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.

Register right now for $37.00.

Super-low full 3-day price.

• 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 full-color 8.5"x11" program guides, plastic card badges, and pay for the technology that we rent or buy every year (computers for registration, projectors for video rooms).

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 anamazing convention, which includes a weekend of over 50 different events, access to our massive exhibit hall, access to our video screening rooms, access to our video gaming room, and access to everything else. At this time, none of the events cost extra to attend - any exceptions will be noted in the event description (though it goes without saying that you can buy things in the dealers room or one of our auction events). Your registration pays for the special guests of honor you can meet, technology, program books, 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, program guides, 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.

Can I register by mail?
The only way to register is online. Online registration is much faster, and more secure, and your data is instantly entered into our registration database. HOWEVER, if you are with a school group of 10+ people and the only way you can register is with a paper check, contact us for help and we'll take care of you.

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. Children from 7 to 12 can get a weekend badge for $10 off the price for adults, but children under 13 must be accompanied by a supervisory adult who also purchases a badge at the full adult weekend price (max 2 children per adult). This can be done online or at the door, but they must be purchased at the same time (not separately, ever). The single day price for children is the same as for adults, there is no discount for single day registration for children. Children under 7 are admitted free with the purchase of an adult registration. Children under 7 do not need to buy a badge or register. Children under 13 must be with an adult at all times.

Can I bring my mom or grandma?
Yes! They need a badge 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 badges, 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?
You must pick up your badge (or register) 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, 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 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.

• 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.
• Keep in mind parking is $29 per day. Unfortunately parking is not owned by the hotel so we can't get a bigger discount.

Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

More Hotels

Overflow / Discounted Parking

Convention Hours

Grand Cosplay Contest

Our grand cosplay competition, aka 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

You and your classmates must report to Room 202 for detention. But the classroom has been cursed by an onryō, a vengeful spirit, who has trapped you in the room! You have only 45 minutes to solve puzzles and riddles using clues and hints to escape the room and achieve one of several possible endings. Will you find a way to break the curse? - Experience interactive room adventures where you take part in a mystery, solve tricky puzzles and work as a team to reach a thrilling conclusion!

Get Tickets Watch Trailer on YouTube

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.)

Maid/Butler applications are closed. You can apply to be a maid or butler when the con is between 30 and 90 days from now.

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.

Submit A Panel

Cosplay

We are excited to feature tons of cosplay events, in addition to the mainstage masquerade 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 masquerade, 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!

AMV Contest 2023

Attention all AniMinneapolis attendees! Get ready for an epic showdown of anime music videos in our highly anticipated AMV contest! This is your chance to showcase your creative skills and win big! The stakes are high as the winner will receive free tickets to our next convention, and trust us, you won't want to miss it. The contest will be held on Sunday morning at 11am in panel Room 1, so make sure to mark your calendars and set your alarms. To enter the contest, simply send an email to the one and only Samantha at mrsqflynn@icloud.com. Don't wait, this is your time to shine and show off your incredible talent. Join us for an unforgettable experience and see who will take home the grand prize!

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.

Credits Remaining

Credits Remaining: Chicago’s largest convention arcade provider. We specialize in providing Midwest conventions with superior arcade machines, blending classic American Arcades with Japanese rhythm games. Featured favorites are: House of the Dead, Jubeat, Marvel vs Capcom 2, Nostalgia, and everyone’s favorite— Dance Dance Revolution! Join us at conventions across the Midwest! Check them out at a convention where you can enjoy all sorts of arcade games, dance games, music games, and more, in the convention’s gaming room!

Panels and Other Stuff

• 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

• 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.

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conduct Policy
• External Links
• Weapons and Large Props Policy
• Contact Us
• Room Parties
• Join Staff
• Press Info