Convention Fans

There’s no doubt about it - fandom conventions keep getting more and more expensive these days. If it’s not the convention raising their prices, it’s the hotel or the celebrity guests! Remember when you could get your photo with a guest for free? While the vast majority of conventions are going up in price in some way, there are some conventions (and geeky festivals) that offer free entry. That’s right: FREE. Below is a list of free fandom conventions and festivals, along with the location and a description.

Tigercon: Towson, Maryland
Date: September 26, 2009

Tigercon is a free one-day anime convention at the University Union on the campus of Towson University. The convention was held on September 26, 2009. Be on the look out for 2010 dates. Guests for 2009 included the Geek Comedy Tour and Garth Graham, just to name a few. Visit the official Tigercon website for additional information.

St. Charles Scarecrow Festival: Saint Charles, Illinois
Dates: October 9th - 11th, 2009

The heart of this Illinois festival is on the Fox River’s west side in Lincoln Park - where hundreds of hand-crafted scarecrows are on display. There is a carnival, an “Autumn on the Fox Arts and Crafts Show”, live entertainment and, of course, delicious food. Not only is the admission free, but so is the parking and the shuttle/trolley. You can find out more at the St. Charles Scarecrow Festival official website.

Witches Ball: Mount Holly, New Jersey
Date: October 10th, 2009

Witches Ball is a free outdoor event that is a “one of a kind opportunity for adults to dress up and act like, well, whatever they want!” According to the organizers, Witches Ball offers a diverse collection of music, art and “revels” which await those who have the inclination and imagination to take part. Costumes are encouraged. There will be live music, fire performances, Professor Badger’s Cabinet of Curiosities, a Gypsy Village, appearances by the South Jersey Paranormal Researchers and South Jersey Ghost Research, a costume contest, a “Black Market,” an event from Seventh Kingdom IGE, and more. This event is suggested for over 18. Be sure to visit the Witches Ball official website for more.

The Asian Karaoke Idol Invitational (TAKII): Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dates: November 28th - 29th, 2009

The Asian Karaoke Idol Invitational offers Asian Karaoke Idol, karaoke freestyling, video game tournaments on a wide variety of systems, a charity benefit concert featuring D-chan (Japanese/Korean vocal musician), live guest performers, cosplayers, interactive panels & innovative gameshows, guests of honor, unforgettable memories, and much more! Be sure to visit the official website for more info.

MomoCon: Atlanta, Georgia
Dates: March 20th - 21st, 2010

MomoCon is one of the most well known free fandom conventions in the United States. It features plenty of great anime programming, gaming, costuming, and more. It is held on the campus of Georgia Tech yearly. Stay tuned for upcoming guest announcements. Visit the official website for more information.

Tosho-con: Largo, Florida
Date: March 27th, 2010

Tosho-con a FREE Anime Convention at the Largo Public Library in Largo, Florida. It will take place on Saturday, March 27th. If you would like to be a volunteer to help in planning the event and are between the ages of 13-18, applications are available on the desk in the teen room. We are also looking for new guest speakers, demonstrations, performers, vendors and groups for panels. Keep up on all the latest Tosho-con information via the Largo Public Library Teen Room blog!

Yasumicon: Miami, Florida
Dates: July 17th - 18th, 2010

The year 2010 marks the 8th anniversary for this FREE convention.  The theme for the 2010 convention is “8-Bit.” Yasumicon is Florida’s largest free Anime convention and it is made possible through funding from the Council for Student Organizations and the Student Government Association of Florida International University. Be sure to visit the official website for more information.

Special thanks to the Green Tentacles Convention Finder for helping me to compile this list. If you want to find a convention based on a keyword, genre, or zip code, be sure to visit the Green Tentacles Convention Finder.

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