The second annual St. Pete Comic Con is on January 7-8, 2023, at the Coliseum and surrounding area. And considering the inaugural event was such a hit (according to St. Pete Catalyst that said “St. Pete’s first comic con a super success“), we highly recommend St. Pete Comic Con 2023. So, here are 10 incredible reasons why.
Incredible Reason #1: Guest Voice Actors at St. Pete Comic Con
At St. Pete Comic Con 2023, there is a solid lineup of big-name voice actors who portray major characters in popular shows, games, and animated series such as Genshin Impact, Cookie Run Kingdom, Hunter x Hunter, To Your Eternity, Boruto, and The Amazing World of Gumball. Voice actors appearing at St. Pete Comic Con include Jacob Hopkins, Valeria Rodriguez, and Chris Hackney. Additionally, all three voice actors are participating in Q&A panels.
Incredible Reason # 2: Guest Comic Creators appearing
St. Pete Comic Con 2023 Comic creators include three big-time talents — artists, authors, and animators — who have worked on a wide range of major titles from Young Justice, Avengers Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and Doctor Who to Green Arrow, Green Lantern, and Superboy to Disney’s Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, and Tarzan. Comic creators include Christopher Jones, Mike Grell, and Peter Raymundo.
Incredible Reason #3: Florida’s top cosplayers are guests
St. Pete Comic Con 2023 features four of Florida’s top cosplayers and they are appearing both days of the con. Guest cosplayers will be hosting panels, judging contests, and meeting fans at their booths.
Dark Lady Cosplay, from Tampa, is Florida’s prolific World of Warcraft cosplayer who has nearly 30 costumes from the popular game. Also, she is known for exceptional makeup work and armor builds.
Star_Cos22, from Orlando, is a 17-year-old cosplayer who has created a sensational following on TikTok and Instagram. Best known for their eccentric make-up, she is an award-winning lip sync performer and most recently won “Best in Snow” at Holiday Matsuri.
Amazon Cosplayer, from Fort Lauderdale, is Florida’s tallest heroine cosplayer who has captured the hearts of thousands with her many versions of Wonder Woman and Red Sonja. And she is known for cosplaying strong women from comics and games.
Avera Cosplay, from Fort Myers, is a pro cosplayer who has won more than 10 awards from major cosplay competitions like Megacon Orlando, Florida Supercon, and Dragon Con. And she is known for armor builds and character mashups. St. Pete Comic Con is honored to have Avera Cosplay hosting the cosplay competitions.
Incredible Reason #4: St. Pete Comic Con Contests
St. Pete Comic Con 2023 is bringing the contests: Cosplay Contest, Lip Sync Competition, TikTok Film Festival, and Fan Art Contest. These contests have been extremely popular at other events including Anime St. Pete and Holiday Cosplay Tampa Bay, which are all run by the same organizers. There are nearly $1,500 in cash prizes, and all winners get a seriously cool medal.
The Cosplay Contests include Craftsmanship on Saturday, and Runway on Sunday. Award-winning pro cosplayer Avera Cosplay is hosting both of the cosplay contests. Craftsmanship is Saturday at 4 p.m., and Runway is Sunday at 4 p.m. Craftsmanship contest awards are $500 in cash prizes.
Lip Sync Competition is an opportunity to strut your stuff to your favorite song with cash prizes of $200.
TikTok Film Festival celebrates the creativity of cosplayers through their own TikTok content. Go show them what you’ve got! And, if you win, there are $500 in cash prizes.
Fan Art Contest brings artists together to create their best fan art in a timed art race. There are $200 in cash prizes.
Incredible Reason #5: St. Pete Comic Con Schedule
The schedule for St. Pete Comic Con has outstanding programming that includes voice actor Q&As, 5 contests, nearly 2 dozen photo shoots, and lots of panels. In fact, there are so many panels they had to separate them into five types: (1) In-character cosplay panels, (2) Instructional panels, (3) Game panels, (4) Discussion panels, and (5) Dance panels. St. Pete Comic Con was still adding more panels to their website when we wrote this blog, so check back for updates.
