AniMinneapolis provides you with a safe, exciting, fun place to make friends with people who share the same interests, as you participate in your choice of hundreds of different events. Over three days you can cosplay (optional), attend big events like concerts/dances/contests, play video games, and buy anime stuff. Because you'll be doing this among thousands of other anime fans, you're likely to meet a few cool people who like the same things and enjoy them together. Or, if you're a loner, we have some of the most epic event experiences you can imagine - exciting concerts, autograph sessions, hilarious panels and events, and much more.
Shop from vendors in Minneapolis
AniMinneapolis features some incredible vendors selling all kinds of awesome stuff! Our exhibition hall is jam-packed with all the amazing anime and gaming stuff that you could be looking for. You can complete your collection or start a new one by shopping in our incredible dealers room and our artists alley.
Three days of anime events.
Have you ever wondered how to tell if your collectible sword is as good as the swords in Samurai Champloo or in Rurouni Kenshin? Do you want to hear stories from behind the recording booth with some of the most famous anime voice actors on the planet? How about attending some epic musical events? We have all that and more every year at our jam-packed anime convention.
- Admission for one day.
- Access to our ConSweet
- Easily refundable.
- No extra charge for our Formal Dance, Rave Dances, Arcade Games, Exhibit Hall, Karaoke
- Admission for all 3 days.
- Access to our ConSweet
- Easily refundable.
- Discounts for early purchases.
- No extra charge for our Formal Dance, Rave Dances, Arcade Games, Exhibit Hall, Karaoke
- Admission for all 3 days.
- Access to our ConSweet
- First in line privileges.
- Be a real VIP.
- No extra charge for our Formal Dance, Rave Dances, Arcade Games, Exhibit Hall, Karaoke
- Special welcome items (limited availability)
Register right now for $45.00.
Super-low full 3-day price.
You can register online, or at the convention.
The convention dates: May 9 - 11, 2025
Online registration benefits:
- Make sure you have a badge before we run out.
- Faster check-in at the convention.
- We invite more guests as more people register.
Registration FAQs
What does my registration money go towards?
Your registration fees go towards making the best convention possible. Our largest expenses every year include paying for the hotel in which to hold the convention, and the special guests that highlight the convention (including flights, meals, and hotel rooms). We use it to get our printed schedules, plastic card badges, and pay for the technology that we rent or buy every year (computers for registration, projectors for video rooms). It costs a lot of money to bring excellent entertainment, rent and setup audiovisual equipment, and pay for flights for special guests to join us.
What are platinum badges?
Platinum badges get you first-in-line privileges at these events: Steam Powered Giraffe Concert, The Fantasy Ball, Each Nights Rave Dance. See more.
When should I pre-register?
The sooner you register, the lower the admission price you pay. Online pre-registration is a very easy and quick way to pay. Many people register as early as possible to save as much as they can, but some also wait until they can be certain they know that they are able to attend the convention. We recommend registering as early as you can, because your early registration helps us plan a bigger and better weekend.
What do I get for registering?
Your registration gives you access to the entire amazing convention, which includes a weekend of over 50 different events, access to our massive exhibit hall, panels with our guests of honor, access to our video screening rooms, access to our video gaming room, and access to everything else. Most of our events are included in your badge price! (We sometimes have special events like Escape Rooms, Maid Cafes, etc, that require an extra ticket). Your registration pays for the special guests of honor you can meet (flights are expensive!), audiovisual technology for our main stage, scheduled events, equipment, and everything that goes into putting an entire weekend of events together. Every con event has a lot of costs such as renting the venue, renting equipment, microphones, projectors, safety staff, and your registrations make these individual events in the convention possible.
What payment methods are accepted?
Tickets purchased on-site are Cash Only, so please bring cash if you wish to register onsite. Online registration can be paid conveniently by card. Online registration does not close when the event begins, so if you want to register on the day of the convention, you can do so online.
