Long Beach Comic Con 2025

Long Beach Comic Con and Expo is an annual pop culture and arts celebration held at the Long Beach Convention Center in early or mid-September. The fun-packed weekend covers all possible fandoms: you can enjoy an awesome cosplay contest, your favorite comic books, gaming, action figures, anime & manga, and more. Additionally, the show offers programming, exhibitors, meet-and-greet sessions with celebrity guests, and tons of family-friendly activities.

Cosplay Contest

The indisputable highlight of the convention is the cosplay contest, drawing in dozens of participants who want to show off their creativity and craftsmanship. Cosplays from all over Southern California and beyond flaunt their costumes, inspired or replicated based on their favorite characters from anime, movies, cartoons, and so on. The contest usually takes place on Saturday at 6 pm.

There are ten competing categories, including Best in Show, Best Villain, Best Hero, Best Group or Couple, and Best Kid. Some categories are focused purely on the crafting aspect of the cosplay, such as Best Construction and Best Fabrication. Others revolve around media genres, for example, Best Sci-Fi or Best Anime.

Exhibitions & Artist Alley

The convention's Exhibit Hall is filled to the brim with various exhibitors showing off their work and unique merchandise related to various fandoms. Rare comics, figurines, and exclusive editions of your favorite books are all on display for visitors to witness. The Artists Alley gives you an opportunity to buy souvenirs for yourself, ranging from pins for your backpack to unique handmade items, like posters and artwork.

GeekFest Film Festival

GeekFest Film Festival is an annual attraction of the Long Beach Comic Con, beloved by the convention's regulars. The festival hosts dozens of short film screenings of all genres, including fantasy and horror. Apart from watching the movies, the event features several guest panels, who will reveal the secrets behind some of your favorite movies.

Space Expo

At the Space Expo, attendees have a chance to learn more about science and technology through the lens of pop culture and their favorite pieces of media. This pavilion features talks and presentations by renowned engineers who were involved in film production, demonstrations of innovative gadgets, and more.

Convention Schedule

The convention generally runs from 10 am until 6 pm on Saturday and from 11 am until 5 pm on Sunday. The cosplay contest lasts a bit longer since it usually begins at 6 pm on Saturday, with seating starting at 5 pm.