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 is usually the day that you can’t breathe due the crush of people and the massive waves of body heat, but honestly it wasn’t too bad today. It was crowded, but I’ve seen worse. The floor was negotiable, which in itself is a miracle on Saturday at any big con. Artist Alley was still a crush, but I did manage to peruse the offerings and scope out a few purchased.
Our past cosplay coverage can be found here: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Or Wizard World 2017-2021 Here
This is the second day I brought the pocket-sized pocket cheezebergers and they were a hit, especially towards the end of the day. I rescued a few vendors and cosplayers from starving to death. Unless you had at least a half hour to spare, you were not getting any food. The food court was VERY popular. The biggest problem was the lack of seating. Lots of places to eat, not a lot of places to sit. Many found themselves grabbing a chunk of concrete floor to have their meal.
The Rest of our 2026 Coverage is here:
Friday Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Red Carpet
Saturday Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3
Sunday Pt. 1
… More to Come
I spent some time at the Costumers With a Cause Booth, who were sharing space with Glossed Finishing Studios.
Saturday had a lot of cosplay. This is when there were a lot of groups and a lot first time cosplayers. I tried to get some good coverage of veterans and amateurs. It doesn’t matter the quality of the cosplay as much as the enjoyment of the cosplay. If you have fun with it, then that is all that matters.
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!