What is Kids Free Sunday?
Children under 13 can get into the convention for FREE on Sunday, with the purchase of a paid adult admission. Limit 2 children per adult. Children under 13 must be with an adult at all times.
What is a badge?
A badge is a plastic/paper card with your name and registration ticket number that lets you into convention events. You can pick up this badge, with a lanyard to wear it, at the registration desk when you get to the convention. The conference badge grants access to all events of the convention, but use of the badge is subject to all terms, conditions, and rules of the convention. Attending is a privilege, and badges can be revoked without refund for violation of the rules at any time by convention staff.
Is there a group discount?
Yes, when 10 people or more register as a group (such as an anime club) you can get 10% off the current registration price per person. This happens automatically! Simply add ten people who are over 13 years old, and you'll see the discount applied. All ten registrations must be paid for together online with a credit card using the same account (or with an official school check for school groups). Email with questions.
Is there a discount for children?
Yes. For weekend tickets, children from 7 to 12 can get a weekend ticket for $10 off the price for adults, or they can get in free on Sunday. Children under 13 must be accompanied by a supervisory adult who also purchases a ticket at the full adult weekend price (max 2 children per adult). The $10 discount can be done online or at the door, but they must be purchased at the same time (not separately). There is no discount for single day registration for children, except for kids free Sunday. Children under 7 are admitted free everyday with the purchase of an adult registration. Children under 7 do not need to buy a ticket or register. Children under 13 must be with an adult at all times.
Can I bring my mom or grandma?
Yes! They need a ticket to enter convention space, but to make it easier we give you an automatic $5 discount to anyone over 40 registering with at least two relatives under 18. This discount is only valid online on weekend tickets, and only if you register together.
Is there a discount for educators or teachers?
To make it easier for school groups to attend, teachers, or other licensed educators who are chaperoning a school group, can register for our convention for free by emailing us at least 35 days before the convention. We encourage groups to bring their teachers. Unfortunately since our convention reaches such a wide audience, only those individuals employed by a school/university/etc at least half-time are eligible for free admission.
Where do I get my badge/ticket?
You must pick up your badge (or buy one) at the registration desk, they will not be mailed. We request that you provide photo ID if you have pre-registered. There will be separate lines for pre-registration and at-con registration, please be sure to find the correct line.
How do I get registration confirmation?
We will email you with confirmation of your registration soon after registering, in most cases. Please save your PayPal receipt, as it can also serve as confirmation of your registration. You only need your ID to pick up your badge/ticket, you don't need your email (though it may speed up the process).
I pre-registered and can't make it this year, can I get a refund?
We try to have a generous refund policy. We can send you a refund, minus a $5 fee each, if the refund is requested soon enough after registering, but not when the convention is too close. We do not allow badges/tickets to be resold, given away, or otherwise transferred to other individuals. See the complete policy.
Why should I pre-register?
Pre-registration helps us estimate the number of attendees we will have, and it helps us pay for things in advance. If you pre-register, we can invite more guests, buy more food for our ConSweet if we have one, plan more entertainment, and a lot more. Oh, and you save money.
What do my convention registration costs go towards?
Your registration payments are used for a number of purposes to facilitate holding the convention, such as paying the hotel or convention center, bringing in VIP guests of honor, screenings of anime, and getting equipment used during the convention. Early registration gets a discount, as we are often able to lower costs when we can more accurately estimate the number of people attending in advance. Your registration fees also help us put a large number of hours each week into planning the event.
What if I have questions about other things?
If your question is not answered, please check our website for a section that may answer your question. Only if you can not find the answer online, you should contact us.
AniMinneapolis 2025
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
1300 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403
We are excited to bring AniMinneapolis to the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, in the heart of downtown. We are happy to have a lot of two-bed rooms for this year! Some highlights from this hotel include:
- A low rate of only $132 per night for a two-bed room. This means you can fit so many of your friends together for cheap!
