FAN EXPO Chicago ran August 14-16 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. This is one of the largest pop culture conventions in the Midwest and draws over 75,000 fans. This years event showcases a massive celebrity lineup with several major cast reunions, comic creators, cosplay competitions, and extensive shopping opportunities.
The third day of the event was not nearly as crowded or chaotic as the first. There was a lot of people, but not nearly as much as Saturday and the crowds didn’t have the same frantic energy that was around on Saturday. Part of that was probably due to the fact that there were less celebrities on site. Many didn’t schedule on Sunday, or they had to leave early to catch flights.
Our past cosplay coverage can be found here: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Or Wizard World 2017-2021 Here
Overall, it was a more relaxed atmosphere. I managed to get down to the floor and wander among the vendors. There was a lot of the standard things for sale. Nothing truly stood out to me as new or unusual. I also made my way over to artist alley to see what was on offer. Some of the crafts and art was astounding, the creativity displayed by some is amazing.
The Rest of our 2026 Coverage is here:
Friday Pt. 1, Pt. 2
Saturday Pt. 1
Sunday Pt. 1
… More to Come
Sunday cosplay was a lot more casual and a little more sparse than the rest of the weekend, but I still managed to get quite a few photos.
ABOUT FAN EXPO
FAN EXPO Chicago is the ultimate go-to event for sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming event in Chicago that attracts hundreds of thousands of people to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
FAN EXPO Chicago offers exciting family-friendly attractions, events, and world-renowned Celebrities! The show, which started as Chicago Comic Con in 1972 and became Wizard World Chicago in 1998, has featured celebrities and creators like Stan Lee, Michael J. Fox, John Travolta, Carrie Fisher, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, WWE® Superstar John Cena®, David Boreanaz and many more headliners.
Everyone is a fan of something, and FAN EXPO Chicago is a place to celebrate all things pop culture. Get an autograph or a photo with your favorite guest then get the inside scoop about your favorite movies and TV shows at our celebrity panels! Watch professional comic artists battle it out in our popular Sketch Duels, learn from our “How To” workshops, and take photos with your favorite costumed characters! It’s also a great place to buy a unique gift (or treat yourself!) with a huge show floor for shopping madness.
FAN EXPO HQ is the largest comic con producer in the world. Collectively, it hosts over one million fans annually at FAN EXPO Canada, MEGACON Orlando, FAN EXPO Denver, CALGARY EXPO, FAN EXPO Chicago, FAN EXPO Dallas, FAN EXPO Boston, FAN EXPO Philadelphia, EDMONTON EXPO, FAN EXPO San Francisco, Toronto Comicon, FAN EXPO Cleveland, FAN EXPO New Orleans, FAN EXPO Portland, FAN EXPO Vancouver, and Dallas FAN FESTIVAL.
To see what cosplay conventions are coming up
be sure to check out our Cosplay Convention List!
