GalaxyCon
GalaxyCon is a series of pop culture conventions organized by GalaxyCon LLC, an independently owned company based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and founded in 2006 by Mike Broder as Supercon.[1] The events celebrate fandom across genres including comic books, science fiction, fantasy, anime, gaming, cosplay, wrestling, and horror, drawing 20,000 to 50,000 attendees per show in cities such as Columbus, Raleigh, Richmond, San Jose, and others throughout the United States.[1][2] Originally launched with the first Florida Supercon from November 3–5, 2006, at the Ramada Hollywood Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida,[3] the company rebranded its non-Florida events to GalaxyCon in 2019 after selling the Supercon trademark to ReedPop, while expanding its footprint to 18 locations annually as of 2025.[4][5] Under Broder's leadership, GalaxyCon has grown into the largest independent producer of fan events in the U.S., emphasizing community-driven experiences for fans by fans.[1][6] Key features of GalaxyCon events include celebrity guest appearances from actors, voice talents, and wrestlers; artist alleys showcasing comic creators and illustrators; interactive panels on pop culture topics; cosplay contests; and extensive vendor markets for collectibles, merchandise, and memorabilia.[2] The company has diversified its offerings with themed spin-offs, such as Animate! for anime and animation enthusiasts, Nightmare Weekend for horror fans, and Superstar Comic Con focused on celebrity interactions and cosplay.[2] In June 2025, GalaxyCon acquired Superstar Comic Con, Nashville Comicon, and Incredible Con, relaunching them under its branding.[7] Additionally, GalaxyCon provides virtual engagement options like online autographs and premium collectible boxes to extend the fandom experience beyond in-person attendance. Its 2024 events generated $42 million in economic impact across local economies.[2][5]Overview
Description
GalaxyCon is a multi-day pop culture festival that brings together diverse fandoms in a celebratory environment, emphasizing community engagement and accessibility for attendees of all ages. Events typically span 3 to 4 days at major convention centers across the United States, featuring a blend of interactive experiences such as cosplay contests, celebrity Q&A panels, autograph sessions, and vendor marketplaces under one roof.[8][9] Central to GalaxyCon's appeal is its "festival of fandom" philosophy, designed by and for enthusiasts to foster immersive and inclusive participation. Unique elements include late-night after-parties with themed entertainment like burlesque shows and karaoke, wrestler meet-and-greets with professional appearances, and in select locations, an integrated StreetFest outdoor area offering free access to live music, vendor stalls, and celebrity sightings to extend the event beyond indoor spaces.[10][11][12] The festivals cover a broad spectrum of genres, encompassing comics through exclusive variant editions and artist alleys, anime via the Animate! branding with dedicated voice actor panels and cosplay, horror through the Nightmare Weekend series featuring genre-specific guests and programming, and overarching general pop culture including sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, and entertainment.[13][14][15] Ticket options cater to varying levels of involvement, with general admission providing full access to exhibits and panels, alongside VIP upgrades for priority entry and exclusive perks. Single-day passes are available for flexibility, while multi-day options offer better value; pricing typically starts at around $40–$50 per day for standard admission, with 3-day passes ranging from $120–$170 and 4-day equivalents from $155 upward, depending on the event.[16][17][10]Founding and ownership
GalaxyCon was established in 2006 by Mike Broder and his wife, Sandy Martin, initially under the name Super Conventions, or Supercon, with a focus on producing fan conventions in Florida.[1][18] The inaugural Supercon event took place in late 2006 at the Ramada Hollywood in Hollywood, Florida, marking the beginning of a series centered on pop culture, comics, anime, and gaming.[19] Broder and Martin, who co-founded the venture, built it as a for-profit enterprise aimed at creating immersive experiences for enthusiasts, starting with localized events before expanding regionally.[20] The company operates as GalaxyCon LLC, a privately held entity headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with Broder serving as founder and president, and Sandy Martin as co-founder and CEO.[21][22][23] Ownership remains in private hands, with no public financial disclosures available, though the business model emphasizes fan engagement through branded, ticketed conventions that generate revenue via admissions, merchandise, and vendor participation.[24] In 2019, the founders sold the Florida Supercon brand and its associated event to ReedPop, allowing GalaxyCon to rebrand and focus on multi-city expansion under its current name.[18] By the 2010s, the company (then operating as Supercon) had grown from single-location gatherings to a network of events across multiple U.S. cities, reflecting a shift toward scalable, fan-driven operations.[19] In support of ongoing expansion, the company announced eight new hires in April 2025, including roles in event direction and operations, to strengthen its capacity for increased festival production.[21] This move underscores Broder's continued leadership in steering the privately owned firm toward broader national presence while maintaining its independent structure.[24]History
Early development (2006–2018)
The inaugural Supercon event, Florida Supercon, took place from November 3–5, 2006, at the Ramada Hollywood Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida, drawing an estimated 1,950 attendees focused on comic books, anime, animation, and pop culture elements.[25] Organized by GalaxyCon LLC founder Mike Broder, it marked the company's entry into the convention space with a emphasis on fan engagement through panels, vendors, and cosplay activities.[1] Following the debut, Supercon expanded its programming with Anime Supercon in April and November 2007 at venues in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, targeting anime enthusiasts alongside comics and sci-fi fans.[1] The company ventured outside Florida in 2008 with Atlanta Supercon from November 21–23 in Atlanta, Georgia, introducing broader regional appeal while maintaining a core focus on comic and anime content.