This weekend is packed with three different cons throughout the state of Florida. In St. Augustine, Ancient City Con is back for its seventh year. Ocala Comic Con is back for it’s ninth year. Finally, Anime St. Pete is arriving as a first year con! These events are filled with great cosplay opportunities, Fantastic guests to meet, and tons of great activities.
Florida Comic Cons is here to break down a little more information on each of them.
Ancient City Con
Ancient City Con is a three day con on September 16-18 at the World Golf Village Renaissance Resort in St. Augustine, Florida. The event has a couple interesting things to keep in mind if you plan on attending.
Silent Auction
Ancient City Con is hosting a silent auction in partnership with Coliseum of Comics to promote the charity A Place Called Home. Items featured are unique items signed by Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance. Items include comics like Batman Black and White and Umbrella Academy, and a selection of figures like the Joker for Batman Black and White, which Way designed, and the Skeleton Gerard Way Pop Figure. Be sure to stop by the Coliseum of Comics booth for more information if you are interested in participating.
Cosplay
Ancient City Con is hosting three separate cosplay events: Costume Contest, Cosplay Got Talent, and a Cosplay Gallery. The Costume Contest is a craftmanship competition that welcomes all ages. If you are participating, costume prejudging is at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Cosplay Got Talent is a way for cosplayers to show their skills outside of the classic craftmanship competition by putting on a performance. Performances include singing, dancing, acting, and more! This event will be on Friday at 6 p.m.
Finally, the Cosplay Gallery is a feature giving costume creators a chance to display some of their best work. The Costumes are displayed all weekend and judged by various categories.
Ocala Comic Con
Ocala Comic Con is a two-day convention in Ocala, Florida on September 17-18. The event will be held in the World Equestrian Center in Expo Building 1. Here are a couple fun things to consider adding to your plans.
Gaming
Ocala Comic Con is hosting several gaming opportunities, especially for trading card games. Akora TCG, Nostalgix, and Cannabear Gaming will all be present to show off their games, while also giving out convention exclusives.
Additionally, there is a free Smash Bros Melee tournament and a free to play area. Finally, dance off you dancing shoes and get ready for the rhythm game area. The rhythm game area features unlimited play for games such as Dance Dance Revolution, Beat Saber, and Sound Voltex. The cost of the rhythm game area is $5.
Panels and Programming
The weekend is jam packed with great panels featuring celebrity guest and creators attending the con. With panels such as “Learn to Draw From a Real Animator” with Peter Raymundo, “The Walking Dead Meets the Avengers” with Ross Marquand and Michael James Shaw, and “Getting into Comics” with three comic artists, there’s plenty to choose from all weekend.
Anime St. Pete
Anime St. Pete is a first year con in St. Petersburg, Florida. The event is September 17-18 at the Coliseum. This two-day con is fun filled with great events all weekend.
Lip Sync Competition
A captivating Lip Sync Competition will be held on Sunday, September 18. Watch fans lip sync, dance, and act to their favorite songs. The competition will be held in the auditorium of the Sunshine Center. Additionally, for added entertainment, the event is hosted by Awesomus Prime, a Dj and Music producer from Florida.
Idol Group Performance
@Charmoniofficial will be on the main stage at Anime St. Pete. The group consists of 6 people, and they are based out of Tampa. Idol groups are known for their matching costumes, high energy performances, and expert lip syncing. They’ll be sure to excite any crowd so be sure not to miss them.
Need help finding comic cons in Florida?
Florida Comic Cons provides the Con Calendar — a curated calendar of upcoming comic, anime, horror, science fiction, fantasy and pop culture conventions in The Sunshine State. And event listings include con info as well as helpful links for things like buying tickets and registering as a vendor.
Florida Cosplay Digital Magazine, a free monthly mag full of cosplayer photos and interviews
Florida Cosplay Digital Magazine, published by Florida Comic Cons, is a free monthly publication that spotlights cosplayers in The Sunshine State. The magazine includes interviews, character backgrounds, and, of course, lots of cosplayer images. Here are the most recent 2022 issues, and a special edition on St. Pete Comic Con 2022.
30 Days After the Inaugural St. Pete Comic Con 2022
