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.
This was the first day of FAN EXPO Chicago and to be honest, I didn’t go far. I wandered a little bit through artists alley, but I continually returned to the cosplay area aka the Community Zone. There was a lot of room to wander and it was very easy to find cosplayers to photograph. This was also where the various cosplay groups had their booths. A few of them included the Midwest Garrison, Windy City Ghostbusters, Costumers with a Cause, Extra Life, League of Enchantment, Code 501 Cosplay Group, and Belegrath Medieval Combat Society.
Our past cosplay coverage can be found here: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Or Wizard World 2017-2021 Here
A big draw for the cosplay is the Red Carpet. Once a day there is a parade of cosplayers that march across it and Moorcroft Moorcroft Photography LLC is there to capture it all. Josh is the official Red Carpet Photographer and you can find all three days in Google Drive. His photos are way better than mine, after all he is the professional, and I just point and click.
The Rest of our 2026 Coverage is here:
Friday Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Red Carpet
Saturday Pt. 1
Sunday Pt. 1
… More to Come
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!
