GalaxyCon Raleigh 2026 took over downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, from July 23 through July 26, 2026. This event brought four packed days of entertainment to the Raleigh Convention Center. they describe themselves as a “Festival of Fandom,” and drew tens of thousands of attendees.
The guest lineup for this con was impressive with celebrities covering all genres and mediums. The list included Hayden Christensen, Rosario Dawson, Ke Huy Quan, Karl Urban, William Shatner, Vincent D’Onofrio, Ralph Macchio, and Rainn Wilson. There were even some old cult favorites such as Cheech & Chong, Skeet Ulrich and David Arquette. Animation guests included Tara Strong, Christopher Sabat, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Johnny Yong Bosch, as well as Taliesin Jaffe, Liam O’Brien, and Sam Riegel. They even had Chris Jericho, Mick Foley, and Jake “The Snake” Roberts for the wrestling fans.
Beyond celebrity panels and photo ops, there was the massive massive hall and Artist Alley which included original artwork, rare comics, custom apparel, handmade crafts, and collectibles. Gaming enthusiasts were not left out of the mix with dedicated tabletop and video game areas that included tournaments and casual play.
Cosplay remained a staple of the event. Casual cosplayers rubbed shoulders with builders and they all displayed their love for genres and art. Small group meetups, group photo shoots, and cosplay meetups were the norm. Special thanks go out to S Michael Hauserman allowing us this glimpse into the event.
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