- A ton of event space to make the best convention ever, so that we can hold more awesome events like Karaoke and table top gaming in addition to a new massive exhibit hall.
- Our ConSweet, which includes free ramen, rice, and soda. Attendees will have access to free ramen and soda all weekend, as part of their admission.
- We've secured parking rates of $18 per day, which is $11 the normal $29 rate! We encourage carpooling or using public transit to save money.
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
Tax and fees extra. $10 more per night for triple/quad occupancy.
M-F 6:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.**
Sat 6:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.**
Sun Noon - 6 p.m.**
** Some buildings don't communicate early closings of their skywalk sections. Due to COVID-19 precautions often the skywalk is less accessible now.
Overflow / Discounted Parking
Parking at the con venue is $30/day. Due to incredibly high demand and ticket sales, we have found expanded parking options exclusively for AniMinneapolis attendees. Click here to reserve parking downtown with ParkWhiz.Overflow Parking Location
727 Vineland Pl, Minneapolis, MN 55403
** Connected to the Walker Art Center
Optional walking distance: 15 minutes through Loring Park
Price: $8 per 24 hours*.
Note: They advise not parking longer than 48 hours here for safety reasons. * Price may vary.
Other Parking Options
These are the main parking options most attendees utilize.
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis's Loring Ramp: $29/day
Millennium Hotel: $21/day
Parking Lot for Vendors and Large Vehicles
There is a surface lot located a few blocks from the hotel.
Address: 217 S 9th Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Future Dates
May 26-28, 2023
May 24-26, 2024
May 9-11, 2025
May 22-24, 2026
May 7-9, 2027
Greg Ayres
Greg Ayres has been screaming into microphones for close to 25 years now! With over 376 credits to his name, he has managed to play a variety of characters that are almost as colorful as his hair. He was honored to recently return to his role of Son Goku in Saiyuki Reload Zeroin, having worked on the Saiyuki franchise for over 20 years. He can currently be heard as Po in Eminence and Shadow, As Kenta Kanzaki in The Dangers in My Heart, Yu Nishinoya in Haikyu, Chai in Shenmue The Animation on Adult swim, and a super bad demon known only as “God” in Dark Gathering. Some other recent roles include Chota Segawa in Alice in Borderland (OAV), Sho Utsumi in SSSSGridman, Frost in DragonBall Super, Geo in Sony Picture’s Starship Troopers : Traitor of Mars, Jiro in Concrete Revolutio, Ryuuou Edogawa in Doreiku, Koji Koda in My Hero Academia, and he even makes an appearance as Popuko in Pop Team Epic.
He is proud to be a part of the new “Pink Harvest” productions from Sentai Filmworks, in the roles of Izumi Sena in Lovestage, and Yabase in Hitorijime My Hero. Some other recent favorites include Nagisa Haruki in Free, and Free Eternal Summer, MonoKuma in Danganronpa, Clear in Dramatical Murder, Doug in Gangsta, Zenji Marui in Food Wars, Ganta Igarashi in Deadman Wonderland, Heihachi Hayashida in Samurai 7, and Kouichi Sakakibara in Another. Some of his all-time favorite roles include Chrono in Chrono Crusade, Kaoru Hitachiin in Ouran High School Host Club, Hideki in Nerima Daikon Brothers, Youhei Sunohara in Clannad, Yuki in The Wallflower, Leo in Ghost Stories, Satoshi Hiwatari in DNAngel, Kaworu Nagisa in the Director’s Cut of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Tomoki Sakurai in Heaven’s Lost Property, and Negi Springfield in Negima.
Of all of his many roles, his favorite will always be the real life role of “Little Brother” to voice actor Christopher Ayres. The little guy with a big Sippy Cup, and even bigger heart – who touched the world with his “Love and Laughter”.
