How to Plan an Anime Convention: 12 Steps

To plan an anime convention, define the size and audience, set a budget, book a venue that fits your exhibitor hall, artist alley and panel rooms, write a code of conduct and prop weapons policy, invite guests, sell exhibitor booths and artist alley tables from a floor plan, build a panel schedule, plan the cosplay contest, set up badges and registration, staff security and volunteers, then promote to local fans. Most first-time organizers need 9 to 12 months. The 12 steps below cover how to start an anime convention from the first budget to teardown.

Step 1: Define the Convention and Audience

Decide what kind of anime con you are running. A one-day community con in a library or hotel is a very different project from a three-day convention center event with paid guests and late-night programming. Write down your expected attendance, number of days, core audience (teens and families, college students, adult fans or a mix) and what will set your event apart, such as a gaming focus, a music lineup or a strong artist alley.

If you are also weighing a broader pop culture format, our guide on how to start a comic con covers the wider fan convention model, from comics to film and TV guests.

Step 2: Build the Budget

List costs first. Typical lines include venue rent and its required services, insurance, licensed security, audio-visual equipment and crew for stages and panel rooms, pipe and drape, tables and chairs, guest fees and travel, badges and lanyards, signage, staff shirts, marketing and a contingency line. Then list income: attendee badges, exhibitor booths, artist alley tables, sponsorships, paid autographs or photo ops, and add-on events such as a ticketed concert or formal dance.

A common approach is to cover fixed venue and production costs with exhibitor, artist and sponsor revenue, so badge sales carry less risk. Treat that as a planning choice, not a rule.

Step 3: Choose a Venue and Date

Anime cons need several kinds of space at once. Check that the venue can give you:

• An open hall for exhibitors and artist alley, with load-in doors and power
• A main stage room for opening ceremonies, guest panels, the cosplay contest and concerts
• Several smaller panel rooms, plus a gaming room and a quiet room
• A registration and badge pickup area with room for long lines
• Photo areas or outdoor space for cosplay photoshoots
• Nearby hotels, food options, parking and transit for out-of-town fans

Avoid weekends that clash with large anime conventions in your region, and check school calendars if your audience skews young.

Step 4: Write Your Policies

Publish policies before you sell anything: a code of conduct that covers harassment and photography consent (cosplay is not consent), a prop weapons policy (materials, size limits and a peace-bonding or check process), an age policy for 18+ panels, a badge and refund policy, and accessibility information. Name a clear way to report problems during the event and who handles reports.

Step 5: Invite Guests

Guests can include voice actors, artists, cosplayers, musicians and creators. Start with a short list that fits your budget and audience, and confirm fees, travel, hotel, appearance hours, autograph and photo-op rules, and panel commitments in writing. Many first-year cons lean on local and regional guests and grow the lineup once attendance is proven. Do not announce a guest until the contract is signed.

Step 6: Plan the Exhibitor Hall and Artist Alley Layout

The exhibitor hall is usually your biggest revenue room, so draw it to scale before you open sales. Typical anime convention layouts include:

• Exhibitor booths: 10x10 booths for merchandise, figure, manga and apparel vendors, with larger spaces for sponsors and big retailers.
• Artist alley: rows of single or half tables, often 6 or 8 feet, grouped together so fans can browse art in one area.
• Feature areas: autograph lines, a sponsor stage, photo backdrops and a seating area.
• Wide aisles: cosplayers with wings, wide costumes and props need more room than a typical trade show aisle; confirm minimums with your venue and fire marshal.
• Queue space: leave room for autograph and popular vendor lines so they do not block aisles.

Put popular exhibitors and autographs toward the back of the hall so fans walk past artist alley and smaller vendors on the way.

Step 7: Sell Booths and Artist Alley Tables

Open exhibitor and artist applications early. Collect business details, product types, sample work or a portfolio link, table or booth size, power needs and sales tax information where your state requires it. Decide how you will choose artists: first come, first served, a juried review or a lottery, and publish rules on fan art, original work and prohibited items.

Keep the price menu short: a standard exhibitor booth, a premium or corner booth, a full artist table and a half table, plus add-ons such as power or extra badges. Once an applicant is approved, let them choose a numbered space on your map and pay online, so you are not reshuffling a spreadsheet every time someone asks to move next to a friend.

Step 8: Build the Panel Schedule

Panels fill the day between the hall and the main stage. Open a call for fan panels with a simple form asking for a title, description, panelists, age rating and AV needs. Mix guest panels, fan panels, workshops (cosplay construction, drawing, voice acting), screenings where you have the rights, and gaming tournaments. Leave 15 minutes between panels for room turnover, and publish the schedule a few weeks before the event.

Step 9: Plan the Cosplay Contest

The cosplay contest or masquerade is often the highlight of the weekend. Decide on divisions (such as youth, novice, journeyman and master), categories for craftsmanship and performance, and a time limit for skits. Run pre-judging for craftsmanship earlier in the day, assign a green room and a stage manager, and set rules on props, music and stage safety. Our cosplay contest judging criteria give you a scoring rubric you can adapt.

Step 10: Set Up Badges and Registration

Decide badge types (single day, weekend, VIP, child, exhibitor, artist, guest, press and staff), price tiers and when prices rise. Plan pre-registration pickup and on-site sales as separate lines, and test your check-in setup before doors open. Registration lines are often the first complaint at a new con, so staff them well on the first morning. For software options built for this format, see our roundup of the best fan convention software.

Step 11: Staff Security, Volunteers and Safety

• Licensed security for doors, the main stage, the exhibitor hall overnight and crowd control
• A prop check station near the entrance
• Volunteers for registration, panel rooms, line management, artist alley check-in and information
• First aid on site, water stations and a plan for heat in crowded rooms
• A harassment response team and a clear reporting path
• Insurance certificates from the venue, exhibitors and any outside vendors

Step 12: Promote and Run the Weekend

Promote through local anime clubs, college groups, game stores, comic shops, libraries and social media. Ask guests, exhibitors and artists to share the event, and publish the guest list, schedule and exhibitor map early. During the weekend, run a daily morning briefing, keep a floor manager in the hall, and watch line lengths at registration and autographs. Afterward, survey attendees, exhibitors and artists, review sales by area, and open applications for next year while the event is fresh.

Anime Convention Planning Timeline

• 12 months out: goals, budget, venue and date, insurance, core team.
• 9 months out: policies, guest invitations, open exhibitor and artist applications.
• 6 months out: badge sales open, panel call, cosplay contest rules, security contract.
• 3 months out: exhibitor and artist assignments, panel schedule, volunteer recruiting.
• 1 month out: final floor plan, signs, badge printing plan, staff briefings.
• Event week: load-in, registration setup, volunteer training and a walkthrough with the venue.

When you are ready to open the exhibitor hall, expo management software lets approved exhibitors and artists pick a numbered booth or table on your floor plan and pay online, and gives fans a searchable map of the hall on the day.