Exploring Outside Anime Fests

A few months ago, I wrote an article on what it’s like to skip an Anime Fest. My plans for Erie Anime Fest in August 2025 were canceled as a result of being replaced by Pokékon, and I skipped it since I didn’t have anything related to Pokémon to exhibit. Over the weekend, I would have normally been at Anime Fest. No, I did not skip it; they did. There was no Anime Fest in November 2025. And neither will be in March and August of 2026, due to Pokékon being in its place again. I ended up asking myself, “Can I do other Anime Fests outside my hometown?”

Turns out, yes. In 2026, I want to do more traveling for conventions outside my hometown. I’ve already got plans to go to two Anime Fests in the first quarter of 2026. The first one will be on February 1, 2026 in Pittsburgh, while the other will be on March 8, 2026, in Niagara Falls, New York. Since both these locations have a larger population than my hometown in Erie, it will allow me to meet more diverse fans than I’ve had at home.

Doing this also comes with risks and more challenges to overcome. Anime Fests are fixed to the locations they are hosted at, meaning I would need to physically drive two hours to those locations. There was an Anime Fest in Cleveland over the Halloween weekend, and I missed my chance. As such, I only got to do one Anime Fest in March 2025. There would be no way to get up at 3AM and drive two hours to the hotel for the convention. I would need to stay overnight at the hotel where the convention will be hosted and do the Anime Fest the following day.

Another challenge is both will take place in the winter, which lasts from November to March in the Great Lakes region of North America. Not helping is the Niagara Falls Anime Fest will make me lose an hour of sleep due to Daylight Saving Time for that year starting the same day. Previous March Anime Fests were held the day before. There would be no way to take my secondary monitor with me, given that it mostly uses a 60cm width, and it would be impossible to lug with me. I’ll have to explore more portable monitor options, or use a Steam Deck if I get one. Some of the money I receive over the Christmas holiday can help fund my chances for success.

One good advantage is I will be able to get to the convention from my hotel room indoors, no matter if the weather is rain or shine. Unlike the hotel where the Erie Anime Fests take place, the Quality Inn has exterior walkways, which I do not prefer. Both hotels for the conventions have interior walkways, which is my preference.