Jay Hickman
Jay began his career in anime in the 1990s, when he landed his first role at ADV Films in Master of Mosquiton. Since then, he has appeared in more than 100 titles with studios including ADV Films, Funimation, Sentai Filmworks, Switchblade Pictures, Okratron 5000, and others. As a character actor, Jay has been able to voice a broad variety of colorful roles, with the occasional romantic lead thrown in for good measure. His notable credits over the past two decades are Mechazawa in Cromartie High School, Spitfire in Air Gear, Sho Zama in Aura Battler Dunbine, Shiryu in Saint Seiya, Chuu and Hammond in One Piece, Kagetane Hiruko in Black Bullet, Chief Kurama in Elfen Lied, Koji in Generator Gawl, Toru Watanabe in Excel Saga, The Fool in Kaleido Star, Crusty in Log Horizon, SSS in Madlax, Dera Mochimazzi in Tamako Market, Sanetoshi Watase in Penguindrum, Prince Mytho in Princess Tutu, and Giraffe in Revue Starlight, among many others.
Jay’s voice has also been featured in live action series and films such as Dark Water, Synesthesia, Conduct Zero, The Fuccons, Touching Wild Horses, Gamera – Attack of Legion, as well as in the video game Unlimited Saga. Jay had his Toonami debut playing Dr. Stylish in Akame ga KILL!, followed by Shiro Kuramori in Parasyte – the maxim, and now Joichiro Yukihira in Food Wars!
Robert L. Mungle
Robert L. Mungle is a voice actor for Funimation, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital/Sentai Filmworks, and OkraTron 5000. The Right Reverend Robert L. Mungle founded The Whiskey Brothers in 1998. Since then, while the line-up has changed, it has been his outrageously loud voice that has led the group. Mungle has taken the stage everywhere from sold out theaters to seedy strip clubs. His IMDB page boasts over 100 different anime roles, from “Ghost Stories” to “Lady Death” to “Excel Saga.” He was born in Houston and you might recognize him from any of tons of anime roles, some of which include Amanojaku from Ghost Stories, Mr.8 from One Piece, Matsushita from Angel Beats, and Pedro Domingo from Excel Saga. He’s appeared in Akame ga Kill!, 009-1, Broken Blade, Gantz, Halo Legends, and many others.
Gareth West
Gareth is an actor, model, and voice actor based out of Texas. He is known for such Anime roles as; Ittetsu Takeda in Haikyu, Seiya Takehaya in Tsurune, Kanichi Konishi in Food Wars, Haruka Shinozaki in My Girlfriend Is Shobitch, Lizard Misty in Saint Seiya, 2D in Golden Time, Akihiro Tsukaba in Chihayafuru, Tomoaki Yamagishi in O Maidens In Your Savage Season, and Dinkuron in Log Horizon. He is also currently playing the role of Jason Lee Scott the Red Power Ranger in the upcoming release Red Rising: A Power Rangers Fan Film. When not making anime voices or acting, Gareth enjoys basically anything nerdy under the sun. So whatever it is you are into, chances are you can come up and geek out. Because there is nothing he likes more than getting enthusiastic, and making new friends!
Samurai Dan and Jillian
The husband and wife team of Daniel and Jillian Coglan are full-time martial art instructors, specializing in 16th century Samurai Arts. When not teaching at their dojo, the Kojokan, they travel the United States performing and teaching the ancient ways of the most famous warriors in history.
With a combined 35 years of experience, their show is a unique blend of history, combative skill, and humor, designed to educate and entertain audiences both large and small.
Beyond their martial skills, the dynamic duo collaborated to write, direct, host, and star in a 12 episode TV series entitled, “The Way of The Samurai.”
Daniel is also an author, with several martial art articles published, and is currently working on his second full-length novel.
