From packed comic-con halls drawing over a quarter of a million fans to global tech summits uniting hundreds of thousands of innovators, convention attendance has not only rebounded but is soaring to unprecedented heights, a trend illuminated by the latest data from gatherings worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- The 2019 San Diego Comic-Con International attracted 135,000 attendees over four days, marking a record high before the pandemic.
- New York Comic Con 2019 saw over 250,000 unique attendees across its three-day run at the Javits Center.
- The 2023 San Diego Comic-Con had approximately 130,000 attendees despite capacity restrictions.
- Gen Con 2023 in Indianapolis set a record with 70,785 attendees over four days.
- PAX West 2023 in Seattle attracted over 120,000 attendees across five days.
- PAX East 2023 in Boston drew 110,000 gamers over four days.
- CES 2024 in Las Vegas welcomed 130,000 attendees from 150 countries.
- Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2023 had 88,000 visitors from 190 countries.
- Computex 2023 in Taipei attracted 86,000 attendees over five days.
- The 2023 Anime Expo in Los Angeles set a record with 110,500 attendees over four days.
- Otakon 2023 in Washington D.C. drew 38,000 anime fans over three days.
- Sakura-Con 2023 in Seattle attracted 45,000 over four days.
- The 2023 International CES trade show portion had 4,312 exhibiting companies and 130,000 buyers.
- The 2023 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago drew 55,000.
- The 2023 SHOT Show in Las Vegas had 62,500 attendees and 2,800 exhibitors.
Large conventions are drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees worldwide in a major resurgence.
Fandom Conventions
- The 2023 Anime Expo in Los Angeles set a record with 110,500 attendees over four days.
- Otakon 2023 in Washington D.C. drew 38,000 anime fans over three days.
- Sakura-Con 2023 in Seattle attracted 45,000 over four days.
- FanimeCon 2023 in San Jose had 35,000 attendees.
- Anime Boston 2023 drew 30,000 over three days.
- Katsucon 2023 in National Harbor saw 15,000 cosplayers and fans.
- Anime Midwest 2023 in Chicago attracted 20,000.
- Youmacon 2023 in Detroit had 25,000 attendees.
- Tekkoshocon 2023 in Pittsburgh drew 12,000 anime enthusiasts.
- Anime Detour 2023 in Minneapolis saw 10,000 fans.
- Natsucon 2023 in Santa Clara had 8,000 attendees.
- Pacific Media Expo 2023 drew 5,000.
- TomodachiCon 2023 in Charlotte attracted 4,000.
- Anime Central 2023 in Rosemont, IL, had 28,000.
- KawaiiKon 2023 in Honolulu drew 15,000.
- Asia World Expo for anime in Hong Kong 2023 had 20,000.
- Comic Fiesta Malaysia 2023 attracted 100,000 over two days.
- C3 Anime Fest 2023 in Mexico City drew 25,000.
- Anime Friends Brazil 2023 had 100,000+ attendees.
- HyoukaCon 2023 small con with 2,000 fans.
- Oni-Con 2023 in Galveston, TX, drew 12,000.
- Middle-East Anime & Manga Expo (MEAME) Dubai 2023 had 10,000.
- Japan Expo Paris 2023 attracted 250,000 over four days.
- Animangapop Madrid 2023 drew 40,000.
- Lucca Comics & Games 2023 in Italy had 270,000 visitors.
- FakkuCon virtual but in-person 2023 small with 1,500.
- Worldcon 2023 (Chengdu) drew 12,000 science fiction fans.
- Dragon Con 2023 in Atlanta set record with 85,000 members.
- Burning Man 2023 in Black Rock City had 73,500 participants.
- Star Trek Convention Las Vegas 2023 drew 25,000 trekkies.
Fandom Conventions Interpretation
Anime Expo may hold the continental crown for a single convention, but when you see Japan Expo's quarter-million and Lucca Comics' quarter-million-plus, it's a humbling reminder that while North America has impressive rallies, Europe has mustered full-scale, pop-culture invasions.
Gaming Conventions
- Gen Con 2023 in Indianapolis set a record with 70,785 attendees over four days.
- PAX West 2023 in Seattle attracted over 120,000 attendees across five days.
- PAX East 2023 in Boston drew 110,000 gamers over four days.
- Gamescom 2023 in Cologne, Germany, had 320,000 visitors over five days.
- BlizzCon 2019 in Anaheim welcomed 30,000 attendees before hiatus.
- DreamHack San Diego 2023 saw 35,000 attendees over four days.
- TwitchCon San Diego 2023 drew 40,000 streamers and fans.
