Events

MAGE spans three whole event-filled days in late Fall, bringing together almost 4,000 fans to celebrate fandom, technology, anime, costuming, internet stuff, and nerd life. We have a show floor packed with special guests, artists, and dealers, in addition to autograph sessions and FAQs that give fans a chance to interact with their favorite voice actors, creators, and TV stars. Events range from special sneek-peek screenings to various social events and beyond. We bring together thousands of the most awesome people to one place.

Events are divided among multiple different tracks of programming, to cover a wide range of interests!

The Grand Costume Contest

Our costume contest, judged by top costumers from around the country, is your chance to show off your costumes and compete for the prizes ranging from Best Performance to Best Craftsmanship to the coveted Best in Show.

Musical Events

We have a ton of musical events featured every year, including multiple concerts, dances, balls, and events. Join us at the Formal Fantasy Ball for an evening of music and dancing. Come see concerts featuring music styles about all things nerdy. The genres and types of music cover quite a wide range. And lastly join us every evening for our great big Electronic Dance Music dance party on the main stage.


Escape from the Cabin of the Cackling Man
Lost in the woods, you stumble upon an old cabin. There are human remains inside, long deceased, and …clutching an old gaming controller?

Whatever happened here is about to happen again. Something has awakened in the woods, and it’s coming for you. Can you solve the mystery behind a cursed video game and a strange occult ritual before midnight? Or will you be the next victim of the Cackling Man?

An escape room inspired by creepypastas, the 80s, retro video games and urban legends.

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Entertaining Events and Panels

We invite some of the coolest performers and entertainers and industry professionals to our convention to talk about things they know about. This includes everything from demonstrations on proper swordsmanship to comedy lessons to making business out of your hobbies.

Fan Panels and Events

We have tons of fan panels and events submitted by fans and staff alike. Here are some examples:

• Cosplay & Culture Advice Panels
• Fanfiction & Writing Panels
• Dating Advice and Relationship Tip Panels
• Who's Line is it Anime?
• Learn and watch dances
• Show & Cosplay Q&A Panels

Video Gaming
We have an epic, dedicated video gaming room filled with multiple large-format LCD screens for everything from first-person-shooters to Japanese fighters - with tournaments scheduled all weekend long. Many people come spend all weekend playing video games, and our game room is open late to keep you entertained.

Table Top Gaming

We are very excited to have table top gaming running and demonstrating over a dozen different table top board-games and collectible card games, including many tournaments. We sometimes also feature game demonstrations from Steve Jackson Games MIB, demonstrating games like Munchkin and Ninja Burger. We have had prizes from Level Up Games and Steve Jackson Games. The tabletop gaming room, provided by Gnome Games, is a staple of AnimeCon.org events. You could make a ton of friends playing games here, especially if you join us for a game of Werewolf. They even bring games like life-size Catan (pictured)!

Exhibition Hall

We have an epic exhibition hall filled to the brim with anime, video gaming, and comics merchandise. They have so much swag it's unbearable, so you need to take it home with you instead!

Artists Alley
Our artists alley is the chance for you to come see some cool handmade artwork and special crafts. Browse MANY artists who publish their own books, manga, and art, and stock up on art prints and handmade collectibles.
Dealers Room
The MAGE Dealers Room features dozens of vendors selling everything a fan could want to see or buy. Shopping for hours is one of the most fun parts of the convention experience, so come on by and bring your wallet to browse a great lineup of booths selling everything from anime to comic books to plushies and more.

Room Parties
Attendees are welcome to submit and host room parties in their rooms. Fans can stay up and party, make new friends, and celebrate their mutual love of fandom. If you would like to host a room party, you need be approved in advance so that we can ensure your room is in a location that will not have noise problems. Please see more here.

Tons of Guest Events
We have numerous Q&A sessions, workshops, and autograph signings with our many guests of honor. Most of the convention's guests come for all three days, meaning you get several opportunities to meet them, get autographs, and ask a question in a Q&A panel.



A full list of events will be published closer to the convention. In the meantime, please check out the individual genre pages for some more information!