Emily Cramer
Emily Cramer is a voice actor and singer with an established performance background as a broadway character actor. Her Broadway credits include Mary Poppins, Les Misérables, School of Rock the Musical, and the first national Broadway tour of Shrek the Musical. Her most notable animation credits come from across the Pokémon franchise in Sun & Moon, Journeys, Paldean Winds, and Cat’s Kitchen, the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise in Arc-V, VRAINS, Sevens, Duel Links, Cross Duel, and Rush Duel, as well as other titles such as Genshin Impact, Warhammer 40K, Battle Game In 5 Seconds, EDF World Brothers, Bread Barbershop, Snack World, Back to Back, and Bloom on The Winx Club.
@emilycramerva emilycramer.com
Kohei
Kohei, a singer from Tokyo, Japan and moved to New York in the summer of 2011. Kohei is well known for singing R&B and Soul and has performed over 300 shows in the course of four years. He has performed in the all famous Apollo theater 8 times and got first place in 2014. He has opened up for Wu Tang Clan(Raekwon) R&B Legend Case, Lyfe Jennings and Lil mama in 2015 2016. He has done everything such as hosting a music event at the Jay-Z’s Moms restaurant, and being the Official Japan Fes MC. He was a finalist of McDonald’s Gospelfest 2016 and 2017, and featured on M-On TV with Japanese recording artist The RAMPAGE.
See past guests: Past Guests, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
Convention Hours
| Dealers & Artists | Events & Panels | |||
| Thursday | TBA | Thursday | TBA | |
| Friday | 1pm - 8pm | Friday | Noon - 1am | |
| Saturday | 10am - 7pm | Saturday | 10am - 1am | |
| Sunday | 10am - 4pm | Sunday | 10am - 5pm |
Grand Cosplay Contest
Our grand cosplay competition, previously called the Masquerade, will be the best opportunity to show off your costumes and see some awesome, talented people. We have excellent judges, and wonderful competitors. We do everything we can to make your costumes look excellent. Do you want to compete? Get the full cosplay contest details first.
Learn More
Exhibit Hall
Our exhibit hall will feature some of the most awesome vendors ever, with tons of anime swag to take home. Dealers will be selling everything you can imagine, from costumes and corsets to pocky and DVDs, you'll be able to find some awesome stuff in our dealers room. We also have several artists selling their own handmade stuff, from chain-mail armor to buttons.
Video Games
Our video gaming area features 32" LCDs screens and more, with gaming tournaments happening all weekend. Last year we even had DDR machines, Pump-it-Up, and more, to give you something fun to do during downtime (like we have that!).
Tournament Information
Escape Room
Lost in the woods, you stumble upon an old cabin. There are human remains inside, long deceased, and …clutching an old gaming controller? Whatever happened here is about to happen again. Something has awakened in the woods, and it’s coming for you. Can you solve the mystery behind a cursed video game and a strange occult ritual before midnight? Or will you be the next victim of the Cackling Man?
An escape room inspired by creepypastas, the 80s, retro video games and urban legends.
Nightly Dances
We have several official, amazing DJs in our guest DJ lineup, including Party Monster DJs, Lucid Beats, and DJ Oso. We know how to break it down with awesome EDM dance music (hey, that's redundant!). Jumpstyle. Hardstyle. Techno. Trance. Maybe even dubstep? (If that's still cool by then). No stops and no bad DJs.
Formal Fantasy Cosplay Ball
As a special treat, our convention holds an annual fantasy ball. Admission is free to convention attendees with a badge. In addition, we will have professional formal dance lessons before the event begins, taught by an experienced dance instructor. For those without dates, we will even have our very own Date Auction on Friday afternoon, before the ball. Semi-formal outfits and above required for this exciting featured event.
AnimeCon.org's Fabulous Date Auction
Unrivaled by any other convention, AnimeCon.org's Fabulous Date Auction is your chance to win a date to the formal ball.... or several, if you're greedy. Join our sexy 15-con veteran host Dantes as they auction off other cosplayers to the highest bidder. Money goes towards improving the con, and 10% of all winning bids is donated to charity. (Signups to be auctioned required, rules and restrictions apply).