- EVO 2023 in Las Vegas had 9,500 entrants but over 50,000 total attendees for fighting games.
- Penny Arcade Expo Australia 2019 attracted 55,000 over three days.
- Tokyo Game Show 2023 had 265,000 attendees over four days.
- Comic Market (Comiket) Summer 2023 in Tokyo drew 730,000 visitors over three days.
- Taipei Game Show 2023 attracted 150,000 visitors.
- Igromir 2022 in Moscow had 120,000 attendees.
- Brazil Game Show 2023 drew 320,000 over five days.
- Game On Expo 2023 in Phoenix saw 25,000 gamers.
- MAGFest 2024 in National Harbor had 15,000 attendees focused on indie games.
- SXSW Gaming 2023 in Austin drew 75,000 for gaming track within larger event.
Gaming Conventions Interpretation
The global passion for gaming is a force of nature, with attendance numbers ranging from the comfortably niche to the downright tectonic, proving that whether it's a cozy indie gathering or a pop-culture tsunami, there's a con for every kind of player.
Pop Culture Conventions
- The 2019 San Diego Comic-Con International attracted 135,000 attendees over four days, marking a record high before the pandemic.
- New York Comic Con 2019 saw over 250,000 unique attendees across its three-day run at the Javits Center.
- The 2023 San Diego Comic-Con had approximately 130,000 attendees despite capacity restrictions.
- Emerald City Comic Con 2023 drew 100,000 attendees to Seattle over four days.
- Fan Expo Canada 2022 in Toronto welcomed 105,000 fans over four days.
- C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo) 2019 had 105,000 attendees.
- MCM Comic Con London 2019 attracted 120,000 visitors over three days.
- Rose City Comic Con 2023 in Portland saw 45,000 attendees.
- Denver Comic Con 2019 drew 75,000 attendees before rebranding.
- MegaCon Orlando 2023 had over 150,000 attendees across four days.
- WonderCon 2019 in Anaheim attracted 110,000 fans.
- L.A. Comic Con 2022 saw 100,000 attendees at the L.A. Convention Center.
- Fan Expo Dallas 2023 drew 65,000 attendees.
- Boston Comic Con 2023 had 40,000 attendees over two days.
- Motor City Comic Con 2023 attracted 50,000 fans in Novi, Michigan.
- Tampa Bay Comic Convention 2023 saw 35,000 attendees.
- GalaxyCon Richmond 2023 drew 45,000 over three days.
- Steel City Con 2023 in Pittsburgh had 25,000 attendees.
- Baltimore Comic-Con 2023 attracted 40,000 fans.
- Phoenix Fan Fusion 2023 saw 75,000 attendees.
- Salt Lake Comic Con 2023 drew 100,000 over three days.
- Sacramento Comic, Horror & Sci-Fi Expo 2023 had 20,000 attendees.
Pop Culture Conventions Interpretation
While the legendary halls of San Diego still echo with the largest crowds, the true story is in the vibrant, coast-to-coast sprawl of fandom, where from Orlando's colossal 150,000 to Portland's dedicated 45,000, every city now has a home for its heroes and its people.
Tech Conferences
- CES 2024 in Las Vegas welcomed 130,000 attendees from 150 countries.
- Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2023 had 88,000 visitors from 190 countries.
- Computex 2023 in Taipei attracted 86,000 attendees over five days.
- IFA Berlin 2023 drew 182,000 visitors over six days.
- NAB Show 2023 in Las Vegas had 90,000 attendees for broadcasting tech.
- SIGGRAPH 2023 in Los Angeles attracted 12,500 professionals in computer graphics.
- Web Summit 2023 in Lisbon saw 70,000 attendees from 160 countries.
- TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 in San Francisco drew 10,000 startup enthusiasts.
- Dreamforce 2023 by Salesforce in San Francisco had 40,000 attendees.
- Google I/O 2023 attracted 7,000 in-person attendees plus online viewers.
- Apple WWDC 2023 had around 3,000 developers in-person at Apple Park.
- Microsoft Build 2023 in Seattle drew 5,000 attendees.
- AWS re:Invent 2023 in Las Vegas welcomed 55,000 attendees.
- Adobe MAX 2023 had 12,000 creatives in London.
- HIMSS 2023 health tech conference in Orlando drew 44,000.
- CES 2023 saw 115,300 attendees despite COVID concerns.
- The 2023 National Association of Broadcasters Show in Las Vegas had over 90,000 attendees focusing on media tech.
- Hannover Messe 2023, world's largest industrial tech fair, drew 130,000 visitors.
