Okay, where else can you see movie props, armored knights, a giant Stay Puft, dinosaurs, cosplay, an eight-foot Bumblebee and a Pikachu-themed Volkswagen all in the same weekend?
That would be The PropCon.
The convention takes over the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach on October 3–4, 2026, and this one looks like it was made for people who enjoy wandering around a show and constantly finding something they weren’t expecting.
Props are naturally a big part of the weekend. Fans can check out screen-used pieces, replicas and displays, including more than 50 authentic props, costumes and production materials from the Narnia films. Saw fans can also meet T. Brooklyn Bellissimo, the builder of the original Reverse Bear Traps, and get a photo with a screen-used trap.
There are plenty of larger-than-life things to see too. A giant Stay Puft display, towering dinosaurs, an eight-foot Bumblebee and PikaBelleChu’s PikaBug are among the attractions waiting around the convention. And yes, apparently you can even ride an alligator.
If watching people hit each other with swords sounds like your kind of afternoon, you’re covered there too. Armored combat and live-action fantasy battles are part of the weekend, along with cosplay, arcade games, live art, comedy, maker demonstrations and a mobile escape room built inside an RV.
The guest lineup includes actor and stunt performer Martin Klebba, known for the Pirates of the Caribbean films, along with prop makers, fabricators and other creators who can actually tell you how some of this wonderfully strange stuff gets made.
Pokémon fans haven’t been forgotten either. The PropCon is celebrating 30 years of Pokémon with featured cards, including a Charizard ex Special Art Rare in a PSA 10 holder and Ancient Mew, plus PikaBelleChu and her PikaBug.
And then there’s the marketplace. Expect artists, makers, collectibles, cosplay armor, fantasy accessories, gothic creations, handmade pieces and plenty of things that could very easily follow you home.
The PropCon runs from 10 AM to 5 PM both Saturday and Sunday at the Ocean Center, 101 N. Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach. Kids 10 and under receive free admission with a paid adult ticket.
Basically, this isn’t the kind of convention where you walk in, make one lap and call it a day. There are too many weird, creative and completely unexpected things scattered around the show.
Just make sure somebody gets a picture of you with Stay Puft.
Beam Me Up Scotty
Old punk rocker from Miami who still smells faintly like comic shops and poor financial decisions.
