Comicpalooza Houston: Major Pop Culture Convention

Comicpalooza will return to downtown Houston from May 22 through May 24, 2026, with three days of celebrity panels, cosplay, gaming and show-floor shopping at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The convention’s official website lists programming through midnight on Friday and Saturday, with Sunday events ending at 5 p.m. (comicpalooza.com) Visit Houston lists admission at $69.99 and up. Organizers describe the event as a multi-genre pop-culture festival centered on comics, anime, gaming and fandom programming. (visithoustontexas.com) The 2026 guest lineup includes film and television actors, comic creators and voice performers tied to franchises including *Daredevil*, *The Matrix*, *Rick and Morty*, *Halo* and *Blue’s Clues*. (comicpalooza.com) Comicpalooza’s website says attendees can buy passes, photos and autographs through official channels, and it warns that unauthorized resale sites do not guarantee entry. The event is scheduled for Memorial Day weekend, a slot that has made it a recurring downtown draw for out-of-town fans as well as Houston-area families. ### When and where does Comicpalooza happen? The George R. Brown Convention Center at 1001 Avenida De Las Americas will host Comicpalooza on Friday, May 22, Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24. (comicpalooza.com) The official site lists box office hours starting at 1 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Show-floor hours are shorter than overall programming hours, with the exhibit hall closing at 8 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday. Visit Houston lists the broader daily event windows as 2 p.m. to midnight on Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Comicpalooza says hours are subject to change. (comicpalooza.com) ### Which guests are drawing the most attention this year? Laurence Fishburne, Joe Pantoliano and Marcus Chong are part of a *Matrix* reunion promoted on Comicpalooza’s site for Memorial Day weekend in Houston. The guest page also lists Vincent D’Onofrio, Krysten Ritter, Wilson Bethel and Charlie Cox from *Daredevil: Born Again*, along with Steve Burns of *Blue’s Clues*. (comicpalooza.com) The voice-acting roster includes *Rick and Morty* performers Harry Belden, Ian Cardoni and Spencer Grammer, according to the event’s themed guest page. The gaming lineup includes *Halo* voice actors Steve Downes, Tim Dadabo and Jen Taylor on the main guests page. (visithoustontexas.com) ### What can attendees do besides celebrity panels? Comicpalooza’s activities page says the convention includes shopping, panels, entertainment, gaming, tabletop events, cosplay and more. The official show-floor guide says the main stage will host celebrity panels and the Comicpalooza Cosplay Contest on Saturday night. The same guide points attendees to retro gaming, tabletop play and oversized games on the second floor. (comicpalooza.com) The cosplay section on the official site says fans can join open cosplay meetups, take photos and connect with other attendees across skill levels and fandoms. The entertainment page lists live magician performances, K-pop and J-pop dance performances and live music among this year’s attractions. (comicpalooza.com) ### How much do tickets cost, and what should buyers know? Visit Houston lists Comicpalooza admission at $69.99 and up. Houston on the Cheap says standard adult tickets start at about $63 for Friday and about $114 for a weekend pass, depending on purchase timing, while VIP and Speed Pass upgrades can run about $295 or more. (comicpalooza.com) Comicpalooza’s buyer guide says its own website is the only authorized seller of event passes. Comicpalooza says children age 5 and under are admitted free, while discounted passes are available for children ages 6 to 12, according to Houston on the Cheap’s event guide. (comicpalooza.com) VIP pass holders also get access to the show floor 30 minutes before general doors open, the official homepage says. ### Where should visitors look before they go? Comicpalooza’s official guide includes floor maps, parking information, FAQs and a quick-reference page for the weekend. The convention also posts a celebrity schedule online and says schedules are subject to change. (visithoustontexas.com) Friday, May 22, is the next key date for attendees, with box office operations beginning at 1 p.m. and programming starting at 2 p.m., according to the official event schedule. Passes, guest updates and show information remain available through Comicpalooza’s website ahead of opening day. (comicpalooza.com) (comicpalooza.com) (houstononthecheap.com)