Photos by : Kat Astrophe , Leo Nocedo Holiday Matsuri 2025 wrapped up its three-day celebration on December 21, leaving thousands of attendees with memories of spectacular cosplay showcases, electrifying performances, and the unique blend of pop culture and holiday spirit that has made it Florida’s premier anime convention.
Held at the Orange County Convention Center with after-hours programming at the connected Hyatt Regency Orlando, this year’s event drew record crowds eager to celebrate their favorite fandoms while embracing the festive season. From competitive cosplay championships to late-night raves, Holiday Matsuri proved once again why it stands as a cornerstone event for anime, gaming, and cosplay enthusiasts across the Southeast.
Cosplay Takes Center Stage
The heart of Holiday Matsuri has always been its passionate cosplay community, and 2025 delivered in spectacular fashion. The Winter Cosplay Championship showcased some of the nation’s most talented costume crafters and performers, with multiple international qualifiers offering winners once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to represent the United States abroad.
Competitors vied for spots at prestigious events including the World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, Japan; the Extreme Cosplay Gathering at Japan Expo in Paris; the Nordic Cosplay Championship in Sweden; and the Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival in South Korea. The craftsmanship on display ranged from intricate armor builds to flowing fabric work, each entry representing countless hours of dedication and artistry.
“The level of talent this year was absolutely breathtaking,” shared one attendee who watched the competitions. “You could see the passion in every stitch, every prop, every performance. These aren’t just costumes—they’re wearable art.”
Group Photoshoots Create Community Magic
Beyond the formal competitions, Holiday Matsuri’s hallmark group photoshoots brought together fans of specific series, games, and characters for impromptu gatherings that captured the convention’s collaborative spirit. Throughout the weekend, the convention center’s spacious halls and the scenic outdoor areas became stages for massive fandom assemblies.
Popular series like My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, Genshin Impact, and The Legend of Zelda drew dozens of cosplayers each, creating stunning visual displays as characters from across entire universes gathered for commemorative photos. The Disney-inspired gatherings—particularly timely given Orlando’s proximity to the theme parks—featured creative holiday mashups with princesses, villains, and beloved characters sporting festive accessories.
Social media platforms lit up throughout the weekend with photos tagged #HolMat2025, showcasing the creativity and camaraderie that defines the convention experience. Photographers worked alongside cosplayers to capture dynamic group shots, individual portraits, and candid moments that highlighted both the artistry of the costumes and the joy of the community coming together.
“This is what conventions are all about,” explained a veteran attendee organizing a Critical Role group shoot. “You spend months making your costume, and then you get to meet all these other people who love the same things you do. It’s pure magic.”
Holiday Runway Brings Festive Flair
The Holiday Runway Contest added a uniquely seasonal twist to traditional cosplay competitions, encouraging participants to reimagine their favorite characters with holiday-themed designs. Winners in categories like “Most Lit” (best use of lights and decorations) and “Best in Snow” (top overall holiday design) demonstrated remarkable creativity in blending pop culture with winter wonderland aesthetics.
Star-Studded Guest Lineup Delivers
The 2025 guest roster brought industry legends and rising stars together under one roof. Voice acting icon Steve Blum drew massive crowds for his panels and autograph sessions, while Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Wendee Lee, and Jonah Scott connected with fans eager to hear behind-the-scenes stories from their favorite anime series.
Cosplay celebrities Alyson Tabbitha and Hoku Props hosted workshops at the Cosplay Academy, sharing professional techniques with aspiring costume makers. Fashion icon Sebastian Masuda brought his signature colorful aesthetic to discussions about the intersection of Japanese street fashion and pop culture.
The VTuber presence, featuring DokiBird and Ayamy, highlighted the convention’s embrace of evolving entertainment formats, drawing younger attendees who have grown up with streaming culture alongside traditional anime fandom.
Gaming and Beyond
Beyond cosplay, Holiday Matsuri’s gaming rooms buzzed with competitive energy as players faced off in Tekken tournaments, rhythm game challenges, and tabletop card battles. The exhibit hall stretched across massive convention center space, packed with vendors offering everything from rare imported figures to handcrafted jewelry, holiday-themed merchandise, and artist commissions.
The signature Benefit Ball—themed as a “Frosted Fairytale” and hosted by voice actress Briana White—raised significant funds for Gamers Outreach, continuing the convention’s tradition of supporting hospitalized children through gaming equipment donations. Attendees dressed in their finest formal cosplay for what organizers call “Anime Prom,” dancing the night away while supporting a worthy cause.
IdolFest brought global-scale performances to the main stage, showcasing talented performers in the Japanese idol tradition, while the late-night Holiday Rave kept the party going into the early morning hours with guest DJs spinning festive remixes of anime openings and gaming soundtracks.
Looking Ahead
As attendees departed on December 21, many were already making plans for Holiday Matsuri 2026. The convention’s unique position as both a major competition hub and a welcoming community gathering has secured its place as an essential annual pilgrimage for fans across the region and beyond.
For first-time attendees, the experience exceeded expectations. For veterans returning year after year, it delivered the familiar warmth of reunion combined with fresh surprises. And for the broader anime and gaming community, it demonstrated that fandom celebrations can be both competitive showcases of incredible talent and inclusive parties where everyone belongs.
Holiday Matsuri 2025 proved that when passion, creativity, and holiday spirit combine, the result is something truly special—a convention that feels less like an event and more like coming home for the holidays with thousands of your closest friends who just happen to love the same shows, games, and characters you do. For individual photos please visit our flickr page.
NocedoPhoto Media Group
NocedoPhoto Media Group is an innovative and creative consortium that unites photographers, writers, cosplayers, event promoters, vendors, costume and prop makers, and other creatives under one roof to use their collective skills to maximize their distribution and presence on digital media platforms. Their goal is to create a well-rounded and successful network for all involved.
