Nekocon returns to the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton for its 2026 edition, running Friday, November 6 through Sunday, November 8, 2026 under the theme The Rise of Purrzilla. Nekocon is the region's long-running anime and Japanese pop culture convention, and while it is not a card show in the strict sense, its dealers room and artist alley have become one of the best trading card marketplaces on the Peninsula each November. If you collect Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece or Dragon Ball, this weekend is worth your time.
The dealers room fills a large exhibit hall with vendors selling Pokemon sealed product and singles, Japanese-language boosters and promos that rarely surface at ordinary card shows, Yu-Gi-Oh! staples and collector rarities, One Piece and Dragon Ball Super product, plus graded slabs across the major TCG titles. Around the cards you will find anime figures and statues, manga in English and Japanese, plush, apparel, prop replicas, artwork, cosplay supplies and imported snacks. Artist alley adds hundreds of independent illustrators selling prints, stickers, charms and commissions, and several of them produce card-adjacent work such as custom altered art.
Beyond shopping, Nekocon runs a full convention program: open TCG play areas and tournaments, video game rooms and arcade cabinets, panels, industry guests, voice actor appearances, autograph sessions, cosplay contests, a masquerade, concerts and a dance. Programming runs late into the night on Friday and Saturday.
Hours span all three days. Friday typically opens in the early afternoon and runs into the evening, Saturday is the longest and busiest day running from morning until late, and Sunday runs from morning until a mid-afternoon close. Dealers room hours are shorter than overall convention hours, so check the printed schedule when you arrive.
Admission is a paid badge rather than free entry. Weekend passes and single-day badges are both sold, with prices lower in advance online than at the door, and children under a certain age are admitted free with a paying adult. Buy in advance if you can; the at-door line on Saturday morning is the single most predictable frustration of the weekend. Parking at the convention center is available on site.
Who should attend: anime and manga fans obviously, but also TCG collectors who want access to Japanese product and independent art they will not find at a hotel ballroom show, families with teenagers, cosplayers, and competitive players looking for open tournament play. Serious sports card collectors will find little here; this is a TCG and pop culture event.
Tips for the best experience: buy your badge in advance and pick it up early. Hit the dealers room on Friday afternoon when it first opens, because the best sealed Japanese product and the rarest singles are gone by Saturday afternoon. Bring cash for artist alley, where many sellers prefer it. Wear comfortable shoes and carry a bag with a strap. Set a budget before you walk in, since the dealers room is designed to separate you from it. Bring a water bottle and eat actual meals, because convention weekends are longer than they feel.
For the full schedule, guest announcements, badge pricing and hotel information, visit nekocon.com.