Incredible Reason #6: St. Pete Comic Con is Beginner-Friendly
Attending a comic, anime, horror, or pop culture conventions for the first time can be intimidating, making it difficult for first-timers to find a way to fit in. But not at St. Pete Comic Con, where they love beginners! The amazing and talented cosplayer Mana-T Cosplay — who also is the Managing Editor of Florida Comic Cons and Florida Cosplay Digital Magazine, as well as the Convention Coordinator for Anime St. Pete and Holiday Cosplay Tampa Bay — will be hosting two panels for beginners. We encourage you to attend her panels.
So, It’s Your First Time at a Comic Con…
This panel is for those who have never attended a comic, anime, horror, or pop culture convention. Mana-T Cosplay will warmly welcome beginners and show them the ropes of getting the most out of your first con. She will review the different types of conventions, paying particular attention to cons in Florida (this will be a great insider guide on the best events in The Sunshine State). In addition, the talented cosplayer will cover some important general practices at conventions such as not taking photos of cosplayers without permission and how to be respectful of others. And, she’ll make sure you know the coolest things to check out!
Intro to Contests
Mana-T Cosplay will review popular competitions at St. Pete Comic Con: Cosplay Contest, Lip Sync Contest, TikTok Film Festival, and Fan Art Contest. She will explain each competition, including how to enter, what to expect, and what will help you do better in the contest. This is a must-see panel for anyone interesting in learning more about participating in contests!
Incredible Reason #7: Nearly 100 Genre-Specific Vendors
St. Pete Comic Con curates its vendors for the genres of the event: Comics, anime, sci-fi, fantasy, and cosplay. Attendees can expect a wide range of vendors from retailers selling everything from comics to figures, as well as artists offering their talents in various forms.
Incredible Reason #8: Good crowd last year
Florida Cosplay Digital Magazine published a special edition on the inaugural St. Pete Comic Con recapping the positive fan reviews. So, you’re sure to see lots of familiar faces and meet plenty of new friends with similar interests. Here’s a few photos from last year, which drew 3,500 attendees.
Incredible Reason #9: Video Games
St. Pete Comic Con offers all-day gaming on the balcony of The Coliseum brought to you by Gamers on the Edge. Video gamers of all ages and skill levels are welcome to hang out and play games.
Incredible Reason #10: Food Trucks for St. Pete Comic Con attendees
You’re gonna get hungry and thirsty! Therefore, St. Pete Comic Con is bringing in three fabulous food trucks each day, courtesy of Tampa Bay Food Trucks.
Isekai Sushi is more than just a food truck, it’s a place to try out new dishes created in another world with offerings that range from sushi to hot Asian appetizers and entrees.
Kebabalicious serves various types of kebobs — beef, chicken, lamb, vegetarian — from Mediterranean to Middle-Eastern (and don’t forget the homemade hummus).
The Dude and His Food is known for prime rib sandwiches in a variety of styles such as traditional Philly, Tex-Mex, Greek Gyro and Reuben as well as chicken sandwiches like Spicy Buffalo.
ChicaBoo Acai serves açaí and superfood bowls that will expand your definition of a food truck.
Slider Guys Food Truck offers a variety of gourmet sliders in beef, chicken and vegetarian options — all served with homemade sauces and a unique assortment of toppings.
Purchase Tickets Today
St. Pete Comic Con is affordable for the whole family or the entire friend group. Single day passes begin at just $25 and weekend passes are only $40. Tickets to a con also make AMAZING holiday gifts! Buy yours today!
Need help finding conventions in Florida?
Florida Comic Cons publishes the Con Calendar, a curated calendar of upcoming conventions. Each convention listing includes in-depth info about the event like guests, artists and cosplay contests. In addition, there are lots of helpful links for things like buying tickets, registering as a vendor, and learning more about characters.
