Anime Conclave 2026 brings two full days of anime, gaming, and collectible culture to the Hilton New Orleans Riverside on Saturday, August 29 and Sunday, August 30, 2026. New Orleans' homegrown anime and gaming convention has grown into a genuine end-of-summer tradition, and for trading card fans it doubles as one of the best TCG shopping weekends in the city - the vendor hall consistently draws dealers stocked with Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Lorcana alongside the anime merchandise, manga, and art.
Beyond the card tables, attendees will find a full convention lineup: cosplay contests and gatherings, video game and tabletop gaming areas, panels, artist alley, and special guests from the anime and voice-acting world. For collectors, the draw is the crossover inventory - Japanese exclusives, graded slabs, sealed product, plush, figures, and Funko Pops that rarely surface at traditional sports card shows. One Piece and Dragon Ball singles in particular tend to be deeper here than anywhere else in the region, and casual TCG events and trading pop up throughout the weekend.
Hours run 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday is the peak day for cosplay, panels, and crowd energy; Sunday offers calmer browsing in the vendor hall and better odds of end-of-show deals from dealers.
Badges are sold through the convention's site and Eventbrite, with single-day and weekend options - weekend badges are the best value for anyone attending both days. Kids' pricing is family-friendly, and children under the posted age threshold typically attend free with a paying adult; check animeconclave.com for current tiers before buying.
The Hilton New Orleans Riverside sits at 2 Poydras Street on the Mississippi River, directly adjacent to the Riverwalk outlets and a short walk from the French Quarter, the Caesars Superdome corridor, and the streetcar lines. The convention offers a discounted room block at 149 dollars per night that includes complimentary self-parking for attendees - a meaningful perk downtown, where event parking otherwise adds up fast. Out-of-town collectors can easily turn the weekend into a proper New Orleans trip.
Anime Conclave suits a wide crowd: anime and gaming fans get the full convention experience, TCG players and collectors get a vendor hall with inventory the sports-card circuit does not carry, families get a safe and lively weekend outing, and cosplayers get one of the city's best stages. Sports card purists may find fewer tables aimed at them, but crossover collectors will be in their element.
Tips for the weekend: buy badges online in advance to skip the registration line, arrive near Saturday's open to shop the vendor hall before peak crowds, and bring cash for artist alley and smaller dealers. Set a budget - between cards, figures, and art, this show tempts from every direction. If you are hunting specific singles, walk the full hall first; multiple dealers often carry the same chase cards at different prices.
For badges, guest announcements, schedules, and hotel booking links, visit animeconclave.com or follow Anime Conclave on Instagram and Facebook.