Concerts
AniMinneapolis features epic concerts with some awesome nerdy musicians like YTCracker. We have also featured musical intermissions and performances by other bands doing sci-fi and anime themed performances. Each year has fun musical events!
Maid Cafe
Our maid cafe is a fun experience similar to maid cafes in Japan - but much more suited to AniMinneapolis. Come, and be the king of your own maid world (you'll find out what this means!) (Note: Tickets can be purchased at the con. Snacks are included.)
Apply to be a maid or butler here.
Panels
AniMinneapolis has tons of panels, submitted and created by attendees like you. Talk about favorite shows, compete in homemade game shows, learn stuff, and more! Everything you love, from Lolita and Dolls, to Homestuck, Hetalia, and Pokemon, we'll have it. Panels can be run by fans about their favorite subjects, they could be organized by our staff, or they could be hosted by our very own guests of honor. Want to run a panel? Go to the event submission page.
Cosplay
We are excited to feature tons of cosplay events, in addition to the mainstage grand cosplay competition, including photoshoots, meetups, panels, and much more. We schedule meetup/photoshoot times for different fandoms to gather in their outfits, and we have a hall costume contest you can compete in to win free admission for next year. If you are looking for the grand cosplay competition, check out the cosplay info page.
ConSweet
We provide a wonderful ConSweet filled with free snacks, ramen, and rice all weekend. To help you get through the convention filled with energy, our ConSweet provides congoers with unlimited rice, ramen, and soda throughout the entire weekend. Please clean up after yourself.
Meetups
Meetup with people who like the same stuff as you. Whether it's Ball Jointed Dolls, Lolita Fashion, Kingdom Hearts, J-Pop, or whatever, you'll make friends here.
Autographs
We have a ton of awesome guests and of course you can have their autograph. Autographs from most of our special guests are free, so bring your favorite DVD to get signed (no bootlegs, please). Every year we try to have a list of guests that you may not otherwise ever get a chance to meet, so we hope you'll come out and say hi to them!
Tabletop Gaming
We are very proud to feature Flame Point Games as the host to our tabletop gaming room. Here you will be able to playtest and purchase games that are published by local Minnesota companies. Check out Flame Point Games website to learn about some of their games!
Anime Screenings
Every year AniMinneapolis has a room dedicated to streaming anime. This is a chance to relax and catch up on what's new in the world of anime, or even discover a classic show that you might fall in love with.
Karaoke
Karaoke is huge in Japan and we think it should be a staple at conventions too. Come to the Karaoke Krypt and sing with your fellow anime fans. We have a huge library of music for you to choose from. Be sure to come by and hang out with us. Sometimes we will be playing AMVs before Karaoke sessions start.
Room Parties
Room Parties are not official events of AniMinneapolis. Attendees can host parties in their hotel room during the convention. These are often fun social or anime-themed events. Learn More.
Panels and Other Stuff
Every year we have a ton of panels submitted by attendees, in addition to panels and events that are run by our staff. The actual full list will be published about a month prior to the convention, and it usually includes over 100+ events.- Formal Ball and Dance Lessons
- Panels about shows like Pokemon, DBZ, Yu-Gi-Oh, Etc
- Often we have Pokémon Tournaments
- Yaoi and Yuri or other 18+ Panels
- Our fabulous Date Auction
- ConSweet with free ramen, Mountain Dew, Etc
- Voice Acting Lessons, Tips, Etc
- Lolita Fashion, BJDs, and other cultural panels
- Karaoke and AMV Showings
Vendors for AniMinneapolis 2025
- TeeTurtle & Unstable Games 20x10
Photography is generally not permitted in the dealer's room, to prevent people from stopping in the middle of aisles and making it hard to get around. Excessively large props will typically not be allowed in the dealer's room. AniMinneapolis enjoys giving attendees the flexibility to bring most reasonable sized props (smaller than you) into the vendor room, and we ask that you respect other attendees by being mindful of props and large costume pieces.