[1] Annual Florida Supercon iterations continued through the early 2010s, held primarily in Miami, with events growing to four-day formats by 2011 and incorporating family-friendly elements such as free admission for children under 10 accompanying a paying adult. Celebrity bookings emerged as a key draw during this period, featuring actors, voice talent, and comic creators to enhance attendee interaction via Q&As and photo opportunities. Early operations relied heavily on the South Florida market, where word-of-mouth among local comic and anime communities helped build vendor networks and a dedicated fan base amid competition from larger national conventions.[26] By the mid-2010s, consistent annual events in Florida solidified Supercon's reputation, but geographic expansion remained gradual until 2017, when Raleigh Supercon launched July 14–16 at the Raleigh Convention Center in North Carolina, attracting approximately 20,000 attendees in its debut year.[26] This event highlighted the company's shift toward multi-city operations, blending comic, anime, and pop culture programming with increased celebrity lineups. In 2018, Supercon further diversified with the addition of Louisville Supercon from November 30 to December 2 in Louisville, Kentucky, alongside returning events in Florida and Raleigh, resulting in 3–4 annual conventions that collectively drew tens of thousands of participants per show.[1] Attendance at flagship events like Florida Supercon and Raleigh Supercon had scaled from early thousands to 20,000–30,000 by this point, underscoring steady growth through enhanced family-oriented activities and targeted bookings of media guests.[26]Rebranding and sale (2019)
In March 2019, Mike Broder, founder of the Supercon series, sold the Florida Supercon event and the "Supercon" trademark to ReedPop, a convention organizer based in Norwalk, Connecticut, for an undisclosed amount.[27][28] ReedPop, known for producing events such as New York Comic Con, integrated Florida Supercon into its portfolio to expand its presence in the South Florida market.[29] The transaction was announced on March 11, 2019, and allowed ReedPop to maintain the event's established format without immediate alterations.[30] Following the sale, Broder rebranded his remaining Supercon events to avoid trademark conflicts with ReedPop's ownership of the name. In 2019, the remaining events were rebranded to GalaxyCon, with the inaugural GalaxyCon Raleigh taking place from July 26 to 28, 2019, at the Raleigh Convention Center.[31] This rebranding applied to other non-Florida conventions under Broder's operation, marking the transition to the GalaxyCon brand.[31] The sale enabled Broder to concentrate on developing markets outside Florida, while providing ReedPop with a foothold in a key regional pop culture hub.[29] The transition was seamless, with no event cancellations reported and continuity ensured through the retention of existing staff, vendors, and programming elements from prior Supercon iterations.[28]Post-rebranding expansion (2020–present)
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, GalaxyCon shifted to virtual formats in 2020, offering free online panels featuring celebrities from franchises such as Star Trek, The Flash, and Smallville, alongside paid virtual meet-and-greets and autograph opportunities delivered to fans' homes.[32][33][34] In-person events resumed in 2021 with enhanced health protocols, including reduced attendance capacity by nearly one-third and fewer vendors to ensure social distancing at conventions like GalaxyCon Raleigh.[35] Post-pandemic, GalaxyCon expanded its footprint by introducing new flagship events, such as the inaugural GalaxyCon San Jose in August 2024 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, drawing thousands of attendees for its debut.[36] The company also launched specialized sub-brands to target niche fandoms, debuting Animate! in June 2023 with a focus on anime, animation, and cosplay at events like Animate! Columbus, and Nightmare Weekend in October 2023 as a horror-themed convention starting in Richmond, Virginia.[1][37] By 2025, GalaxyCon's schedule included 18 events across the United States as planned, up from 11 in 2024, including debuts in markets like New Orleans and St. Louis.[38] In April 2025, GalaxyCon announced eight new hires in operations, marketing, and event production roles to support its rapid growth, bringing decades of live event expertise to the team.[21] While the company has no international events as of 2025, it achieved strong economic recovery with record attendances, generating a $42 million boost to local economies in 2024 through tourism and vendor spending.[38] Looking ahead, GalaxyCon plans multiple 2026 events, including the relaunch of acquired conventions like Superstar Comic Con and Nashville Comicon under its branding, alongside staples such as GalaxyCon Raleigh and Richmond, with a continued emphasis on diverse fandoms spanning comics, anime, horror, and pop culture.[24][39]Events
Current GalaxyCon events
GalaxyCon operates several flagship multi-genre conventions across the United States, emphasizing comics, anime, sci-fi, horror, gaming, and pop culture with celebrity guests, panels, and fan activities. These events attract diverse audiences through their broad appeal, combining elements of traditional comic-cons with expanded programming like wrestling and cosplay contests. As of November 2025, no cancellations have been announced for the upcoming schedule.[39] The core recurring events include the following, held annually at major convention centers with capacities supporting tens of thousands of attendees:| Event | Location | Venue | Typical Dates | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GalaxyCon Raleigh | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh Convention Center | Late July | 4 days | Flagship event; ~50,000 attendees in 2025. Next: July 23-26, 2026.[8][40] |
| GalaxyCon Richmond | Richmond, VA | Greater Richmond Convention Center | Late March | 4 days | Multi-genre focus with extended hours. Next: March 19-22, 2026.[41] |
| GalaxyCon Columbus | Columbus, OH | Greater Columbus Convention Center | Early December | 3 days | Year-end highlight. Upcoming: December 5-7, 2025.[42] |
| GalaxyCon San Jose | San Jose, CA | San Jose McEnery Convention Center | Mid-August | 3 days | West Coast staple. Next: August 21-23, 2026.[9] |
| GalaxyCon Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City Convention Center | Late May | 3 days | Regional expansion. Next: May 22-24, 2026.[43] |
| GalaxyCon New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | Ernest N. Morial Convention Center | Mid-July | 3 days | Southern event with vibrant fan participation. Next: July 10-12, 2026.[44] |
| GalaxyCon St. Louis | St. Louis, MO | America's Center | Mid-October | 3 days | Newer addition emphasizing fandom festival vibe. 2025: October 10-12 (held); Next: October 23-25, 2026.[45][46] |