St. Augustine is about to get a whole lot geekier.
Ancient City Con returns September 25–27, 2026, at the World Golf Village Renaissance Resort, bringing its particular mix of cosplay, comics, gaming, celebrity guests, artists, vendors and after-hours entertainment to the St. Johns County Convention Center.
Cosplay has become one of the biggest parts of the Ancient City Con identity, and the convention has been voted the Best Cosplayer Event in the Folio readers poll for three consecutive years. The annual cosplay contest, showcase and Pokémon cosplay contest give costumed fans plenty of opportunities to step into the spotlight.
There is plenty happening beyond the costume scene. The convention floor will feature artists, vendors, comics and celebrity guests, while tabletop gaming gets its own dedicated room with scheduled games and open-play tables throughout the weekend. The Nerd Cafe Arcade adds another place to hang out and play.
Ancient City Con also has a nightlife side that sets it apart from the usual daytime convention schedule. ACC After Dark takes over Friday and Saturday nights with DJs, live music, dance parties and stage performances, including a lineup of performers spread across the two evenings.
For comic fans, this year’s convention also has a St. Augustine connection built right into the show. Ancient City Con teamed up with Coliseum of Comics for an exclusive variant cover for D’ORC’s first trade paperback, featuring D’ORC being thrown into battle above the city’s historic Castillo de San Marcos.
The weekend kicks off Friday, September 25, with public hours from 1 to 7 PM, followed by the first night of After Dark entertainment. Saturday runs from 11 AM to 7 PM, with another round of nighttime events afterward. Sunday runs noon to 6 PM.
Ancient City Con has grown into a distinctly Northeast Florida celebration of fandom, combining the things people expect from a pop culture convention with plenty of its own personality. By the time the weekend wraps up in St. Augustine, there should be plenty of costumes, games, comics, collectibles and stories to take home.
Beam Me Up Scotty
Old punk rocker from Miami who still smells faintly like comic shops and poor financial decisions.
