room impulse buys stack up fast once you start doing the actual math.

  • November flights to Milwaukee, Columbus, or Providence typically cost $150–250 from most major U.S. airports. 
  • San Francisco costs more at $250–400 for the same travel window. 

Important advice: book ahead for November conventions and even earlier for December events when holiday travel drives prices up across the board.

Hotel Rates Vary Wildly

Of course, it depends on which city you pick:

  • Providence, Columbus, and Milwaukee stay reasonable at $100–180 per night if you book the right properties. 
  • San Francisco near Moscone Center will hit you for $200–400, and that’s not even premium hotels. 

Philadelphia actually offers surprisingly good value with dozens of hotels within walking distance of the convention center and competitive rates compared to other main cities. Most cons negotiate discounted room blocks, but they sell out 8 to 12 months before the event. If you wait until two months out, you’re paying rack rates and choosing from whatever’s left.

Expect Your Wallet to Feel It

Every fun place is greedy for your cash:

  • Meals in the convention center cost $20–$25 each, which puts basic food at $60+ per day. Toss snacks like granola bars and jerky in your bag to cut costs.
  • Autographs for TV actors usually run $40–$60, and big names ask more. 
  • Photo ops run $60–$90 or higher. 
  • Budget $50–$100 daily for the dealer room, prints, exclusives, limited editions, since many won’t be online later. Hardcore collectors can spend two or three times that.

Total everything, and you’re looking at $700–1,750 per person for a weekend. If you’ve got more than one con planned, that upfront bill hurts.

Where to Get Money For Big Conventions?

Sad, but geek culture is always pricey, especially the big conventions that require larger budgets. If this Comic-Con is your one shot to meet a favorite creator or snag a rare item to complete your collection, financing a comic convention trip can make sense. 

Many fans rely on short-term loans to cover flights and a hotel, then pay them off over a few months. Others build a simple savings fund, set aside $50–100 each month until they reach the goal. The point is pretty much the same: spread the cost, and the trip stops feeling impossible.

If getting money isn’t an option for you (and you are desperate enough), you can volunteer at conventions. This way, you may earn a free badge. Put in enough shifts, and some event organizers may actually reimburse hotels. They always need people at registration, in panels, and on logistics crews.

How to Choose Your Perfect Convention

First, choose a convention size you’re comfortable with. 

  • Smaller shows like WasabiCon PDX make it easier to meet people and build real friendships.
  • Medium conventions like GalaxyCon Milwaukee offer plenty to do without overwhelming crowds. 
  • Massive events like Rhode Island Comic Con create that epic atmosphere, but have much longer lines for everything.

Then, match the convention to your interests:

  • PAX Unplugged is pure tabletop gaming, zero video game content. 
  • Anime Weekend Atlanta and WasabiCon focus on Japanese culture. 
  • Motor City and Fan Expo cover all the bases from comics to wrestling. 

Check guest lists in advance, since celebrities often cancel their appointments. Also, keep in mind that regional differences can change the vibe. Look at social media for the real feel of each convention.

FAQ

What should I never forget to pack?

Portable phone charger, your battery will die from all those photos. Comfortable backup shoes for when your feet scream. Safety pins, fashion tape, and a needle for costume emergencies. Cash for vendors who don’t take cards. All your meds plus basic painkillers. Hand sanitizer, wet wipes, and tissues for your daily bag.

Are VIP badges worth it?

Yes, if you care about early entry, shorter lines, or reserved seating. Skip it if you mainly want the vendor hall and casual panels.

How early should I line up for headline panels or photo ops?

Plan 60–120 minutes for the biggest draws. Add buffer time, since lines often close before the scheduled start.

What happens if a guest cancels at the last minute?

Photo op and autograph tickets usually get refunded or swapped. The badge doesn’t. Keep a backup plan in your schedule.

Any tips for Artist Alley buys and commissions?

Ask for prices and specify the pickup timeline. Many artists need a deposit and won’t reserve pieces without payment. Carry a poster tube for prints.

What’s the smartest way to handle money inside the convention?

Many vendors take cards, but Wi-Fi dies at peak times. Bring some cash to avoid ATM fees and long lines.

What are typical prop and bag rules?

Peace-bonding tags on props are common. No metal blades, no pressurized sprays. Large bags get searched, and some venues limit their size.

I need accessibility support. What should I expect?

Most conventions have an ADA desk for stickers, seating, and queue help. You can request a companion wristband. Quiet rooms exist at many shows, but you should ask early.

Can I bring outside food and water?

Policies vary by venue. Sealed water bottles and small snacks usually pass. Refill stations are common near restrooms.

How do I stay safe at night events?

Stick with a buddy, share your live location, and know the hotel route. Use the designated rideshare pickup zones at the venue.

How can I manage the schedule without missing things?

Star your must-see items in the app and screenshot the day view. Leave 30 minutes between big items to move, hydrate, and hit restrooms.

How do I avoid the con plague?

Shower daily, reapply deodorant, and wash hands constantly. Bring a water bottle and actually use it. Sleep at least six hours instead of hitting every party. Start taking vitamin C a week before. Don’t share drinks with strangers! Pack hand sanitizer and use it regularly.

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