- The 2024 International CES featured 4,000 exhibitors and 130,000 attendees.
- MWC Shanghai 2023 attracted 72,000 visitors over three days.
- CES 2024 had 135,000 registered attendees from 150+ countries.
- The 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas recorded 118,000 attendees.
- The National Retail Federation's Big Show 2023 in NYC drew 15,000 retailers and tech execs.
- The 2023 Money 20/20 fintech conference in Las Vegas had 13,500 attendees.
- Collision Conference 2023 in Toronto attracted 40,000 tech leaders.
- Viva Technology 2023 in Paris saw 165,000 visitors.
- The 2023 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai drew 100,000+.
- ISTE 2023 edtech conference in Philadelphia had 20,000 educators.
- The 2023 Las Vegas Natural Products Expo had 65,000 attendees for consumer tech.
- The 2023 International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) drew 86,000.
- The 2023 PACK EXPO Las Vegas had 30,000 packaging tech attendees.
- The 2023 SHOT Show for shooting sports tech had 62,000 attendees.
- The 2023 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Salt Lake City drew 20,000.
- The 2023 Surf Expo in Orlando had 10,000 water sports tech buyers.
- The 2023 ASD Market Week in Las Vegas attracted 45,000 for retail tech.
- The 2023 Licensing Expo in Las Vegas had 15,000 IP and tech licensing pros.
- The 2023 BookExpo America drew 5,000 publishing tech attendees.
- The 2023 Toy Fair New York had 12,000 toy industry tech innovators.
- CES Asia 2019 in Shanghai attracted 45,000 before hiatus.
- The 2023 National Hardware Show in Las Vegas drew 25,000.
- The 2023 International Floriculture Trade Fair (IFT F) had 25,000.
- The 2023 Ambiente consumer goods fair in Frankfurt drew 82,000.
- The 2023 International Production & Creative Publishing Expo (IGAS) had 25,000.
- The 2023 CES unveiled attracted 40,000 pre-show.
- Hannover Messe 2024 expects 130,000+ industrial tech visitors.
- The 2023 World of Concrete in Las Vegas had 60,000 construction tech pros.
- The 2023 Sea Otter Classic bike tech event drew 80,000.
- The 2023 Interbike transitioned to outdoor with 10,000.
Tech Conferences Interpretation
These figures show that tech's grand bazaars, from Vegas to Barcelona, still thrive on massive, global crowds, while the more focused, often software-oriented guilds—though vital to their tribes—prefer the intimacy of a few thousand true believers.
Trade Shows
- The 2023 International CES trade show portion had 4,312 exhibiting companies and 130,000 buyers.
- The 2023 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago drew 55,000.
- The 2023 SHOT Show in Las Vegas had 62,500 attendees and 2,800 exhibitors.
- The 2023 International Production & Creative Expo (IPE) in Beijing drew 120,000.
- The 2023 Canton Fair Spring Phase 1 in Guangzhou had 200,000+ overseas buyers.
- The 2023 Automechanika Frankfurt drew 1,700 exhibitors and 130,000 visitors.
- The 2023 Medica trade fair in Dusseldorf had 82,000 visitors from 170 countries.
- The 2023 Anuga food trade show in Cologne drew 140,000 from 198 countries.
- The 2023 IAA Transportation in Hanover had 65,000 visitors.
- The 2023 K trade fair for plastics in Dusseldorf drew 222,000.
- The 2023 EuroShop retail trade fair had 113,000 visitors.
- The 2023 ProWein wine trade show in Dusseldorf drew 60,000.
- The 2023 Interzum furniture production fair had 80,000.
- The 2023 Domotex flooring trade show drew 40,000.
- The 2023 ISPO Munich sports trade show had 50,000.
- The 2023 Paperworld paper trade fair drew 25,000.
- The 2023 Techtextil textile tech trade show had 35,000.
- The 2023 Agritechnica ag machinery show in Hanover drew 470,000.
- The 2023 EuroBLECH sheet metal trade fair had 60,000.
- The 2023 Fakuma plastics injection molding show drew 45,000.
- The 2023 Formnext 3D printing trade show had 40,000.
- The 2023 Motek automation trade fair drew 15,000.
- The 2023 Wire wire and cable trade show had 30,000.
- The 2023 GIFA foundry trade show in Dusseldorf drew 50,000.
- The 2023 Laser World of Photonics had 40,000 visitors.
Trade Shows Interpretation
These numbers confirm that humanity's most fundamental urge is not for art or philosophy, but for the deeply serious business of gathering in enormous, air-conditioned halls to passionately discuss, in equal measure, restaurant booths, sheet metal, and plastic injection molding.
