Anthrocon 2026 - Spooky Month, Spooky Updates!

We’re entering the tail-end of our year, where daylight disappears faster and the eerie cover of night surrounds us - along with all the critters, cryptids and curses that dwell within. Whether you’re a fan of the spooky activity or not, that also means it’s the season to get ready to kick things off for Anthrocon 2026! As we continue updating everything for our opening, here are all the details you’ll need to know.

Registration

Pre-registration Opening: We’re doing things a little differently this year where we will be having TWO openings for pre-registration based on membership level. This is to help with managing the large crowds looking to register all at once, versus those that are looking to wait. Find out the times below (all times Eastern Time):

We will be using the same Registration system as last year, where you will create an account first before buying your registration online. For more information and instructions, check out our Registration page’s “How to Register” section.

Pre-registration will continue to be open until June 26, 2026 OR if we reach our designated maximum capacity (announcements will be made). On-site registrations can be purchased at the door. We have also updated our Refund Policies to reflect 2026’s information and dates.

Sponsorship availability: To better reflect the benefits we can provide for different sponsor levels, we have updated the maximum memberships for each level - once they have sold out, we will not be adding any more upgraded levels. Information about those maximums can be found on our Registration page within each respective level.

Dealers and Artists

Our applications for the 2026 Dealers Room will open starting October 27, 2025 and will close on November 17, 2025. Pricing will also be updated before the Dealers applications open, and payment will not be required until your Dealership is approved. Dealers Assistants will purchase their badge separately after the Dealer application is approved. The Dealers Room Information Packet will contain the latest information and rules for 2026. For more information about being a Dealer for 2026, visit the Dealers Room section.

Looking to join our Artists Alley in 2026? If you’re unsure about whether to get an Artists Alley or apply as a Dealer, please read our rules for the Artists Alley. If it sounds like you’ll need a Dealers Room table, we recommend looking at the Bodega (Half Table) spaces as those are most comparable to the space available in the Artist Alley.

Hotel Accommodations

With how much we continue to grow every year, we’re working hard to increase hotel availability and improve the booking process to help keep the hotel experience as smooth as possible for everyone.

Booking Dates: 2026 booking dates for hotel blocks will be finalized closer to the new year, but attendees can expect a similar timing as last year. Higher-tier memberships will have advanced booking access to a certain number of rooms at our more preferred hotels, with the remainder of hotel rooms being a part of our general booking.

More information about what you’ll need and what to expect for Hotels can be found on our Hotels page.

In addition, we’re working on adding hotel shuttle and transportation service for all official partnered hotels, addressing attendee feedback directly with our partners. While we continue to work on updating shuttle information for 2026, you can learn more about last year’s service on our Shuttle Buses page.

Events, Panels, and Performances

Interested in hosting or performing at Anthrocon 2026? Our event and performance applications will be available via webform starting around mid-November. Applications and details for interested panelists and performers can be found on our Events page.

River Cruises

River Cruises are being planned once more for 2026 while we look at how we adjust the river cruise offerings to match our con priorities. Further announcements will be made once we have updates made to our River Cruises page.

Staff and volunteer opportunities

It’s no secret that as we grow, so does our need for motivated and passionate people to help us with that growth. We’ve got many openings and opportunities; from those handy with computers to those handy with boxes, we want you to join our rapidly-expanding team. If you’re willing to contribute your time before or at the convention, let us know by completing the Volunteering section in our Registration system (you must create an account first)!