14 cities. Between August and November, I was in 14 different cities working on (in various capacities) pop culture conventions in Canada and the United States. Hopefully this explains the gap in my blogging activities during the latter part of 2021. Based on my current workload for 2022 (18 confirmed events so far) I don’t see it getting much better. However, I wanted to make sure this post happened.

As stated in previous blog posts: in the early 2000s, shortly after I started Wasabi Anime, I began paying attention to the sudden proliferation of anime conventions in Florida. This expanded into a focus on all “pop culture” or “geek” events in the later years and, around 2009, I started creating an annual list on my Facebook to share with friends. After doing this a few times, I got asked to share the information publicly so, starting in 2013, I’ve created an annual blog post about the planned events taking place in the Sunshine State. As as result, I’ve seen large events disappear, small events become large, and some pretty legendary dumpster fires along the way. Here are links to the past lists in case you’re interested:

2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013

I left a LOT in the PENDING category since, post-COVID, it’s hard to confirm what is dormant and what is dead. My apologies for not having direct links to the events this time around, but there just aren’t enough hours in the day right now. Do you know of one I missed? Post a comment or email me.

CONFIRMED:

• JAN 2, FTSE‘s Space Coast Collector Fest (Cocoa)
• JAN 8, Orlando Anime Day (Orlando)
• JAN 8-9, St. Pete Comic Con (St. Petersburg)
• JAN 15-16, Central Florida Comic Con (Lakeland)
• JAN 15-16, Otakufest (Miami)
• JAN 16, Deland Comics & Collectibles Show (Deland)
• JAN 21-23, Villicon (Orlando)
• JAN 22-23, CBC Comic Book & Toy Show (Weirsdale)
• JAN 22-23, HorrorVille (Cocoa)
• JAN 23, FTSE‘s Funko POP! Orlando (Orlando)
• JAN 29-30, TGC-Con: Tampa (Tampa)
• FEB 5, SSA+S Toracon (Sarasota)
• FEB 5, StingrayCon (Jacksonville)
• FEB 11-13, Gameaissance Comic Con (Tampa)
• FEB 12-13, Brick City Anime Festival (Ocala)
• FEB 13, Olo Comic and Toy Show (Orlando)
• FEB 14-19, ConVoluted CON Cruise (Port Canaveral, aboard a cruise ship)
• FEB 18-20, Pensacon (Pensacola)
• FEB 18-21, Otronicon (Orlando)
• FEB 19, Beyond Comicon (North Miami Beach)
• FEB 19, LOLCON (Jacksonville)
• FEB 19, Syfy Bartow (Bartow)
• FEB 20, The Retrorama Collectibles Show “Magical Mystery Tour” (Jacksonville)
• FEB 24-27, Coastal Magic Convention (Daytona Beach)
• FEB 25-27, Coliseum of Comics Presents: Coliseum Roadshow (Orlando)