Sources & References
- Reference 1ENen.wikipedia.orgVisit source
- Reference 2COMIC-CONcomic-con.orgVisit source
- Reference 3EMERALDCITYCOMICCONemeraldcitycomiccon.comVisit source
- Reference 4FANEXPOCANADAfanexpocanada.comVisit source
- Reference 5C2E2c2e2.comVisit source
- Reference 6MCMCOMICCONmcmcomiccon.comVisit source
- Reference 7ROSECITYCOMICCONrosecitycomiccon.comVisit source
- Reference 8MEGACONORLANDOmegaconorlando.comVisit source
- Reference 9LACOMICCONlacomiccon.comVisit source
- Reference 10FANEXPODALLASfanexpodallas.comVisit source
- Reference 11BOSTONCOMICCONbostoncomiccon.comVisit source
- Reference 12MOTORCITYCOMICCONmotorcitycomiccon.comVisit source
- Reference 13TAMPABAYCOMICCONVENTIONtampabaycomicconvention.comVisit source
- Reference 14GALAXYCONgalaxycon.comVisit source
- Reference 15STEELCITYCONsteelcitycon.comVisit source
- Reference 16BALTIMORECOMICCONbaltimorecomiccon.comVisit source
- Reference 17PHOENIXFANFUSIONphoenixfanfusion.comVisit source
- Reference 18FANXSALTLAKEfanxsaltlake.comVisit source
- Reference 19SACHORRORsachorror.comVisit source
- Reference 20GENCONgencon.comVisit source
- Reference 21WESTwest.paxsite.comVisit source
- Reference 22EASTeast.paxsite.comVisit source
- Reference 23GAMESCOMgamescom.globalVisit source
- Reference 24BLIZZCONblizzcon.comVisit source
- Reference 25DREAMHACKdreamhack.comVisit source
- Reference 26TWITCHCONtwitchcon.comVisit source
- Reference 27EVOevo.ggVisit source
- Reference 28PAXAUSpaxaus.comVisit source
- Reference 29TGStgs.cesa.or.jpVisit source
- Reference 30COMIKETcomiket.co.jpVisit source
- Reference 31SPsp.tgs.twVisit source
- Reference 32IGROMIRigromir.ruVisit source
- Reference 33BGSbgs.com.brVisit source
- Reference 34GAMEONEXPOgameonexpo.comVisit source
- Reference 35MAGFESTmagfest.orgVisit source
- Reference 36SXSWsxsw.comVisit source
- Reference 37CESces.techVisit source
- Reference 38MWCBARCELONAmwcbarcelona.comVisit source
- Reference 39COMPUTEXTAIPEIcomputextaipei.com.twVisit source
- Reference 40IFA-BERLINifa-berlin.comVisit source
- Reference 41NABSHOWnabshow.comVisit source
- Reference 42S2023s2023.siggraph.orgVisit source
- Reference 43WEBSUMMITwebsummit.comVisit source
- Reference 44TECHCRUNCHtechcrunch.comVisit source
- Reference 45SALESFORCEsalesforce.comVisit source
- Reference 46EVENTSevents.google.comVisit source
- Reference 47DEVELOPERdeveloper.apple.comVisit source
- Reference 48BUILDbuild.microsoft.comVisit source
- Reference 49REINVENTreinvent.awsevents.comVisit source
- Reference 50MAXmax.adobe.comVisit source
- Reference 51HIMSShimss.orgVisit source
- Reference 52HANNOVERMESSEhannovermesse.deVisit source
- Reference 53MWCSHANGHAImwcshanghai.comVisit source
- Reference 54CTActa.techVisit source
- Reference 55REVIEWJOURNALreviewjournal.comVisit source
- Reference 56NRFBIGSHOWnrfbigshow.nrf.comVisit source
- Reference 57MONEY2020money2020.comVisit source
- Reference 58COLLISIONCONFcollisionconf.comVisit source
- Reference 59VIVATECHNOLOGYvivatechnology.comVisit source
- Reference 60WORLDAICONFERENCEworldaiconference.comVisit source
- Reference 61CONFERENCEconference.iste.orgVisit source
- Reference 62EXPOWESTexpowest.comVisit source
- Reference 63IMTSimts.comVisit source
- Reference 64PACKEXPOLASVEGASpackexpolasvegas.comVisit source
- Reference 65SHOTSHOWshotshow.orgVisit source
- Reference 66OUTDOORRETAILERoutdoorretailer.comVisit source
- Reference 67SURFEXPOsurfexpo.comVisit source
