FanimeCon anime convention May 22–25

FanimeCon opened Friday, May 22, in downtown San Jose for a four-day Memorial Day weekend run centered at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, according to the convention’s official website. The annual event bills itself as “By Fans, For Fans” and spans panels, gaming, cosplay, shopping and guest appearances across the convention center and nearby venues. Official schedule data posted early Friday showed programming already underway, with opening ceremonies, gaming events and Stage Zero programming on the first full day. ### When does the convention run, and where is it based? FanimeCon’s 2026 dates are May 22 through May 25 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, the event website says. The convention’s main site and schedule pages both list those dates, and the registration FAQ gives the convention center address as 150 W. San Carlos St. The event also uses surrounding downtown spaces for parts of its programming. (fanime.com) San Jose Theaters’ event listing says FanimeCon events extend to the San Jose Civic, while the official site’s schedule and maps pages point attendees to multiple program areas and support spaces. ### What can attendees actually do once they are inside? (fanime.com) The official FanimeCon schedule listed Friday programming in Stage Zero, console gaming, tabletop gaming, arcade gaming, indie games, manga lounge events and tournaments in Hall 3. The live grid also showed Thursday night activities including the Swap Meet and the Hyakki Yagyo Cosplay Walk, underscoring that programming begins before the first full convention day and changes in real time. (sanjosetheaters.org) Artist Alley and the Dealer’s Hall are two of the convention’s main shopping areas. FanimeCon’s Artist Alley page says hundreds of artists sell prints, doujinshi and costume accessories in Room 220, while the Dealer’s Hall page places vendors in Exhibit Halls 1 and 2 with merchandise including model kits, figures, plushies, manga and art prints. ### What are the shopping hall hours? (apps.fanime.com) Artist Alley opens Friday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the official Artist Alley page. That page says the area is located in Room 220 of the San Jose Convention Center. The Dealer’s Hall keeps similar hours but stays open one hour later on Monday. (fanime.com) FanimeCon’s Dealer’s Hall page lists hours of 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday. ### How much does it cost, and when can people pick up badges? FanimeCon’s registration FAQ lists at-con prices at $105 for a full weekend badge, $70 for Friday, $75 for Saturday, $75 for Sunday, $65 for Monday and $90 for a Sunday-Monday half-weekend badge. (fanime.com) The same page says children 10 and under are free with a paid badge, subject to the posted conditions. (fanime.com) Badge pickup and registration are handled at “The Hub” on the Parkway street level of the convention center, the FAQ says. Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday, and 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, with Thursday pickup limited to prepaid badges from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ### Which guests and featured events are on the schedule? FanimeCon’s home page and guest pages list musical artist ALI and voice actors Yuriko Yamaguchi and Ai Nonaka among the announced guests. (fanime.com) The Yamaguchi page says she is making her first FanimeCon appearance, while the Nonaka page says this is her second appearance at the event and her first return to San Jose in more than a decade. The autograph schedule posted on FanimeCon’s app site lists ALI, Ai Nonaka and Yuriko Yamaguchi for Sunday sessions. The live schedule page also notes that online schedules are “always the most up to date” and records additions, cancellations and time changes as the weekend unfolds. ### Where should attendees check for last-minute changes? FanimeCon’s official grid schedule says its data was current as of early Friday, May 22, and directs attendees to the convention app for updates. (fanime.com) The same page lists new events, cancellations and schedule changes, including a replacement of a Saturday Speed Friending session with Speed Dating. The convention runs through Monday, May 25, and the latest badge sales, hall hours, guest sessions and program changes are being posted through FanimeCon’s website and app. (apps.fanime.com) Monday remains the last day for shopping in Artist Alley and the Dealer’s Hall, with badge pickup ending at 11 a.m. and Dealer’s Hall closing at 3 p.m., according to the official pages. (fanime.com) (apps.fanime.com)