This summer at Comicpalooza, festival-goers have the opportunity to immerse themselves into the world of pop-culture. Between anime, comics, cosplay, literature and electronic and tabletop gaming, there is something for everyone at this weekend-long event in Houston taking place July 15-17 at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Actors Alaqua Cox (“Hawkeye”), Christopher Eccleston (“Doctor Who”), Terry Crews (“America’s Got Talent”), Anthony Starr (“The Boys”) and Kyle MacLachlan (“Twin Peaks”) are some of this year’s special guests, but celebrity appearances are just one of the many reasons thousands of Houstonians return to Comicpalooza year-after-year.
A ticket to the pop-culture festival grants access to a robust programming schedule, an exhibition floor with vendors from all across the nation, bot battles, a decked-out anime car show and a sea of cosplayers all under one roof.
On Friday night, attendees are invited to kick off the weekend at the inaugural Comicpalooza Launch Night with entertainment galore, featuring a neon themed dance party dubbed CP Friday Night Bash, retro gaming including Mario Kart 64 tournaments, Texas All-Star wrestling matches and Houston Ultimate Werewolf.
Then the rest of the weekend, activities will span over the convention center’s three floors. On the first floor is the exhibition floor, where vendors come from all over the nation to sell niche items such as rare collectibles, handmade art and jewelry, comic books and other pop-culture memorabilia. Also on the first-floor, fans will be able enjoy special attractions like anime and pop-culture themed cars at the Itasha Showdown: A Car Runway Experience, knight duels at Full Steel Combat, Star Wars props and otherworldly displays at The Star Wars Alliance, and new this year the ultimate battle bots competition will be making its way to the show floor with Robotica, where teams will enter their creations and battle it out in the U.S. Navy Battle Zone all weekend long.
Meanwhile, the second level is stocked with games like chess and checkers, along with programming elements such a K-pop dance workshops by KLOVR and Cultural Arts Avenue showcasing the talents of local art organizations including Fresh Arts, Art League Houston, The Printing Museum, The Quilt Festival, 1940 Air Terminal Museum, Via Colori, and Zine Fest Houston.
On the third floor, various programming activations will be going on, including panels and workshops such as From Line to Life: Making Costumes and Cosplay, Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi discussions, X-Men: What’s Going on With the House X?, UFO/UAP Metals on Display, Dragon Ball vs. My Hero Academia, How to Draw Manga Better and more.
On Saturday evening, ticket holders can also cheer on or participate in the fan-favorite annual Cosplay Contest where participants show off their impressive creations and flare. Also happening Saturday evening, the annual Live Art Auction will host talented artists as they donate time and creativity to produce unique pieces of art, not only for an evening of entertainment but to raise money for Fresh Arts, a charity that champions our local art community to succeed in the business of art.
With a wealth of activities and experiences, there is never a dull moment at Comicpalooza. Ticket holders are encouraged to plan out their days at Comicpalooza to ensure they do and see all of their desired events.
Find out more about Comicpalooza, see the 2022 schedule, and buy passes for this year’s event at www.comicpalooza.com.
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