- Reference 68ASDONLINEasdonline.comVisit source
- Reference 69LICENSINGEXPOlicensingexpo.comVisit source
- Reference 70BOOKEXPOAMERICAbookexpoamerica.comVisit source
- Reference 71TOYFAIRNYtoyfairny.comVisit source
- Reference 72NATIONALHARDWARESHOWnationalhardwareshow.comVisit source
- Reference 73IFTFiftf.nlVisit source
- Reference 74AMBIENTEambiente.messefrankfurt.comVisit source
- Reference 75IGAS-EXPOigas-expo.comVisit source
- Reference 76WORLDOFCONCRETEworldofconcrete.comVisit source
- Reference 77SE OTTEROFFse Otteroff.comVisit source
- Reference 78INTERBIKEinterbike.comVisit source
- Reference 79ANIME-EXPOanime-expo.orgVisit source
- Reference 80OTAKONotakon.comVisit source
- Reference 81SAKURACONsakuracon.orgVisit source
- Reference 82FANIMEfanime.comVisit source
- Reference 83ANIMEBOSTONanimeboston.comVisit source
- Reference 84KATSUCONkatsucon.orgVisit source
- Reference 85ANIMEMIDWESTanimemidwest.comVisit source
- Reference 86YOUMACONyoumacon.comVisit source
- Reference 87TEKKOSHOCONtekkoshocon.comVisit source
- Reference 88ANIMEDETOURanimedetour.comVisit source
- Reference 89NATSUCONnatsucon.comVisit source
- Reference 90PACIFICMEDIAEXPOpacificmediaexpo.comVisit source
- Reference 91TOMODACHICONtomodachicon.comVisit source
- Reference 92ACENacen.orgVisit source
- Reference 93KAWAIIKONkawaiikon.comVisit source
- Reference 94ANIMEFESTIVALanimefestival.asiaVisit source
- Reference 95COMIC-FIESTAcomic-fiesta.comVisit source
- Reference 96C3AFc3af.com.mxVisit source
- Reference 97ANIMEFRIENDSanimefriends.com.brVisit source
- Reference 98HYOUKA-CONhyouka-con.orgVisit source
- Reference 99ONICONonicon.comVisit source
- Reference 100MEAMEmeame.aeVisit source
- Reference 101JAPAN-EXPO-PARISjapan-expo-paris.comVisit source
- Reference 102ANIMANGAPOPanimangapop.comVisit source
- Reference 103LUCCACOMICSANDGAMESluccacomicsandgames.comVisit source
- Reference 104FAKKUfakku.netVisit source
- Reference 105CHENGDUWORLDCONchengduworldcon.comVisit source
- Reference 106DRAGONCONdragoncon.orgVisit source
- Reference 107BURNINGMANburningman.orgVisit source
- Reference 108CREATIONENTcreationent.comVisit source
- Reference 109SHOWshow.restaurant.orgVisit source
- Reference 110EXPOexpo.cippe.com.cnVisit source
- Reference 111CANTONFAIRcantonfair.org.cnVisit source
- Reference 112AUTOMECHANIKAautomechanika.messefrankfurt.comVisit source
- Reference 113MEDICA-TRADEFAIRmedica-tradefair.comVisit source
- Reference 114ANUGAanuga.comVisit source
- Reference 115IAA-TRANSPORTATIONiaa-transportation.comVisit source
- Reference 116K-ONLINEk-online.comVisit source
- Reference 117EUROSHOP-TRADEFAIReuroshop-tradefair.comVisit source
- Reference 118PROWEINprowein.comVisit source
- Reference 119INTERZUMinterzum.comVisit source
- Reference 120DOMOTEXdomotex.deVisit source
- Reference 121ISPOispo.comVisit source
- Reference 122PAPERWORLDpaperworld.messefrankfurt.comVisit source
- Reference 123TECHTEXTILtechtextil.messefrankfurt.comVisit source
- Reference 124AGRITECHNICAagritechnica.comVisit source
- Reference 125EUROBLECHeuroblech.messefrankfurt.comVisit source
- Reference 126FAKUMA-MESSEfakuma-messe.deVisit source
- Reference 127FORMNEXTformnext.mesago.comVisit source
- Reference 128MOTEK-MESSTECHNIKmotek-messtechnik.deVisit source
- Reference 129WIRE-TRADEFAIRwire-tradefair.comVisit source
- Reference 130GIFAgifa.comVisit source
- Reference 131WORLD-OF-PHOTONICSworld-of-photonics.comVisit source