C2E2 2026 ran March 27- 29 at the McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. It was a weekend for pop culture fans. Celebrity guests such as Elizabeth Olsen, Charlie Cox, and Christopher Eccleston drew massive crowds. The event also boasted the nation’s largest Artist Alley, where top names in the comics industry rubbed shoulders with the up and comings.
Even though it’s the last day of the convention Sunday did not slow down in regards to all that was offered. In addition to a number of panels featuring this year’s guests, the Cosplay Showcase, I helped out once more in Family HQ at the Shields Up! with LoE Armory workshop. Young ones (and their parents) were able to decorate their own shields to take home with them so they could be superheroes in their everyday lives.
In between all of this was plenty of last-minute shopping and quality time with friends – new and old alike. I spent most of my money this weekend in Artist Alley, but there were a number of unique vendors that also caught my attention. Besides the usual t-shirt, dice, and merch dealers, I enjoyed to variety of vendors selling unique blends of hot chocolate, coffee, and tea. Badali Jewelry sold licensed pieces from such fantasy properties like Lord of the Rings, Wheel of Time, Dresden Files, and much more that seriously tempted my willpower!
One of my favorite things with weekend was the sheer variety of cosplay. Sure, some costumes were more popular than others due to the celebrity guests, but some cosplayers didn’t pay attention to that and just cosplayed the characters they loved. My Little Pony, Bridgerton, KPop Demon Hunters, Alice in Wonderland, Invincible, Wicked, and Phantom of the Opera were only some of the unique costumes I had the opportunity to see over the course of C2E2. The sheer creativity and passion that was on display always continues to wow me, whether a cosplay is a straight recreation or a unique variation. I can’t wait to see what people come up with for the next convention!
C2E2 2026 Cosplay Photos
Friday Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3
Saturday Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3, Pt. 4
Sunday Pt. 1, Pt. 2
The Backside of Cosplay
Previous Years Cosplay Coverage – 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Some may have cut their day short to make the journey home, but others stayed until the very end, trying to bottle up all the good memories until the next event. Here are the last of my cosplay photos from the weekend!
To see what cosplay conventions are coming up
be sure to check out our Cosplay Convention List!
