The big summer shows are behind us, but Southern California still has five fan conventions on the calendar before the year closes out. They run from a horror makeup show in Burbank to a streaming convention on the San Diego waterfront, and they are all within a two-hour drive of Long Beach.
Dates and venues below come from the organizers. Ticket details change, so check the official site before you buy.
Son of Monsterpalooza
October 9 to 11, 2026. Marriott Burbank Convention Center and Hotel, Burbank.
The fall edition of the Monsterpalooza horror and creature-effects show returns to its usual Burbank hotel. Organizers list more than 150 vendors, makeup demonstrations, and celebrity guests. Tickets are sold through Eventbrite.
L.A. Comic Con
October 30 to November 1, 2026. Los Angeles Convention Center.
L.A. Comic Con moves to Halloween weekend this year, a shift from its usual late-September slot. The show runs across the convention center’s South and West halls, and the venue recommends the West Hall and South Hall garages for parking. Early-bird weekend passes have been on sale through comicconla.com.
Anime Pasadena
November 6 to 8, 2026. Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green St., Pasadena.
Anime Pasadena marks its eighth year with a three-day run at the Pasadena Convention Center. The show has grown from a one-day event into a full weekend of vendors, artist alley, cosplay programming, and guest panels. Tickets are sold through Tixr.
TwitchCon San Diego
November 13 to 15, 2026. San Diego Convention Center.
Twitch’s North American convention returns to San Diego. Passes come in three tiers, including a three-day pass bundled with the closing party and single-day options. Wristband pickup opens Thursday, November 12, and show floor hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
San Diego Anime Con
November 13 to 15, 2026. DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Mission Valley.
The same weekend as TwitchCon, a few miles inland, San Diego Anime Con holds its hotel-based show in Mission Valley. It is a smaller event than the convention center shows on this list, with a focus on cosplay, gaming, and artist alley.
Not on this list
DesignerCon (November 13 to 15) has moved to Las Vegas and is no longer a Southern California event. Anime Expo Chibi, which usually runs in Ontario in November, is taking a planned pause in 2026 and has announced an October 2027 return. Season’s Screamings, the winter cousin of Midsummer Scream, is not on the 2026 calendar; its next edition is December 2027 in Long Beach.
A separate guide covers every Southern California convention announced so far for 2027.
Sources
- Los Angeles Convention Center, L.A. Comic Con 2026
- L.A. Comic Con official site
- Son of Monsterpalooza 2026, Eventbrite listing
- Anime Pasadena official site
- TwitchCon San Diego 2026 official site
- San Diego Anime Con official site
- DesignerCon official site
- Anime Expo Chibi official site
- Dread Central, Midsummer Scream 2027 announcement
