Kalamazoo Comic-Con Kicks Off at Expo Center

Annual pop culture convention features vendors, shows, and celebrity guests.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 1:06am

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A dynamic, abstract composition of geometric shapes in striking red, black, and white, capturing the excitement and creativity of a comic convention without depicting any specific characters or branding.The vibrant energy and diverse fandoms of Kalamazoo Comic-Con come to life in a bold, minimalist visual metaphor.Kalamazoo Today

The 2026 Kalamazoo Comic-Con kicked off on Friday at the Kalamazoo Expo Center, offering a weekend-long celebration of comics, anime, sci-fi, and other geeky fandoms. The event features a variety of vendors, live shows, and opportunities for attendees to meet famous actors, artists, and voice actors from popular franchises.

Why it matters

Kalamazoo Comic-Con is a beloved annual tradition that brings the local community together around shared passions for comics, movies, TV shows, and other forms of pop culture. The convention attracts both longtime fans and newcomers, offering a fun, family-friendly environment for all ages to immerse themselves in their favorite fictional worlds.

The details

This year's Kalamazoo Comic-Con includes a wide array of exhibitors, from comic book vendors to cosplay suppliers. Attendees can also enjoy live performances, panels with celebrity guests, and opportunities to dress up as their favorite characters. The event director, Mark Hodges, noted that the convention appeals to both kids and adults, with families often attending together and coordinating their cosplay outfits across generations.

  • Kalamazoo Comic-Con kicked off on Friday, April 11, 2026.
  • The convention runs all weekend at the Kalamazoo Expo Center.

The players

Mark Hodges

The event director of Kalamazoo Comic-Con, who oversees the planning and execution of the annual convention.

Kalamazoo Expo Center

The venue that hosts Kalamazoo Comic-Con, providing the space and facilities for the weekend-long event.

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What they’re saying

“We also get families that like this is just sort of a fun thing they get to do together. They can all agree on it. They do their costume thing, but they'll do different generations of it. The kids will do anime and the parents will do Star Wars or a superhero or something like that. And it's neat. It's a really, really neat thing to see that, you know...That people are wanting to do that. That's good fun.”

— Mark Hodges, Event Director

The takeaway

Kalamazoo Comic-Con continues to be a beloved annual tradition that brings the local community together around shared passions for comics, movies, TV shows, and other forms of pop culture. The convention's ability to appeal to both longtime fans and newcomers, as well as foster intergenerational bonding through cosplay, makes it a unique and valuable event for the city.