FAN EXPO Chicago 2025 took place on August 15-17 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL.
This year, the convention did something a little out of the ordinary. On Friday. the convention floor ran from 4pm-9pm, with VIP, Ultimate, and other special pass holders able to enter at 2pm. That certainly is different for a convention of this size, and where in the past it was a 4-day event in the days of Wizard World. Like everything, this decision had its pro and cons. On the good side, it meant that those who could not get out of work/school/etc were still able to more or less enjoy as much of the convention as possible. However, it also made for a quick turnaround from late Friday evening to the start of Saturday. I personally did not think I’d end up staying the whole time on Friday, but there was enough to see and do that I in fact did stay until nearly the end of the day.
Our past FAN EXPO CHICAGO cosplay coverage can be found here: 2022, 2023, 2024
Or Wizard World 2017-2021 Here
The rest of our cosplay coverage for FAN EXPO CHICAGO 2025
Friday Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3
Saturday Pt.1, Pt. 2 (Pending)
Sunday Pt. 1, Pt. 2 (Pending)
The day might have started a little slow, but before long there were lots of convention goers out on the show floor getting autographs or photo ops, shopping, or meeting up with old friends. I must admit I didn’t get as many cosplay photos as I usually do, but hopefully that’s just a sign that I was enjoying myself too much! Anyhow, here are the cosplay photos I managed to snag on Friday:
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. The latest schedule of events is available here, along with up-to-date ticket information. Discover. Celebrate. Belong.
To see what cosplay conventions are coming up
be sure to check out our Cosplay Convention List!