For additional information about becoming a dealer, click here.
Becoming an Artist Alley Participant
All of our artist alley tables are sold on a first-come-first-serve basis unless we are given other reason to reject you (ie: previous rule-breaking). Tables will be 6'x30", depending on what the hotel has available. This is subject to change in future years.
Artist's Alley Policies
- Any objectionable content must be limited to viewers 18+ with proper identification. Anyone found selling objectionable content to minors may have their table revoked.
- Artwork must have significant originality to meet copyright laws. EG: eyeballing or tracing artwork and selling it is not permitted.
- Work that is not created by the table owner (manufactured plushies, buttons, etc, that you didn't make either yourself or in collaboration with another) can not be sold as an artist - these are items that only dealers can sell.
- Only two chairs are allowed at each artist alley table, and your work must not exceed the space allotted to your table. While multiple artists may share a table, they must not exceed the space allotted.
- Artist's Alley is going to be in a room that is locked at night.
- We are not responsible for anything lost or stolen.
- Rules may be amended or altered by AniMinneapolis staff at any time, and decisions by AniMinneapolis staff are final.
COMPLETE RULES and HOURS: are the same as the rules and hours for dealers.
For Potential Artist Alley Members
By registering online, you agree to these terms and conditions.
Electricity is $95.
Check this page to see if space is available.
Click here to get notified whenever tables become available.
Convention Hours
| Dealers & Artists | Events & Panels | |||
| Thursday | TBA | Thursday | TBA | |
| Friday | 1pm - 8pm | Friday | Noon - 1am | |
| Saturday | 10am - 7pm | Saturday | 10am - 1am | |
| Sunday | 10am - 4pm | Sunday | 10am - 5pm |
Grand Cosplay Contest
Our grand cosplay competition, previously called the Masquerade, will be the best opportunity to show off your costumes and see some awesome, talented people. We have excellent judges, and wonderful competitors. We do everything we can to make your costumes look excellent. Do you want to compete? Get the full cosplay contest details first.
Learn More
Exhibit Hall
Our exhibit hall will feature some of the most awesome vendors ever, with tons of anime swag to take home. Dealers will be selling everything you can imagine, from costumes and corsets to pocky and DVDs, you'll be able to find some awesome stuff in our dealers room. We also have several artists selling their own handmade stuff, from chain-mail armor to buttons.
Video Games
Our video gaming area features 32" LCDs screens and more, with gaming tournaments happening all weekend. Last year we even had DDR machines, Pump-it-Up, and more, to give you something fun to do during downtime (like we have that!).
Tournament Information
Escape Room
Lost in the woods, you stumble upon an old cabin. There are human remains inside, long deceased, and …clutching an old gaming controller? Whatever happened here is about to happen again. Something has awakened in the woods, and it’s coming for you. Can you solve the mystery behind a cursed video game and a strange occult ritual before midnight? Or will you be the next victim of the Cackling Man?
An escape room inspired by creepypastas, the 80s, retro video games and urban legends.
Nightly Dances
We have several official, amazing DJs in our guest DJ lineup, including Party Monster DJs, Lucid Beats, and DJ Oso. We know how to break it down with awesome EDM dance music (hey, that's redundant!). Jumpstyle. Hardstyle. Techno. Trance. Maybe even dubstep? (If that's still cool by then). No stops and no bad DJs.
Formal Fantasy Cosplay Ball
As a special treat, our convention holds an annual fantasy ball. Admission is free to convention attendees with a badge. In addition, we will have professional formal dance lessons before the event begins, taught by an experienced dance instructor. For those without dates, we will even have our very own Date Auction on Friday afternoon, before the ball. Semi-formal outfits and above required for this exciting featured event.
