If your weekend plans could use a little more anime, cosplay, K-pop and gaming, Jacksonville has you covered.
WasabiCon takes over the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center October 9–11, 2026, and there is a lot happening during those three days. The convention fills 165,000 square feet with hundreds of hours of programming centered around anime, manga, Asian culture, cosplay, tabletop games and video games.
And this definitely isn’t a show where you have to spend the entire day walking around looking at vendor tables.
Cosplay is everywhere, with the Cosplay Competition, Cosplay Jr., Cosplay After Dark and Cosplay Paparazzi among the scheduled attractions. Music and performance fans can check out IdolFest, the Legends Undone Masquerave and the WasabiCon Talent Show, while the Anime Goth Rave gives Friday night a much darker soundtrack.
Gaming gets plenty of attention too. Tabletop games and video games have dedicated programming throughout the weekend, including tournaments and other opportunities to actually sit down and play instead of simply watching from the sidelines.
There are also plenty of guests to meet. The 2026 media guest lineup includes Amir Talai, Anjali Kunapaneni, Brad Swaile, Joel Perez, Natalie Van Sistine, Skye Redden and Shannon Chan-Kent, along with featured cosplayers, creators and community groups. Guest appearances vary by day, so checking the schedule before heading out is a good idea.
And yes, there is plenty of shopping. WasabiCon has a large exhibitor area filled with vendors and artists, so leave yourself some time to wander around and see what ends up tempting your wallet.
WasabiCon runs Friday from 3 PM to 10 PM, Saturday from 10 AM to 9 PM and Sunday from 9 AM to 6 PM at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, 1000 Water Street in Jacksonville.
Three days is a lot of convention time, but looking at everything WasabiCon has squeezed onto the schedule, you might actually need it.
Pick a cosplay, charge your phone, wear comfortable shoes and get ready for a very geeky weekend in Jacksonville.
Beam Me Up Scotty
Old punk rocker from Miami who still smells faintly like comic shops and poor financial decisions.