• FEB 25-27, Hall of Heroes: Bold City Con (Jacksonville)
• FEB 26, Infinity Con: Lake City (Lake City)
• FEB 26-27, Orlando Collect-A-Con (Orlando)
• FEB 26-MAR 5, Star Trek: The Cruise (Port Canaveral, aboard a cruise ship)
• FEB 28-MAR 4, King Con Cruise (Port Canaveral, about a cruise ship)
• MAR 5-6, Bindie Con (Maitland)
• MAR 5-6, Super Retro-Con (Kissimmee)
• MAR 6, SW-FloridaCon (Fort Myers)
• MAR 11, Funko Pop Kon (Orlando)
• MAR 11-13, Collective Con (Jacksonville)
• MAR 12, Hero Hype: Miami (Miami)
• MAR 16, MY-CON (Orlando)
• MAR 19, Supershow Con Miami (Miami)
• MAR 20-27, Meeples At Sea (Tampa, aboard a cruise ship)
• MAR 26-27, SwampCon (Gainesville)
• MAR 27, FT-LauderdaleCon (Ft. Lauderdale)
• MAR 27, FTSE‘s Star Wars Collector Con (Orlando)
• APR 18-29, 2022, Sci-Fi Sea Cruise (Fort Lauderdale, aboard a cruise ship)
• APR 23-24, Suncoast Comic-Con (Palmetto)
• APR 24, Wrestle Daytona (Daytona Beach)
• APR 30, Brick City Comic & Toy Show (Ocala)
• MAY 19-22, MEGACON Orlando (Orlando)
• MAY 20-22, Florida Supercon (Miami)
• MAY 21, Hero Hype Anime & Gaming Expo (Orlando)
• MAY 28-30, Mizucon (Miami)
• JUN 4-5, Infinity Con: Tallahassee (Tallahassee)
• JUN 4-5, Lake Collect-A-Con (Leesburg)
• JUN 11, SWFL Space Con (Fort Myers)
• JUN 11-12, River City Wrestling Con (Jacksonville)
• JUN 18, Hero Hype: Orlando (Orlando)
• JUN 19, The Retrorama Collectibles Show “Magical Mystery Tour” (Jacksonville)
• JUN 23-26, Anime Festival Orlando (Orlando)
• JUN 24-26, CEO Fighting Game Championships (Daytona Beach)
• JUN 24-26, Supernatural Official Convention (Orlando)
• JUL 3-8, GaCuCon The Game Cruise (Miami, aboard a cruise ship)
• JUL 6-10, Dice Tower East (Orlando)
• JUL 9-10, Bold Matsuri (Jacksonville)
• JUL 15-17, Metrocon (Tampa)
• JUL 16-17, SharkCon (Tampa)
• JUL 29-31, Tampa Bay Comic Convention (Tampa)
• JUL 29-31, LeakyCon (Orlando)
• AUG 5-7, Megaplex (Orlando)
• AUG 13, Sunrise Comic Con (Sunrise)
• AUG 20, Quest Con Orlando (Orlando)
• AUG 27-28, Ultracon of South Florida (Miami)
• SEP 2-4, Fanboy Expo Orlando (Orlando)
• SEP 7-11, Escape Winter Con (Orlando)
• SEP 9-11, Sugoi Expo (Orlando)
• SEP 10-11, Daytona Beach Comic Convention (Daytona Beach)
• SEP 16-18, Ancient City Con (St. Augustine)
• SEP 17-18, Ocala Comic Con (Ocala)
• SEP 23-25, CEOTaku (Orlando)
• SEP 25, The Retrorama Collectibles Show “Magical Mystery Tour” (Jacksonville)
• OCT 15-16, WasabiCon (Jacksonville)
• NOV 11-13, Rangerstop (Orlando)
• NOV 11-13, Supernatural Official Convention (Jacksonville)
• DEC 16-18, Holiday Matsuri (Orlando)

PENDING:

• Anime Iwai (Fort Lauderdale)
• Beaches Comic Con (Jacksonville Beach)
• BTL Collectibles Show (Miami) – monthly
• Clermont Comic Con (Clermont)
• Colossalcon Cruise (Port Canaveral, aboard a cruise ship)
• Con of Thrones (Orlando)
• CosplayCon.com Orlando (Orlando)
• EagleCon (Fort Myers)
• EXP Con (St. Augustine)
• Eyecon (Orlando)
• Fantasm (Orlando)
• Florida Game Con (Tampa)
• FLPolyCon (Lakeland)
• FreeCon (Tallahassee)
• Furloween (Orlando)
• GAAM (Jacksonville)
• GatorLAN (Gainesville)
• Hall of Heroes: COS CON JAX (Jacksonville)
• Hall of Heroes: Force Fest (Jacksonville)
• Hall of Heroes: Mandarin MiniCon (Jacksonville)
• Hall of Heroes: PlayWorld Mini-Con (Jacksonville)
• Hatsumi Fair (Miami)
• Hero Hype: Tampa (Tampa)
• Infinity Toy & Comic Convention (Kissimmee)
• Jacksonville Anime Day (Jacksonville)
• Keiser Super Con (Orlando)
• LumiCon (Tampa)
• Melbourne Toy and Comic Con (Melbourne)
• Nakamacon (Panama City)
• Necronomicon Science Fiction Convention (Tampa)
• OASIS (Orlando)
• Omni Fandom Expo (Kissimmee)
• Orlando Japan Festival (Kissimmee)
• Orlando Toy & Comic Con (Orlando)
• Senpai Cosplay Cruise (Miami, aboard a cruise ship)
• Space Coast Comic Con (Cocoa)
• Spooky Empire (Orlando)
• Star Con (Orlando)
• Superfancon (Miami)
• SWFL Paranormal & UFO Con (Fort Myers)
• SWFL SteamCon (Fort Myers)
• Tallahassee Comic Con (Tallahassee)
• Tampa Anime Day (Tampa)
• True Gamerz Expo (Jacksonville)

INACTIVE/PRESUMED CLOSED:

• 2050 Events (Daytona Beach)
• Acciocon (Orlando)
• Acme Comic-Con (Longwood)
• AfroCon (Tampa)
• ALT*Con aka Tallahassee ComicCon (Tallahassee)
• Amelia Con (Amelia Island)
• Anime Supercon/Animation Supercon/ANIMATE! Miami/ANIMATE! Florida (Miami – merged with Florida Supercon)
• Anime Express (Daytona Beach)
• Anime South (Fort Walton Beach)
• Apex Anime (Tampa)
• ArcadiaCon (Fort Lauderdale)
• Auburndale City Con (Auburdale)
• Away Mission (Tampa)
• Ascendio/Infinitus (Orlando)
• Assimilation (Orlando)
• Atama Kon (Orlando)
• Battle Cruise (Port Canaveral, aboard a cruise ship)
• Bellecon/Otaku-Ya! Anime Festival (Jacksonville)
• Bold City Comic Con (Jacksonville)
• Bouchercon (St. Petersburg – but still active outside of Florida)
• CEO Dreamland (Orlando)
• Chibi Pa (Hollywood)
• Clearwater Comic Con (Clearwater)
• Clearwater Toshocon (Clearwater)
• Comic Con Revolution (West Palm Beach – but still active outside of Florida)
• CONjure (Orlando)
• Cosmic Comic Fest (Tampa)
• Cosography (Cocoa)
• Creature Con (Orlando)
• Creator Owned Expo (Ft. Lauderdale)
• Dead X Fest (Tampa)
• DreamCon/Nightmare Before Thanksgiving (Jacksonville)
• EliteCon (Tampa)
• EnchantaCon (Orlando)
• Evil Con (Tampa)
• Expedition Prototype (Kissimmee)
• Fan Lexicon (Jacksonville)
• FANdom Con (Fort Walton Beach)
• Fantasy Twi-Life Tour (Ft. Lauderdale)
• Fatality Fest (West Palm Beach)
• FAN2SEA Cruise (Tampa, aboard a cruise ship)
• Florida Anime Festival (Fort Walton Beach)
• First Coast Comic Con (Jacksonville)
• FIT Con (Melbourne)
• Floatacon (Miami, aboard a cruise ship)
• Floridacon (Miami)
• Florida Anime Experience (Kissimmee – merged with MEGACON Orlando)
• Florida Arcade & Pinball Expo (Ft. Lauderdale)
• Florida Battle Con (Orlando)
• Florida Net Con (Orlando)
• Fanboy Expo (Lakeland/Tampa – but still active outside of Florida)
• Florida Pop Con (Fern Park)
• Fandom Unleashed (Orlando)
• Florida Fandomania (Fort Pierce)
• Fusion Con (New Port Richey)
• FX/The Florida Xtravaganza (Orlando)
• Galaxy Comic Con (Daytona)
• Gamer Comic Expo (Miami)
• Gamewarp (Orlando)
• Geek Fest Florida (Fort Lauderdale)
• GeekyCon (Orlando)
• GIJoeCon (Orlando – but still active outside of Florida)
• Gulf Coast Maker Comic Con (Seminole)
• Hero Trader Comic Con (Punta Gorda)
• Houkocon (Port St. Lucie)
• Hurricane Who (Orlando)
• Infinite Bits (Miami)
• The International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts (Orlando – but still active outside of Florida)
• JACON (Orlando)
• Janicon (Jacksonville)
• Kaiyōcon (Daytona)
• Khaotic Kon (Tampa)
• Knightrokon (Orlando)
• Kunicon/Otakucon (Miami)
• LameCon (Land O’ Lakes)
• M•CON (Jacksonville)
• Malooga Con (Tampa)
• Mandarin MiniCon (Jacksonville)
• Meeting of the Mines Minecraft Convention (Orlando)
• MEGACON Tampa Bay (Tampa)
• Miami Hurricon (Miami)
• Mini Con (Plantation)
• Mugglecon (Orlando)
• Mythicon (Orlando)
• Naruto Trek (West Palm Beach)
• North Florida Comic Con (Jacksonville)
• O-SaruCon (Orlando)
• Ocala Comic Fest aka Comic Fest at the Mall – Ocala (Ocala)
• Okama Con (Miami)
• Omnicon (Ft. Lauderdale)
• OrlandoCon (Orlando)
• Orlando Comic Expo (Orlando)
• Orlando Nerd Fest (Orlando)
• Palm Con (West Palm Beach)
• Panama City Beach Comic Con (Panama City)
• Panama City CreativeCon (Panama City)
• Paradise City Comic Con (Ft. Lauderdale – merged with Florida Supercon)
• PariahCon (Lakeland)
• Pensacola Comic Convention (Pensacola)
• Pulp Adventure Con (Ft. Lauderdale – but still active outside of Florida)
• RapierCon (Jacksonville)
• RedShirt Con (Orlando)
• Retr-O-Rama Pop Culture Collectibles Show/Original North Florida Pop-Up Toy Show (Jacksonville)
• RetroJAX (Jacksonville) – was Free Play Florida/Jacksonville Arcade Expo
• Sci-Con (Tampa)
• Salty Bay Con (Tampa)
• Sands of Anime (Cocoa Beach)
• Shadocon (Tampa)
• Shock! Pop! Comic Con (Ft. Lauderdale)
• Silver-Con (Fort Lauderdale)
• Southern Media Con (Tampa)
• Space Coast Nerd Fest (Melbourne)
• Speculative Fiction: Southeast (Orlando)
• Star Wars Celebration (Orlando – but still active outside of Florida)
• Steampunk Invasion (St. Augustine)
• Sukoshi Con (Ft. Walton Beach)
• Tachychon (Orlando)
• Tampa Bay Toy Expo (Tampa)
• TFCon Orlando (Orlando – but still active outside of Florida)
• The Grand Brony Gala (Tampa)
• Time Lord Fest (Jackonville & Tampa)
• Treasure Coast Comic Con (Port St. Lucie)
• Trekfest (West Palm Beach)
• Trekon (Miami)
• Trek Happening (Ft. Lauderdale)
• Umicon Daytona (Daytona Beach)
• Vulkon (Orlando & Tampa)
• Walker Stalker Cruise (Tampa, aboard a cruise ship)
• Winter Garden Wonderfest (Winter Garden)
• Wizard World (Bought by FAN EXPO)
• Wrath of Con (Panama City)
• Yasumicon (Miami)
• ZombiCon (Fort Myers)
• Zona Con/Tri-County Comic Con (Orlando)