AnimeCon.org's Fabulous Date Auction
Unrivaled by any other convention, AnimeCon.org's Fabulous Date Auction is your chance to win a date to the formal ball.... or several, if you're greedy. Join our sexy 15-con veteran host Dantes as they auction off other cosplayers to the highest bidder. Money goes towards improving the con, and 10% of all winning bids is donated to charity. (Signups to be auctioned required, rules and restrictions apply).
Concerts
AniMinneapolis features epic concerts with some awesome nerdy musicians like YTCracker. We have also featured musical intermissions and performances by other bands doing sci-fi and anime themed performances. Each year has fun musical events!
Maid Cafe
Our maid cafe is a fun experience similar to maid cafes in Japan - but much more suited to AniMinneapolis. Come, and be the king of your own maid world (you'll find out what this means!) (Note: Tickets can be purchased at the con. Snacks are included.)
Apply to be a maid or butler here.
Panels
AniMinneapolis has tons of panels, submitted and created by attendees like you. Talk about favorite shows, compete in homemade game shows, learn stuff, and more! Everything you love, from Lolita and Dolls, to Homestuck, Hetalia, and Pokemon, we'll have it. Panels can be run by fans about their favorite subjects, they could be organized by our staff, or they could be hosted by our very own guests of honor. Want to run a panel? Go to the event submission page.
Cosplay
We are excited to feature tons of cosplay events, in addition to the mainstage grand cosplay competition, including photoshoots, meetups, panels, and much more. We schedule meetup/photoshoot times for different fandoms to gather in their outfits, and we have a hall costume contest you can compete in to win free admission for next year. If you are looking for the grand cosplay competition, check out the cosplay info page.
ConSweet
We provide a wonderful ConSweet filled with free snacks, ramen, and rice all weekend. To help you get through the convention filled with energy, our ConSweet provides congoers with unlimited rice, ramen, and soda throughout the entire weekend. Please clean up after yourself.
Meetups
Meetup with people who like the same stuff as you. Whether it's Ball Jointed Dolls, Lolita Fashion, Kingdom Hearts, J-Pop, or whatever, you'll make friends here.
Autographs
We have a ton of awesome guests and of course you can have their autograph. Autographs from most of our special guests are free, so bring your favorite DVD to get signed (no bootlegs, please). Every year we try to have a list of guests that you may not otherwise ever get a chance to meet, so we hope you'll come out and say hi to them!
Tabletop Gaming
We are very proud to feature Flame Point Games as the host to our tabletop gaming room. Here you will be able to playtest and purchase games that are published by local Minnesota companies. Check out Flame Point Games website to learn about some of their games!
Anime Screenings
Every year AniMinneapolis has a room dedicated to streaming anime. This is a chance to relax and catch up on what's new in the world of anime, or even discover a classic show that you might fall in love with.
Karaoke
Karaoke is huge in Japan and we think it should be a staple at conventions too. Come to the Karaoke Krypt and sing with your fellow anime fans. We have a huge library of music for you to choose from. Be sure to come by and hang out with us. Sometimes we will be playing AMVs before Karaoke sessions start.
Room Parties
Room Parties are not official events of AniMinneapolis. Attendees can host parties in their hotel room during the convention. These are often fun social or anime-themed events. Learn More.
Panels and Other Stuff
Every year we have a ton of panels submitted by attendees, in addition to panels and events that are run by our staff. The actual full list will be published about a month prior to the convention, and it usually includes over 100+ events.- Formal Ball and Dance Lessons
- Panels about shows like Pokemon, DBZ, Yu-Gi-Oh, Etc
- Often we have Pokémon Tournaments
- Yaoi and Yuri or other 18+ Panels
- Our fabulous Date Auction
- ConSweet with free ramen, Mountain Dew, Etc
- Voice Acting Lessons, Tips, Etc
- Lolita Fashion, BJDs, and other cultural panels
- Karaoke and AMV Showings
