Confirmed means the organizer has published the dates on its official site. Unconfirmed means ticketing or calendar sites list dates the organizer hasn’t posted yet, so don’t book nonrefundable travel on those.

Still waiting on dates

These established shows haven’t announced their next edition yet. Here’s when they usually run:

• Hill Country Comicon (New Braunfels), usually March. Last held Mar 14–15, 2026.
• Anime Matsuri (Houston), usually summer. Last held Jul 23–26, 2026.
• Classic Game Fest (Austin), usually late July. Last held Jul 24–26, 2026.
• Anime North Texas (Irving), usually August. Last held Aug 7–9, 2026.
• Hub City Comic Con (Lubbock), usually August. Last held Aug 22–23, 2026.
• Kameha Con (San Antonio), usually August. Last held Aug 21–23, 2026.
• QuakeCon (Grapevine), usually August. Last held Aug 6–9, 2026.
• Big Texas Comicon (San Antonio), usually October. Last held Oct 9–11, 2026.

Date changes to note

A few long-running shows are moving in 2027:

• FAN EXPO Dallas goes back to June (June 11–13) after a September 2026 edition.
• El Paso Comic Con moves up to March 5–7, about two months earlier than 2026.
• AggieCon shifts from its late-January 2026 slot to March 6–7.
• Dream Con moves from July to June 18–20.
• Retro Expo moves from March to April 17–18.

We re-check every listing regularly. Each convention page shows the date we last verified it.

Pick the right first con

Not every con is the same experience.

• Big multi-fandom shows like FAN EXPO Dallas and Comicpalooza are about celebrity guests, huge show floors, and spectacle. They’re great, but crowded.
• Community-sized shows like Hill Country Comicon, Bell County Comic Con, or AggieCon are cheaper, calmer, and easier with kids.
• Hotel-style anime cons like Anime North Texas are social and run late into the night. The fun is in the hallways as much as the panels.

Badges and add-ons

• Buy early. Prices usually climb as the show approaches, and single-day Saturday badges at big shows can sell out.
• Autographs and photo ops cost extra. At celebrity-driven shows, these add-ons often cost more than admission. Budget for them separately and buy as soon as your must-see guest is announced.
• Buy only from the official site or its named ticketing partner. Resold badges can be voided, and organizers increasingly tie badges to names.

Getting there

• Downtown venues (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso) have expensive event parking. Dallas’s Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center has its own DART light rail station, and Houston’s George R. Brown is on METRORail.
• Book hotels the day the room block opens for San Japan, QuakeCon, and Ikkicon especially. Attached and resort hotels go fast.

Texas heat is a real factor

Summer cons (Anime Matsuri, Dream Con, QuakeCon, Classic Game Fest, San Japan) happen in triple-digit heat.

• Carry a refillable water bottle. Most venues have filling stations.
• If you’re cosplaying, plan the walk from parking to the door. Armor and wigs in 100°F sun is no joke.
• Shade and air-conditioned breaks are part of the schedule, not a waste of time.

Budget

Beyond badges and add-ons, plan for:

• Artist alley: prints and stickers add up fast. Set a number before you walk in.
• Food: convention-center food is pricey. Bring snacks (most venues allow them) or eat nearby.
• Cash: card readers are common, but cash still speeds up small purchases and sometimes gets a better price.

Etiquette

• Cosplay is not consent. Always ask before taking a photo of a cosplayer.
• Don’t block aisles for photos. Step to the side.
• Shower, sleep, eat. The old con-goer rule, sometimes called the 6-2-1 rule (six hours of sleep, two meals, one shower a day), exists for a reason.

Find your con

Browse the full Texas convention directory or check the calendar for what’s coming up next.

Winter

Ikkicon, January, Round Rock. Central Texas’s premier anime + gaming con has run for more than 20 years. Now based at the Kalahari Resort, it has a self-contained resort feel and strong nightlife programming.

AnimeVerse Houston, February, Houston. A big NRG Center show with celebrity guests, gaming, main-stage performances, and 100+ vendors, usually on Valentine’s Day weekend.

AggieCon, late winter/early spring, College Station. The world’s longest-running student-run fan convention, now anime-forward. It’s affordable and a great first con.

Summer

Dream Con, summer, Houston. Founded by RDCWorld, Dream Con mixes anime with gaming, sports, music, and creator culture, and puts inclusivity at the center.

Anime Matsuri, summer, Houston. One of the largest anime and Japanese pop culture conventions in the South, known for J-fashion, concerts, and a season of free community events leading up to it. It hit its 20th anniversary in 2026.

Anime North Texas, August, Irving. “The DFW Anime Convention” is a hotel-style con at the Westin DFW Airport. It’s social and runs late.

Kameha Con, August, San Antonio (2026). The world’s largest unofficial Dragon Ball fan convention. It’s a single-franchise show, with tournaments and after-hours events.

Fall

San Japan, Labor Day weekend, San Antonio. The largest anime and gaming convention in South Texas is fan-run and fills the convention center and Grand Hyatt by the River Walk.

Anime Frontier, December, Fort Worth. Presented by Crunchyroll and produced by the Anime NYC team, Anime Frontier is the most industry-heavy anime show in Texas, with publisher and studio presence and announcements.

Which one should you pick?

• Want industry news and premieres? Anime Frontier.
• Want the biggest party? San Japan or Anime Matsuri.
• Want a resort weekend? Ikkicon.
• Want something small and cheap? AggieCon.

See every date in one place on the Texas convention calendar.