Youmacon 2026 fills Detroit’s Huntington Place Oct. 29–Nov. 1 with anime, gaming and Halloween cosplay, and city first responders get in free

DETROIT — Youmacon, the anime, gaming and cosplay convention that bills itself as Michigan’s largest anime experience, takes over Huntington Place in downtown Detroit from Thursday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Nov. 1, and this year it falls on Halloween weekend.

The convention drew 14,000 people last year, organizers said in a Sept. 14 announcement posted by Visit Detroit. This year’s theme is “Spirits & Shadows.”

A thank-you to first responders. New this year, City of Detroit police officers, firefighters and EMT personnel can claim a free weekend badge at the door with valid ID, organizers said. Eric Gaiser, Youmacon’s chairman, said organizers are “pleased to expand our presence in the city by honoring Detroit’s first responders.”

What’s inside. Organizers promise more than 300 vendors, artists and makers in the marketplace and Artist Alley; free-play video, arcade and tabletop gaming plus tournaments; panels and workshops; cosplay meetups and competitions; and concerts and fashion shows on the main stage. Listed highlights include the Otaku Cabaret on Friday, Oct. 30, and the Senpai Squad Rave and International Cosplay Competition on Saturday, Oct. 31, along with a larger gaming hall and an expanded 18-and-older section.

Hours. The convention runs 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the event’s information page. Marketplace hours are shorter, and badge pickup and sales are on Level 2 in Hall D.

Badges. A weekend badge is $80 for adults, and a limited number of $250 Platinum badges add priority admission and other perks. Single-day adult badges are $50 for Friday, $60 for Saturday and $35 for Sunday. Badges for children 5 to 12 are $20, children under 5 get in free, and each paying adult can bring up to four youth badge holders. Service fees apply online, and the organizers say badges will cost more at the door.

Know before you go. Organizers call Youmacon family-friendly, but some programming is for older audiences and runs late. Age-restricted events are marked, and photo ID is required where it applies. The convention also supports Extra Life, the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals fundraising program; this year’s beneficiary is Corewell Health Children’s in Royal Oak. Organizers recommend coming early to avoid a long wait for badges.

Sources:
Youmacon, official site, “Youmacon 2026,” https://youmacon.com/
Youmacon, “Event Info” (hours, badges and registration), https://youmacon.com/event-info/
Youmacon, “FAQ,” https://youmacon.com/faqs/
Visit Detroit, “Youmacon 2026” event listing with organizers’ Sept. 14, 2026, announcement, https://visitdetroit.com/events/youmacon-2026/
Photo: Michael Carian, “Youmacon 2009 cosplay (4070331227).jpg,” 2009, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped and color-adjusted, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Youmacon_2009_cosplay_(4070331227).jpg

Detroit

Tags: Detroit · Things to Do · Youmacon · Huntington Place · Halloween · Anime